issue two

16 January 2006

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Every fortnight

All editorial correspondence to: subtext-editors at lancaster.ac.uk

Please download and print or delete as soon as possible after receipt. Back issues and subscription details can be found at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/subtext.

CONTENTS: editorial, GF6 update, deputy pro-chancellor latest, pay dirt, north campus redevelopment, spinal tap, Wallups' World, competition results, readers' letters, university motto.

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EDITORIAL

Last month's launch of subtext generated considerable interest, and we are pleased to say that the number of subscribers has now passed the 500 mark. Many messages, contributions and letters were received and we reflect these in this issue. One correspondent reminded us of the official motto of the University of Lancaster, which translates as 'Truth lies open to all' (see more below), the spirit of which we are delighted to endorse. Readers' responses are vital to subtext, which is a forum for debate, dissent and well-placed irreverence. But please make sure that you sign your contributions or letters; one rather vociferous correspondent did not leave any contact details, so we were unable to publish the letter. Very occasionally we may use 'name and address supplied', but only if subtext editors know the writer's identity.

The New Year will be challenging for the university community, which faces a number of serious ethical issues. Below, subtext reports on the upcoming appeal by the George Fox 6 against their conviction incurred following their protest on campus in September 2004. Again, the university's official relationship with arms companies is a matter for legitimate debate amongst us all, as is the ethics of its shareholdings. Other serious issues raised by readers include the treatment of postgraduates and the process of the campus redevelopment and its effects on our ability to function. In addition, this year we may see significant changes in the make-up of the university's senior management, due to retirements; subtext will endeavour to report on these developments throughout the year so that readers can offer comments on both the process and the outcome.

Finally, subtext was disturbed to read last week about the shockingly low numbers of Black British students in the Russell Group of universities. Of course, efforts to increase student recruitment are always tinged with ambivalence now that participation in higher education increases the debt burden on students and their families. For all the rhetoric on widening participation it is well known that lower income families and ethnic group communities are (wisely) debt averse. But our perception is that Lancaster itself could do more to address the issue of ethnic diversity. We wonder if readers may be able to contribute here - how does Lancaster fare on the ethnic diversity of students? In particular, how well are we serving the needs of local and regional ethnic groups?

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UPDATE ON THE GEORGE FOX SIX

As readers may remember, on 30 September last year six individuals were found guilty of 'aggravated trespass' by District Judge Peter Ward at Lancaster Magistrates' Court, in relation to their protest at a 'corporate venturing' conference held in the George Fox Building on 10 September 2004. The 'George Fox Six' (two undergraduates, two postgraduates, a former student and a student from St. Martins College) had entered the lecture theatre and protested for three minutes against the ethical record of companies and individuals present, including BAE Systems, Shell and Lord Sainsbury. At the trial the judge dismissed accusations of intimidation and violence against the Six, but nevertheless concluded that they had unlawfully disrupted the event. The offence of aggravated trespass has a maximum penalty of three months in prison, but the Six were conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay £300 costs each. The Six immediately appealed against the decision. The case was covered in the national media (though, sadly, not in the 'People in the news' section of LU Text): for a Guardian article on the conviction, see http://tinyurl.com/d876h; more press reports and other background on the case can be seen on the GF6 supporters site: http://www.free-webspace.biz/GeorgeFox/.

A spokesperson for the George Fox Six said: 'the Six asked for a retrial because they're concerned about the ramifications that the verdict might have for students and staff at universities. As it stands, it has given the green light for universities to clamp down on any criticism of their activities and relationships.'

subtext has learnt that the appeal is due to be heard on 13 March at Lancaster Crown Court (though due to the vagaries of court timetabling this may alter at the last minute). The Six face the possibility of a custodial sentence, should the new judge also find them guilty of the charge, or of course their appeal may be upheld. We will be there to report on the case.

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DIARY: APPOINTMENT OF NEW DEPUTY PRO-CHANCELLOR

The University Court is preparing to appoint a new Deputy Pro-Chancellor, as Claire Hensman has completed her term of office. This unpaid post is largely honorary, although recent holders have been active in various spheres of University life.

