Dundee Uni Cuts....
Discussion
Was not sure where to put this but Dundee University are cutting their Philosophy degree course. I am aware this might stimulate some 'interesting' discussion but if anyone believes this is a valuable degree, please sign the following petition. I will step away from this discussion now as I am 'off' Internet for 6 weeks.
https://www.change.org/p/save-the-philosophy-progr...
https://www.change.org/p/save-the-philosophy-progr...
biggbn said:
Was not sure where to put this but Dundee University are cutting their Philosophy degree course. I am aware this might stimulate some 'interesting' discussion but if anyone believes this is a valuable degree, please sign the following petition. I will step away from this discussion now as I am 'off' Internet for 6 weeks.
https://www.change.org/p/save-the-philosophy-progr...
signedhttps://www.change.org/p/save-the-philosophy-progr...
Being local like yourself, I've tried to keep abreast of things happening at Dundee Uni. One of my mates was in the local press last week slating the "embarrassing" decision to cut the Maths degree (although he would say that, wouldn't he)
I've no skin in the game but can see there has been some terrible financial mismanagement at the university but the result is that they are where they are. Either they have to make cuts in the budget or someone else has to give them more money. That someone else, as ever, includes me as a tax payer. I'm not overly keen on that. If I were a philosophy student or lecturer I wouldn't want the degree cut. If I were a maths student or lecturer I wouldn't want the degree cut
Maybe if they had an Education degree they could cut that. We've got enough teachers anyhow
I've no skin in the game but can see there has been some terrible financial mismanagement at the university but the result is that they are where they are. Either they have to make cuts in the budget or someone else has to give them more money. That someone else, as ever, includes me as a tax payer. I'm not overly keen on that. If I were a philosophy student or lecturer I wouldn't want the degree cut. If I were a maths student or lecturer I wouldn't want the degree cut
Maybe if they had an Education degree they could cut that. We've got enough teachers anyhow
Funnily enough I looked at Dundee Uni the other day, after a visit to the city & seeing posters everywhere al king the Perth Road about job losses.
I was surprised to see a figure suggested that 1000 staff members bring made redundant, it prompted me to think how many staff does the uni employ . How many students are there.
The answers I came to were 3,500 staff v 17,000 students, I don t know anything about running a university, but those numbers just didn t stack up to me & I suspected a lot of passengers.
I was surprised to see a figure suggested that 1000 staff members bring made redundant, it prompted me to think how many staff does the uni employ . How many students are there.
The answers I came to were 3,500 staff v 17,000 students, I don t know anything about running a university, but those numbers just didn t stack up to me & I suspected a lot of passengers.
Jermy Claxon said:
milesgiles said:
Most degrees are a shameless rip off of gullible teenagers who don t know any better
Wow, strong opener. Gonna need a bucket of popcorn for this one...If you're going to saddle me with decades of unbeatable debt, I'm going to be somewhat demanding.
Depends on the detail doesn't it? If they're skint and the course doesn't attract students or funding, or if it can't recruit staff, then it's going to get dropped.
Problem is I don't have any idea whether that's why they're doing it or if it's for some other arbitrary reason (like the chancellor hating philosophers) that it's part of the cuts.
No degree course has an automatic right to exist, certainly not at every institution, and some are always going to be the first to wither when funds get tight.
Problem is I don't have any idea whether that's why they're doing it or if it's for some other arbitrary reason (like the chancellor hating philosophers) that it's part of the cuts.
No degree course has an automatic right to exist, certainly not at every institution, and some are always going to be the first to wither when funds get tight.
milesgiles said:
Most degrees are a shameless rip off of gullible teenagers who don t know any better
TBF, I also think that a lot of University courses and products are borderline ponzi schemes.I think most universities have got used to a life providing less for more, £9750 for more 'self study' and fewer hours, huge new buildings and vanity schemes, and a lot less value for the poor students and overworked staff.
So yeah, I am accepting of the fact that we semi-privatised but kept as charity the universities, opened the gates to a competitive business methods and enabled huge income, only to see that dry up and these universities have to deal with it.
Sucks for staff and students, but that is the same of any business.
And if they are not businesses, then let us run and fund them different ways.
All the unis are at it, just some are being more overt than others. UWE went through a similar exercise with its philosophy course a couple of years ago but I can't remember the outcome.
Unis are having to face up to the fact that UK student numbers are going to drop rapidly in the next 5-10 years (demographics already being seen in the Primary system AND reduction in the number of people willing to take on a massive debt) and immigration changes aren't helping with international student recruitment.
Their business and delivery model needs to change and they will have to make do with fewer staff.
Unis are having to face up to the fact that UK student numbers are going to drop rapidly in the next 5-10 years (demographics already being seen in the Primary system AND reduction in the number of people willing to take on a massive debt) and immigration changes aren't helping with international student recruitment.
Their business and delivery model needs to change and they will have to make do with fewer staff.
TeaNoSugar said:
iphonedyou said:
milesgiles said:
Most degrees are a shameless rip off of gullible teenagers who don t know any better
What was your degree in Miles, out of interest?GlenMH said:
All the unis are at it, just some are being more overt than others. UWE went through a similar exercise with its philosophy course a couple of years ago but I can't remember the outcome.
Unis are having to face up to the fact that UK student numbers are going to drop rapidly in the next 5-10 years (demographics already being seen in the Primary system AND reduction in the number of people willing to take on a massive debt) and immigration changes aren't helping with international student recruitment.
Their business and delivery model needs to change and they will have to make do with fewer staff.
Agreed. We have a lot of 'academics' who have benefited greatly from the 20-30 years of boom in the HE sector. Now comes the much-needed contraction, and those extremely cushy roles are being reduced accordingly.Unis are having to face up to the fact that UK student numbers are going to drop rapidly in the next 5-10 years (demographics already being seen in the Primary system AND reduction in the number of people willing to take on a massive debt) and immigration changes aren't helping with international student recruitment.
Their business and delivery model needs to change and they will have to make do with fewer staff.
No big deal. They can use their valuable skills and unquestioned work ethic to get another job. We've been selling the kids a big lie for years, and it's high time we stopped.
Lotobear said:
Philosophy is one of those degrees that provides excellent long term value - you have an entire life thereafter pondering why you are unable to find a job.
Q: Why don't Philosophy students stare out of the window all morning? A: So that they have something to do all afternoon.
TeaNoSugar said:
iphonedyou said:
milesgiles said:
Most degrees are a shameless rip off of gullible teenagers who don t know any better
What was your degree in Miles, out of interest?Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff