By Joe Rukin
Almost as soon as it was on, the proposed merger between Imperial and University Colleges in London is off, but as one door on the corridor of rationalisation closes another one opens. NEWI & Bangor are now in merger talks, as are Huddersfield University and Doncaster College. Whilst the Manchester/UMIST merger is a step closer, neighbours Manchester Metropolitan plan to close a campus, as do Plymouth University.
It came as a surprise that the AUT’s ‘number one hypocrite’, Sir Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial and the man who merged Glaxo with SmithKline Beecham, was not the driving force behind the proposed merger between the two London institutions. Sir Derek Roberts the acting Provost of UCL first had the idea of a merger of some variety between another London university, with the wish to create a ‘European Harvard’
With the merger proposal having being timed to coincide with Imperials campaign to push for top-up fees, UCL students had more to fear. Sykes was, and still is, threatening to take Imperial private if the government will not introduce top-up fees. Obviously this would have seen UCL go the same way after a merger, or as most at UCL saw it, an Imperial takeover. UCL Staff and Students were adamant this would not happen to a college founded by enlightened benefactors, who would be turning in their graves, if they had graves- with one on display in a glass case in the library building.
Rather than face a meeting of the UCL academic board, which threatened not only open revolt, but the possible removal of the acting Provost, the two Sirs called off the merger. For now. Roberts seems to be out on his ear from October, as UCL will now start again in their search for a permanent provost. Student David Conway, who ran the Save UCL website said
"There is no doubt Sir Derek Roberts exceeded his remit in staking everything on this merger. There was no plan B. In the end he has damaged the university. He launched everybody down this one-way street with no preparation. He has paid the penalty of hubris."
But even if that merger has failed, there are still plenty more to go around. First off is Huddersfield University and Doncaster College. This merger will see university provision in Doncaster and the end of the name ‘Huddersfield University’ in a move which seems very much like the one which saw the University of Humberside mostly relocate to Lincoln. The university of Humberside, which had been Hull Polytechnic eventually became the University of Lincoln after several name changes. Doncaster College principal George Holmes already suggesting a title of ‘Doncaster Metropolitan University’. The move is being "vigorously investigated" by both institutions. If a full merger does not come about, Doncaster will achieve University College status with a £160m new campus, which will be constructed from 2004. HE participation rates are currently 41 per cent below the national average in Doncaster.
What is being called a ‘super university’ is being planned for North Wales, with the possible merger of Bangor University and NEWI (North East Wales Institute) in Wrexham. As usual, there is an agenda of cost-cutting in place, as even if a merger does not take place, administrative and other duties will be combined. Students have expressed concerns that a new University of North Wales, would be split across 50 miles.
The one big one, the Manchester and UMIST merger seems to be going full steam ahead after the proposal was put to the ruling bodies of both institutions. Manchester voted through the proposals unanimously, whilst the vote went through 28-2 at UMIST. The merged university will become the largest traditional style university in the country, taking over from neighbour Manchester Metropolitan, which has announced plans to close it’s campus in Alsager. MMU has two satellite sites in Cheshire, and students and courses are planned to be transferred to Crewe as well as it’s other sites in Manchester. Alsager is to be sold off to help provide a cash injection to MMU, with a 500-home housing estate, office blocks and small business premises planned.
The decision by Plymouth University to close the Seale-Hayne College in Newton Abbot is being met by opposition all around. Teignbridge councillors claim the loss of the 1,000 student and staff community could rob the area of £10m per year from the local economy, still reeling from Foot & Mouth. Seale-Hayne is just another in a long list of agricultural colleges which were taken over by universities in the 90’s which are now seen as surplus to requirements, and highly profitable to sell for housing or business relocation. The MP for Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross said:
"Losing the whole college will be a disaster for Newton Abbot and a very bitter blow. It's had some bad news in the last 12 months and this makes matters even worse. I don't understand how you can move an agricultural college to a city centre site. It conjures up pictures of cows walking into Debenhams."
While the university wants to transfer courses and students, students are saying they will simply quit if the proposed move to Plymouth goes ahead, with many now saying they will skip their placement year to make sure they finish their courses before the closure goes through. Student Hugh Luttrell said:
"We held an emergency meeting after the e-mail went out telling staff and students about the planned closure. More than 200 students attended, and a Students' Union council meeting was organised in Exmouth. The news is terrible. Students have been devastated."
The plans, which will also see cutbacks at sites in Exeter & Exmouth saw attendance at the Students Union Council meeting up by almost 2000%, with 500 showing up when only 30 or so usually do. David Clark, Union Welfare Officer said:
"There is a huge amount of concern at the smaller sites, particularly Seale Hayne, about the proposed plans. Yesterday we heard for over 2 hours the worries of hundreds of current students about how this will affect them. Many of them feel cheated by the university after feeling that assurances were given to them about the quality of their study when they came to Plymouth. The students' union will be taking these concerns to the university and ensuring that the student voices is heard. We
have a lot to say."
We’ll be listening
Links
Guardian, Merger of colleges scuppered
BBC, Universities abandon merger plan
BBC, 'Super university' plans unveiled
IC Cheshire, College closure plan stuns residents
IC Huddersfield, University in merger talks
Yorkshire Today, Merger talks offer town first university prospects
This is South Devon, Students’ walk out threat over axe
This is South Devon, £10m cost of college blow