University Charter 8 states: 'There shall be one or more Deputy Pro-Chancellors, none of whom shall be an employee or student of the university, and in the absence of the Chancellor, or during a vacancy in that office, preside [sic] over the Court of the University. In the absence of the Pro-Chancellor, or during a vacancy in that office, one of the Deputy Pro-Chancellors shall preside over the Council of the University, and may confer degrees which have been granted by the University'.

The statutory duties are therefore minimal and the job is very much what the holder wishes to make of it - and what the University wishes them to make of it. While honorary, the appointment is significant because of the influence inevitably exercised by such a senior officer (in order of precedence, the Deputy Pro-Chancellor is junior to the Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor, but senior to the Vice-Chancellor - if you are at a University computer, see http://www.lancs.ac.uk/vc/sitemap.htm for a nice flowchart).

Members of Court were invited to submit nominations to the Academic Registrar by 5th January, and the term of office runs from January 2006 until January 2011. subtext gathers that the sole nominee for the post is Stanley Henig. Readers may be interested in some brief biographical information.

Stan Henig was one of the founding members of the University of Lancaster, and, along with Philip Reynolds and Russell Price, pioneered the teaching of politics at Lancaster. This first period of association with the University turned out to be relatively short-lived, because in 1966 his interest in politics was translated into practice when he was elected Labour MP for Lancaster. In 1970, along with many others (including George Brown, the then nominal Deputy Leader of the Labour Party) he suffered from the country's unexpected swing to the Conservative Party and lost his seat. He returned to teaching and after spells at the University of Warwick and the Civil Service College, he returned to the North West, specifically, Preston Polytechnic (now the University of Central Lancashire). There he became Professor of European Politics, Head of the Department of European Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies before his retirement. He also maintained his political commitments, serving as Lancaster City Councillor from 1981-99 and Leader from 1991-99.

His second period of association with the University came when the University Court appointed him to Council shortly after his retirement from UCLAN. Since then, he has established a reputation as an independent voice, and in particular as a vociferous critic of the proposals emerging from the Working Party on Corporate Governance, both on Council and Court. In many ways, he has emerged as a prominent democratic watchdog. As was reported in subtext 1, after the hostile reception given to the proposals by Court, he was co-opted as a member of the Working Party (along with a current and former Deputy Pro-Chancellor). We thus await developments with interest.

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PAY LOADS

We are informed by Lancaster AUT that, despite an expected extra 25% of funding across the higher education sector over the next three years, and despite previous commitments given by our employers both to the unions and to government that staff pay would be prioritised, pay talks between university teaching unions and university employers have broken down, with no offer on the table. The AUT will now proceed to ballot members on industrial action.

But it's not all bad news on the pay front. Lancaster University's Annual Report and Accounts is hot off the press, carrying the news that the Vice Chancellor's pay last year went up by 11% (from £136K to £151K) - rather more than the average of 3% for everyone else (p. 72). However, the same document doesn't bode so well for others working at Lancaster: it outlines the University's future financial strategy, which among other things raises the target annual surplus from 4-5% to 5-6%, and seeks to maintain 'a balance between staff costs and other costs' (p. 53). You have been warned.

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THE NORTH CAMPUS PROJECT (Contributed article)

Q. What is it?
A. A plan to move all departments in the new Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences into Bowland North and County South.

Q. When will it happen?
A. At the moment there is only enough money for the refurbishment of Bowland North. That will start this term.

Q. How much will that first phase cost?
A. 8 million pounds.

Q. Is there money for the rest?
A. Not as yet.

Q. What's the point?
A. Ostensibly, to deal with a 'space crisis'.

Q. Is there one?
A. Not really, though Law is short of rooms and IHR is in unsatisfactory accommodation. Most other departments would rather keep the space they currently occupy.

Q. So what's it really about?
A. Dissolving departmental boundaries; making it easier to close, contract or expand departments; giving the Faculty more central control; making 'more efficient use of space'. Oh, and, creating the 'Martini Academic' - able to teach and research any time, any place, anywhere, on any topic which fits the latest strategic plan.

Q. Why didn't departments complain if they were unhappy?
A. They did, repeatedly. Several wrote letters explaining their worries, and staff and students raised concerns at Senate and Council.

Q. What happened?
A. Nothing. So the Policy & Resources Committees of both faculties (prior to merger) wrote to Bob McKinlay, Mark Swindlehurst and others expressing their concern, and suggesting a compromise way forward.

