[spectre] Middlesex University close all Philosophy programmes

[miguel leal]

Dear Spectres,

I've just received this incredible information from Eric Alliez.  
Please redistribute widely. You can find an on-line petition at

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-middlesex-philosophy.html

best

ml


___________________

Earlier this afternoon all staff in the Arts and Education section of  
Middlesex University received the following email:


Dear colleagues,

Late on Monday 26 April, the Dean of the School of Arts & Humanities,  
Ed Esche,
informed staff in Philosophy that the University executive had  
‘accepted his
recommendation’ to close all Philosophy programmes: undergraduate,  
postgraduate and
MPhil/PhD.

Philosophy is the highest research-rated subject in the University.  
Building on its
grade 5 rating in RAE2001, it was awarded a score of 2.8 on the new  
RAE scale in
2008, with 65% of its research activity judged ‘world-leading’ or  
‘internationally
excellent’. It is now widely recognised as one of the most important  
centres for the
study of modern European philosophy anywhere in the English-speaking  
world.
The MA programmes in Philosophy at Middlesex have grown in recent  
years to become
the largest in the UK, with 42 new students admitted in September 2009.
The Dean explained that the decision to terminate recruitment and  
close the
programmes was ’simply financial’, and based on the fact that the  
University
believes that it may be able to generate more revenue if it shifts  
its resources to
other subjects – from ‘Band D’ to ‘Band C’ students.

As you may know, the University currently expects each academic unit  
to contribute
55% of its gross income to the central administration. As it stands  
(by the credit
count method of calculation), Philosophy and Religious Studies  
contributes 53%,
after the deduction of School admin costs. According to the figures  
for projected
recruitment from admissions (with Philosophy undergraduate  
applications up 118% for
2010-11), if programmes had remained open, the contribution from  
Philosophy and
Religious Studies would have risen to 59% (with Philosophy’s  
contribution,
considered on its own, at 53%).

In a meeting with Philosophy staff, the Dean acknowledged the  
excellent research
reputation of Philosophy at Middlesex, but said that it made no  
‘measurable’
contribution to the University.

Needless to say, we very much regret this decision to terminate  
Philosophy, and its
likely consequences for the School and our University and for the  
teaching of our
subject in the UK.

· Professor Peter Hallward, Programme Leader for the MA programmes in
Philosophy,
· Professor Peter Osborne, Director, Centre for Research in Modern  
European
Philosophy,
· Dr. Stella Sandford, Director of Programmes, Philosophy
__________________


Late on Monday 26 April, staff in Philosophy at Middlesex University  
in London were informed that the University executive are to close  
all Philosophy programmes: undergraduate, postgraduate and MPhil/PhD.

Philosophy is the highest research-rated subject at Middlesex  
University, with 65% of its research activity judged 'world-leading'  
or 'internationally excellent' in the UK government's recent Research  
Assessment Exercise. It is now widely recognised as one of the most  
important centres for the study of modern European philosophy  
anywhere in the English-speaking world. Its MA programmes in  
Philosophy have grown in recent years to become the largest in the  
UK, with 42 new students admitted in September 2009. Middlesex offers  
one of only a handful of programmes left in the UK that provides both  
research-driven and inclusive post-graduate teaching aimed at a wide  
range of students, specialist and non-specialist. It is also one of  
relatively few such programmes that remains financially viable,  
currently contributing close to half of its total income to the  
University's central administration.

This decision to terminate Philosophy at Middlesex will have serious  
consequences for the teaching of philosophy in the UK. This is a  
shameful decision which essentially means the end of the Centre for  
Research in Modern European Philosophy, a hub for internationally  
renowned scholarship (http://www.web.mdx.ac.uk/crmep/; staff include  
Eric Alliez, Peter Hallward, Mark Kelly, Christian Kerslake, Peter  
Osborne and Stella Sandford). This act of wilful self-harm by the  
University must be resisted.

Please join the facebook group and spread the word: http:// 
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119102561449990

And sign the petition  http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save- 
middlesex-philosophy.html
Campaign email: savemdxphil at gmail.com



It would be helpful if you could send an email to these people,  
responsible for the decision that has been made.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Michael Driscoll,  
m.driscoll at mdx.ac.uk;

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, Waqar  
Ahmad,w.ahmad at mdx.ac.uk;

Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Margaret House, m.house at mdx.ac.uk;

Dean of the School of Arts & Education, Ed Esche, e.esche at mdx.ac.uk.

(The full set of emails is m.driscoll at mdx.ac.uk;  
w.ahmad at mdx.ac.uk;m.house at mdx.ac.uk; e.esche at mdx.ac.uk).

If you are able to send such an email, it would be helpful if you  
blind copied (BCC) it to our campaign email, savemdxphil at gmail.com