Happy New Year!

New year, new plans......well work in progress...back to work to start planning at least. More to follow.

I am 1/2 way through my sabb year, the time has flown by. When reflecting on last term i am pleased to say i enjoyed it even though tough at times...!


My personal highlights of the term include: The National Demo, training more course reps then ever before, Freshers week and seeing so many students support and help with the Save Physics Campaign - it was good to see students actively campaigning on what they felt so strongly about.

The term seen some great student activism with the demo and the physics campaign, i would certainly say the education portfolio at RUSU has been keeping educational matters high on the agenda - and rightly so - as i regularly get quoted in the office:


'We are all here for an education'


Some of the lower points for me: Walking out of the University Council meeting alone, to see physics students waiting outside for the result - having to tell them that despite a strong campaign physics would be no longer at Reading was pretty tough. But having said that i was so impressed with their passion and belief in the subject, they really are a great bunch. I still struggle to understand why such a fundamental and important science can be axed in such a way. I guess also the 60-70+ hour weeks (which i always said i would never do) mid term were also hard, people sometimes think student officers have it easy, well as much as the job is great it is certainly something that becomes your life! But i would recommend it to anyone - so much to gain to learn and to enjoy!


Despite the low points, the Autumn term has been great....with each and every day so different, bring on the spring term.


So after my short reflection thoughts - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here's to a great term, lots of laughs and more great work for students!

Ryan

r.j.e.bird@reading.ac.uk

Physics Press Release

PHYSICS STILL GETS THE AXE DESPITE STRONG OPPOSITION FROM STUDENTS AND STAFF

The controversial proposal to close Physics at Reading has been approved by the University Council. It comes with great disappointment to both students and lecturers, after weeks of strong campaigning. Huge support came locally, nationally and internationally, yet despite all this Reading is set to lose one of the most fundamental sciences in 2010.

Students and lecturers came together in solidarity both campaigning and voicing their concerns about the closure. Before the council meeting around 200 protesters marched through the university, and were addressed by several speakers including Sally Hunt, UCU joint secretary and Dave Lewis, RUSU President. Calls were made for a more detailed analysis of the department’s future, the implications of closure and the possibility of alternatives, these were pushed aside by Council, and the fate of Physics was sealed with 18 votes for the closure, 5 against and 1 abstention.

Dave Lewis, President and Ryan Bird, VP Education were at the lengthy meeting which was guarded by security. There was much discussion and support to keep Physics, yet the final decision was shadowed by lines from the corporate plan which included the need to invest into areas of excellence and to enhance the financial viability of the university, the Council decided not to keep Physics open on these grounds. With around 40% of Physics lectures attended by students outside physics, this closure will affect Maths, Meteorology, and Chemistry to name a few.



Dave Lewis, President said:

‘With Mechanical Engineering, Music, Sociology and now Physics all disappearing from the Reading portfolio in the past few years, people will be asking which subject is next.’

‘The University talk of their commitment to pure science, yet the closure of Physics does not echo this. With the loss of the Physics department goes lecturers, PhD students, laboratory equipment, collaboration with departments and choice for students.’

‘The financial position of the University dominated the discussion, whilst an important factor, wider issues seemed to be avoided including perception from the academic community, choice and demands of students, the Goverment agenda, the student experience and relationships with stakeholders'



Ryan Bird, VP Education added:

‘It comes with great frustration and disappointment that council voted for the closure, six months ago a review concluded that an important and strong, viable physics presence was in line with the corporate plan, yet since then physics has gone from important to only desirable. The only change is in the Universities finances, and that should not have been to the detriment of Physics’

‘To lose such a fundamental science in a research based institution, seems crazy, at a time when students are looking in more and more detail at universities, they will see a large gap in the science portfolio at Reading’

RUSU will be working closely with the university to ensure that the education of current Physics students is not disadvantaged by this decision, and that promises by senior management to keep a presence in physics at Reading including areas such as Nanoscience and Microscopy are followed up.

Ends

Notes to Editors

RUSU, independent from the University of Reading, represents the interests, diversity and needs of over 17,000 students. The Union is run for students by students, offering advice, services, support and welfare. They also run bars. The Students’ Union offers a variety of entertainments, events and campaigns for a diverse and demanding student population.

