Our Concerns

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=180 BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="01ca0540.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="84" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Some of our concerns - let us know if you have others to be added to the list</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>-------------</B></div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:campaign@saveucl.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:campaign@saveucl.net"><U><B>contact us</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>-------------</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 BGCOLOR="#555555" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFF66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Save UCL</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>    </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Save UCL"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Save UCL"><U>Save UCL</U></A>   |   <A HREF="senate.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fewer Students, Fewer Jobs"><U>Fewer Students, Fewer Jobs</U></A>   |   <A HREF="posters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Download a Poster!"><U>Download a Poster!</U></A>   |   <A HREF="jeremy1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ask Jeremy!"><U>Ask Jeremy!</U></A>   |   <A HREF="jeremy2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ask Jeremy! 2"><U>Ask Jeremy! 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="objectives.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Objectives"><U>Our Objectives</U></A>   |   <B>Our Concerns</B>   |   <A HREF="goodbye.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GOODBYE! 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Why has this been abandoned in favour of a merger neither called for nor anticipated?</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Why are the preparations for a merger being driven with such force and speed? If a merger is desirable then the proposers have nothing to fear from open and detailed discussion and consultation.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Why is Sir Derek refusing to present to the Council alternative proposals to the merger? Is there a 'Plan B'?</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">What guarantees can be offered in a merged college to the humanities which will then be in an even more marginalised position (<10% of the total activities) than they are in UCL?</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sir Derek and Sir Richard insist that the size of the combined institution will make it a 'worldbeater' (whatever exactly that means). What evidence is there that size guarantees academic excellence or reputation? (MIT is smaller than the present Imperial).</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sir Derek talks of building a 'university for the Third Millennium'. Apart from the bombastic crassness of such language, isn't it a little early in the millennium to know exactly what sort of university it needs?</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Management studies show that mergers fail completely or partially in 87% of cases. The record in this country of public sector mergers (e.g. amongst NHS hospitals) is notably poor. The recently merged London Metropolitan University is already riven by rows over job contracts.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Figures from LSE show that Imperial and UCL are the two most expensive state-sector universities. If top-up fees proceed, a combined institution will be subject to intense price competition from other universities. How will this be met by the merged university - by cuts? by aggressive marketing? Where is the role of repository and creator of knowledge in all this?</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">If as Sir Derek says 'no decision has yet been taken', why is he pressing ahead with preparations for a lavish presentation next March to alumni on the benefits and future of the merger?</div> </td> </tr></table></body>