Q. What happened?
A. They didn't get a reply.

Q. Why the unhappiness?
A. i. Loss of offices large enough to teach and hold meetings.
ii. Separation of office and teaching space meaning students will no longer be an integral part of departments.
iii. Lack of provision for the storage of books, files and research materials which are currently kept in offices.
iv. Loss of departmental identities.
v. Large reduction in the amount of teaching space + central timetabling of all meeting and teaching rooms = disaster waiting to happen.

Q. Wouldn't it have been easier and a lot cheaper to move the departments which need more space into the empty rooms in Bowland North, and to spend the rest of the money re-decorating existing departments and making the north campus look a bit more attractive to visitors?
A. You would have thought so.

Q. If smaller offices and central timetabling are the way forward, why has money been spent on moving senior managers into larger offices with meeting rooms under their own control?
A. Search me.

Q. Is it true that overweight academics will have to go on the F(aculty) Plan diet to fit into their new rooms?
A. A malicious rumour.

Q. Can it get any worse?
A. Apparently, yes. Or so I'm told by those who have seen the plans for A Floor of University House.

Linda Woodhead (Religious Studies)

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SPINAL TAP

'Important Notice: Communications on the University's north and south spines may be monitored and reported to ensure the effective operation of democratic systems and for satirical purposes' [apologies to 'Message of The Day']. In an occasional column, we report on overheard conversations on the university's beloved byways.

Two students in conversation in front of the newly erected Institute for Advanced Studies sign: 'But I thought we were _all_ doing advanced studies!'

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NEW TRAINING COURSE (contributed article)

[Eds: subtext was pleased to receive news of this important new venture, which should be of interest to those who are blissfully unaware that they could do far more and achieve far more than they do already.]

KILT (Knowledge, Intelligence, Learning, Teaching)

in association with

SPORRAN (Society for the Promotion of Real Research into Academic Noometry)

present

A Teaching and Learning Morning
Monday 23 January 2006

Programme
9.15 Welcome address by Professor Nigel Wallups

Pile 'em high and teach 'em cheap: the university as supermarket

In a brief introductory talk, Professor Wallups argues that supermarkets provide a good model for thinking about universities in the 21st Century.

9.30 - 11.00 Session 1

Ruth Kelly, Department of Bovine Performance Studies

Using the Electric Cattle-Prod to generate seminar discussion

A seasonal demonstration and discussion of the use of the electric cattle-prod (ECP). The ECP has been used successfully for a number of years in the lectures of a core second year Economics Principles course. The ECP helps students to maintain concentration levels and skilfully handled really incentivises student contributions to seminar discussion.

Chris Woodhead, Department of Viral Marketing

In defence of Rumour

The lecture has taken much criticism in recent years as a form of teaching and learning. In this session Chris will show that by replacing lectures with a system of organised rumour distribution, knowledge transfer from tutors to students can be carried out far more effectively.

11.00 - 11.30 Turning Theory into Practice

In this session we will divide into two groups. The first group will go to the Coffee bar and attempt to disseminate rumour amongst the undergraduate population. The second group will visit JCRs equipped with ECPs and seek to stimulate student conversation in an informal setting.

11.30 - 1.00 Session 2

Andrew Adonis and Bill Rammell, Department of Mass Engineering

The Business Environment Project: Group project work with large numbers of students

Working with groups of 250 students and upwards might seem to offer few opportunities for independent work. Andrew and Bill show how, with great organisation and attention to detail it is possible to 'lease' students out in groups of up to 10 on 'real world' project work to a variety of local employers, thereby enhancing both graduate employability and departmental revenue.

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SUBTEXT COMPETITION RESULTS

In subtext 1 we invited your nominations for the person you would most like to see receiving an honorary degree from Lancaster University. We received four nominations:

1 - Harold Pinter

"The most appropriate person to reward with a Lancaster University honorary degree right now is probably Harold Pinter (though he's probably got loads already), after his powerful acceptance speech on receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature. A real live public intellectual" [Eds: see http://tinyurl.com/byrom] Mike Hannis, IPPP

2 - Banksy

"My honorary degree recipient is Banksy, the graffiti artist and social critic (see http://www.banksy.co.uk)" Johnny Unger, Department of Linguistics & English Language

3 - Brian Haw

"I would like to nominate Brian Haw, if I may, the only person in Britain who is allowed to protest in Parliament Square without obtaining permission from the Metropolitan Police (see http://www.parliament-square.org.uk). Brian's protest has so far lasted an astonishing 1655 days and has been shortlisted for a Human Rights Award (see http://tinyurl.com/dyesr). Brian deserves all the attention he can get for all our sakes. Justice for all and all for justice." Alan Ely

4 - A remote controlled robot

"In response to your request for suggestions about whom to reward with a Lancaster University honorary degree, I think that the ideal recipient would be one of those remote controlled robots that you can buy nowadays, with a fat wad of cash shoved into one of its mechanical hands.

