To sign in non-student guests for Club Sandwich, please click here

Welfare News

 

Union pressure leads to Formal investigation launched in to Art department

 

Tuesday 6th November 11.51am

Hannah Bullivant, President

 

The Students' Union has been working hard over the last year to resolve significant issues raised by students and student representatives across the Department of Art.

Throughout last year we sought to resolve issues by representing concerns directly to senior departmental staff and the Head of Department, as well as arranging open meetings for students to ask questions and raise concerns directly. This saw no changes and led to a formal complaint coordinated by the Students' Union, followed by a final submission to the College's Senior Management Team.

We would like to thank all students who have engaged with the Students' Union throughout the last year and placed faith in our representation. Following the our open meeting with students on the 25th October we presented the College's Senior Managers Team with evidence of significant dissatisfaction amongst the undergraduate student body and requested a response by 5th November.

As a result of this representation, along with a number of staff grievances, the Warden has responded by appointing a group to lead a formal inquiry into the Department of Art. This is an unprecedented and significant step. The group carrying out the inquiry will gather evidence from across the College, from both staff and students. This feedback will be collected through an email address. We urge you to take part in this, no matter how much you have been involved previously- it is vital that the inquiry team are aware of how all students have directly experienced the department's actions. The members of the group will treat the evidence gathered, particularly that gathered from individuals, as confidential. The Students' Union will be submitting evidence, and will happily submit evidence anonymously on behalf of individual student's if required. The group will aim to conduct its business swiftly and report to the Warden no later than the end of November 2007. We believe that this inquiry will only be successful if it presents in material terms, how the departments provision will be improved in the shortest period of time possible.

We understand that there may be a feeling that this is just another attempt to contain issues and that nothing will change, however we really do urge you to engage with this inquiry. The Students' Union would not have accepted this as an attempt to resolve these deep rooted issues if we didn't believe it would result in real change for all of you.

The Students' Union will continue to gather evidence independent from the College to inform our submission and provide scrutiny to final recommendations. If you are an art student, please take the time to complete this basic survey following this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=BdxNpWhl5ogO_2bxrveTtdFQ_3d_3d

Finally an open meeting for all art students, this time with members of the inquiry, Head of Department Sam Fisher and other academics from the department, will be held shortly, giving all students an opportunity to ask the questions that they have wanted to ask for a long time with a commitment to avoid question dodging. This will not be a replica of previous department meetings- Senior Management have committed to ensure that you are provided with a 'warts and all' account of the background behind departmental changes- and that all questions will be answered fully and honestly.

Details of the open meeting and the practicalities for submitting evidence to the inquiry will follow shortly.

Please continue to use the Facebook group which can be found by searching for 'Hands off our art course'- we will use it as a way to communicate the developments of the inquiry. Please also continue to express your opinions on this group and to invite fellow students to join.


Hannah Bullivant
President