University Scandal
written by Stuart on June 21st, 2006
You may or may not know that I am a student at John Moores University in Liverpool, studying Japanese. The language school at the university has been a home to me for two years, and is a place where I have been happy in my studies. The department is staffed by a passionate group of lecturers who go above and beyond the call of duty in delivering an excellent quality of education to its students, who have gone on to work in all parts of the world, and for some of the worlds leading companies.
Unfortunately, in this modern era of over-management and lack of compassion within business, the powers that be at John Moores have decided to close the language school. Meaning that future students will not be given the same opportunities that those who came before them had. The courses offered at JMU are not commonly found in the UK, and to lose them would be not only a loss to the university, but the region, and the country…
Amusingly, it would seem that JMU think they will be better placed to fulfil the needs of the global business environment by ceasing to teach languages. Presumably those in charge think it is enough to speak English, and have the rest of the world struggle to accommodate our ignorance, and arrogance as a nation.
The university claims that as an ongoing student my education will not suffer. But then they also claim to have given their assurance of this fact, which is also untrue. The inevitable redundancies will not only affect the morale and dedication of the staff and students, but will also lead to these lecturers, as is their right, seeking employment with a slightly less globally ignorant institution.
It is a mark of the department that students who graduated ten years ago still feel passionate about their university enough to join in with highlighting this scandal to the wider public. I have contacted my local MP, the secretary for education and members of the press to hopefully give some exposure to this idiotic policy.
As I said in a letter to the dean of the university: I am sure there is more to this than we are currently aware of, but if this universities main objective is to offer a first class education to its students, then in this decision it is failing in that aim. If however, the university aims to become a second rate business college, then this could be the correct route to follow.
Apparently, a 'period of meaningful consultation' will now begin, though maybe that should have happened before a decision of this magnitude was taken.
A Dedicated site: An independent site containing more information on this issue
JMU News: Faculty of Business and Law- 'Faculty restructure'
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That sounds awful - seems ridiculous to “restructure” what sounds to be an excellent department. Hope it turns out in the best possible way. PS, Placebo rock!
Always sad to hear that a university is “restructured”…