This is because:
1). It can be relied upon not to protest, no matter what it gets driven into or off.
2). A full list of everything that it is capable of saying is listed on the box that it comes in, and can be checked by the administration before it is ever switched on.
3). Most important of all for any honorary qualification presented by this organization, it is capable of delivering to the University the one thing that the institution cares about.

I'm sure that any soulless automaton would do, but one that actually came with its own remote control would help give the administrators the sense of control that they crave." Name and address supplied.

All of these nominations are very welcome, and each in its own way makes a convincing case for that particular nominee. However, the editors feel that the nominee most in the spirit of subtext has to be the irreverent graffiti artist Banksy. We would therefore like to nominate Banksy for an honorary Lancaster degree. Indeed, were Banksy to visit the campus, the Vice Chancellor might find another art work to have been surreptitiously slipped in to the already prestigious art collection displayed for the benefit of senior management on the D Floor of University House.

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LETTERS

QinetiQ, venture capitalists and university shareholdings

Dear subtext editors,

First of all, many congratulations and thanks for getting the first issue of subtext together and opening up a really important space for discussion and, hopefully, action. I think a forum such as subtext can begin to discuss the politics of education more openly and remind us as individuals that we are not alone, and that we are (or can be) a collective force for change.

Secondly, a point on QinetiQ. QinetiQ part fund guided weapons technology centres at Cranfield University and Imperial College London. What are they doing here? QinetiQ was established in 2001 after the MoD privatised some of its activities and the MoD now buys consultancy back from QinetiQ. The MoD holds shares in QinetiQ and so does the US based Carlyle group - one of the world's largest venture capitalists (i.e. a company which speculates and invests in anything and everything so long as it makes them money). And get this - according to the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, former US Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci chairs the Carlyle Group, former UK Prime Minister John Major is Carlyle Europe Chairperson, former US President George Bush Senior is Carlyle Senior Advisor, and former US Secretary of State James Baker is Carlyle Senior Counsellor.

And did you know that the university is a shareholder in four arms companies? These are: BAe Systems (world's 4th largest arms company); Rolls Royce (25% of the world's military aircraft use RR engines); Smiths Group (provide components to aircraft manufacturers including flight controls and engine parts); and VT Group (manufacture warships and military aircraft and provide 'support') (see http://www.caat.org.uk/campaigns/clean-investment/universities/northwest.php).

All over the country staff and students are beginning to question their universities and demand an end to this investment by adopting an Ethical Investment Policy. I'm sure we can do the same here. As CAAT says, 'arms companies are already subsidised by public money to the tune of £890m annually - just short of the £950m which will be raised each year by top-up fees, according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies. It seems that public money can be found for weapons, but not for education'.

Elham Kashefi, Institute for Health Research

[Eds: The University Ethics Committee met on 21 December but didn't get through its business, so will reconvene next week; we await the minutes with interest. In a further development, as subtext went to press the board of Qinetiq announced its intention to float on the stock market in what is expected to be Labour's first genuine privatisation since coming to power - see http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1682793,00.html for some background, including Qinetiq's rather surprising assets.]

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Star Wars

Dear Subtext,

Re Qinetiq, look at their Star Wars work: http://tinyurl.com/8d4l5.

Mike Hannis IPPP

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Red Rows

Dear Subtext,

Congratulations on the new publication. Your piece on the use of consultants within the University reminded me of a joke. I present it here, slightly modified of course.