For more information contact: President, Dave Lewis d.c.lewis@rdg.ac.uk, 07973 503 401 or VP Education, Ryan Bird r.j.e.bird@rdg.ac.uk 07980 697 089



More info on the closure avaliable here




UCU Photos of the protest

After a dissapointing Senate - We carry on the fight....

The university press release about senate's comments on the Physics closure - found here



The unions response is below.




Friday 12th OctoberUniversity Management forcing through Physics closure

Following a tense and thorough examination of the University’s Senior Management’s recommendation to close the Physics department, University Senate, the Academic Governing body, voted in favour of the plans.

It what can only be seen as a blow to its reputation in the world of science, Reading University’s plans to close down Physics are only weeks away from final ascent.

Senior Management were quick to rubbish their own report from six months ago which promised to solve the future of Physics. Despite conceding that they had solved short term budget problems, Senior Management were persistent in trying to condemn Physics to the long list of departments they have axed over the years.

The Students’ Union were quick to identify the lack of any joined up thinking within the sector, due to Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Higher Education and Life Long Learning announcing his commitment on Tuesday to science at Higher Education with £18million worth of initiatives to create more demand from school pupils. The University were accused of hypocrisy and short-sightedness during Senate by Faculty Representatives.

It also emerged that the University of Reading had sought support from HEFCE before consulting staff, students and campus Unions. This blasé attitude to dealing with the issues left many wondering about the University’s commitment to the campus community.

Dave Lewis, RUSU President

"It was a shame that the VC had to blackmail academics to accept his plans, promising to cut posts and cut funding if they didn’t back him."

"Academics were overwhelming in their support for a Physics presence at Reading, and acknowledged that with the closure of Physics goes any credibility that Reading had towards physical sciences"

"We remain as committed as ever to a University that promotes diversity over narrowness and students over surplus"


Ryan Bird Vice-President Education

"The last few weeks have been incredible; students in Reading organising themselves to campaign against these plans. We have listened loud and clear to the views, opinions and values of both prospective and current students all wanting to see a Physics presence at Reading"

"Reading should be re-affirming their commitment to Science; with an increase in student numbers overall this year, the message should be clear, Reading is open for Science and that should include one of the fundamental science’s on which many others are based - Physics"

Strategy and Finance Committee, compromising of lay members of University Council and University Senior Management will meet early next week to make the final recommendations before they come to University Council, the University’s Governing Body, on November 20th.

The next few weeks will see an intensification of campaigning, with support coming from local MPs, media, national organisations, the Higher Education community and society, as everyone recognises the importance of a Physics department at Reading.

Academics and students around campus have been asking the Vice-Chancellor “Oh Dr Beecham, what have you done?”

ENDS

----

I remember watching Oh Dr Beecham on the TV with my nan..... the moral of the story clear in my mind.....maybe with the help of some film students we could start work on a new version...

"Oh Vice Chancellor what have you done".....

Ryan

Physics Forum

Monday - 1pm Ditchburn Lecture Theatre, Physics

Your chance to hear the thoughts and views of Dave Lewis - RUSU President, Simon Stacey - Physics Society President, Prof John Blackman - Head of Physics, and also a member of Senior Management.

Followed by questions and a vote.

Ryan

Physics Blog!

http://physicsatreading.blogspot.com

University plans to dump Physics

What a weekend!

By 3pm Friday i had cleared my inbox, intray and desk and was ready for International weekend and Freshers week, everything seemed to be going to plan.

4pm - Dave reads on the education guardian website that Reading University plans to close physics! The communication about this has been appalling, with many people in the University finding out the way we did.

On the first day of International weekend, the eve of the biggest open day of the year, and days before thousands of new students arrive, what was already set to be a hectic few weeks has just become even more hectic.

Our first press release can be found here.

Lots of emails from concerned students have started flooding in, these emails are not just Physics students, the whole student community is disappointed and concerned about these plans.

The Student Union opposes these plans, and more will follow shortly.

Saturday was Open Day, when 8000+ prospective students visited Reading, including many to look at Physics, people who we spoke to were angry and outraged at this sudden announcement.

Whilst i sit here in my office on a Sunday afternoon replying to concerned students, angry students and student who are ready to come together as a strong and active voice, it still baffles me how a University like Reading, can just dump a subject so key to the understanding of the world around us.

ryan