The University of Lancaster had a rowing competition with the University of York and lost. Fuming at this blow to institutional prestige, the VC established a working party of UMAG to find out why. They found that while the University of York had eight people rowing and one steering, the University of Lancaster had one rowing and eight steering. UMAG decided to employ consultants to devise a solution. The consultants advised that what Lancaster really needed was three steering managers, three deputy steering managers and a Director of Steering Services. The rower, meanwhile, should be made to row harder. Facing strong protest in both the Senate and Court over the proposals, the VC nevertheless decided to implement the recommendations, arguing that this would bring us into line with models of best practice elsewhere in the Higher Education sector.

Next year, Lancaster faced York again and lost. Accordingly, the Director of Steering Services decided to sack the rower, sell the boat and give himself a pay rise.

Gareth Stockey (The County College)

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A Healthy University

Merry Christmas to the 'collective'. I enjoyed subtext 1 and think it is a reflection of a healthy university to have this sort of comment. Look forward to reading more in the new year,

Vicky Tyrell, Press Office

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Congratulations

Congratulations on the 1st issue, which I have just read. A welcome and much needed public voice of dissent and reason that has given me hope for our collective future. Thank you.

Robbie Smith, Innovation & Enterprise Unit, School of Independent Studies,

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Congratulations on the birth - a brilliant first issue.

Lisa Whistlecroft (Music)

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Seasons greetings to all! And many thanks to the first editors for getting this important project off to a positive start.

Maureen McNeil (Institute for Women's Studies)

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Needs of Postgraduates Ignored

Dear subtext,

Over the past year LUSU had produced a detailed report on postgraduate needs at Lancaster. They did not employ consultants; they appointed an internal research officer and spoke to the postgraduate student representatives, the graduate student association and focus groups of postgraduates. They also consulted university documents where time and time again the lack of provisions for postgraduates has been highlighted. Take for example the Graduate School Committee (2001) where the need for greater social space for postgraduates was raised and the Deputy Pro Chancellor invited to consider the issue in the development of South West Campus. Next note the response in Senate (2003) that this was "not being considered". Maybe we need to hire a consultant to explain it to them?

After 2 years work LUSU now understands some of the issues affecting postgraduates, as well as the need for postgraduates to be represented by postgraduates. The university however doesn't like this cooperation and apparently feels the solution is a cap on sabbatical numbers. The message is that for a postgraduate sabbatical to come in, one of the existing posts must go. Naturally no sabbatical will agree to abolish their post. Of the elected officers (about 50 of them undergraduates compared with 3 postgraduates) many have an eye on sabbatical posts. The last thing they want is for that post to disappear. So game, set and match to the university. Lets just ignore a third of campus who are under resourced, under represented, and paying top price for the privilege. The majority of fees come from postgraduates, the majority of research (leading to those all important RAE scores) comes from postgraduates, and the students with the most experience and ability to help the university with its "branding" and "marketing" are postgraduates. And I haven't even mentioned the teaching load postgraduates do. As a university we are doing everything we can to ignore our postgraduates. In today's company that's only to be expected. If new fee paying international postgraduate students (worth up to 26.5K a head) want a UK university education, they'd best look else where. Perhaps to places such as York? If they just wanted a company certificate, I do believe you can buy those on the internet.

Andre Oboler (Graduate Student Rep, LUSU, & Student Observer to the QAA Board)

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University of Lancaster Motto

Dear Editors

I would like to join with those (many I hope) applauding the energy and initiative of those responsible for launching subtext, and suggest that it might be suitable if your title header could include the University motto, "Patet omnibus veritas" (Truth lies open to all), a sentiment with which surely nobody in the University would disagree!

In fact I discovered from the degree ceremony this week that a more extended version of the quotation from Seneca from which the motto was taken in 1964 is even more appropriate:

Patet omnibus veritas Nondum est occupata Multum ex illa etiam futuris relictum est (Truth lies open to all. It is not yet in anyone's possession. Much of it is left, even for those to come.)

I wish all producing subtext well as they pursue the noble enterprise of getting truth into EVERYBODY'S possession.

Ian Saunders, Department of Physics

[Eds: Perhaps our esteemed managers might prefer to amend the motto to 'Patet omnibus veritas (QinetiQus sponsoribus)' - 'Truth lies open to all who are prepared to sponsor it'.]

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The editorial collective of subtext currently consists (in alphabetical order) of: Lenny Baer, Steve Fleetwood, Patrick Hagopian, Gavin Hyman, John Law, Maggie Mort, Rhona O'Brien, Ian Reader and Bronislaw Szerszynski.