My and Fabian's report from University Council, as sent to Sociologists and MCS students this week

Hi all,

So here is the report from University Council, where Sociology was discussed last week. The choice before Council was not whether or not to close the department, but whether or not to continue the consultation into the future of Sociology at Birmingham. All the comments made at Senate on the matter were presented in a report to Council to inform their decision.

Fabian, the Guild President, and I were called on to give the student view, and we did so, asking for rejection of the report and explaining why, and a long discussion ensued on a number of the points we raised. They were all taken seriously and discussed; but ultimately we were the only ones to put forward the case for outright rejection (although someone else did bring up the possibility of deferring the decision and several expressed that the preferred option was perhaps not the best) and so Council approved that consultation should continue.

The consultation period was a topic of great discussion and Council members expressed a genuine desire that all options remain live. Professors Edward Peck and Cillian Ryan restated their commitment to involve students as they wanted to be, on what they wanted, and will be continuing discussions with myself and your Student Reps as to how this should take place. More details of this will follow in the week.

So I’m afraid it’s as predicted, that part’s over and the consultation will continue: Now it’s up to us to take all that energy from the protests and the campaign and use it to make that consultation good and get what students need out of it. Please remember, the final decision on what to do with the department has not been taken, and all options remain open; it's so important that you engage in the consultation process now.

Thanks to all who have emailled, contacted us and turned up to the big meetings; although there wasn't time to reply to them all we read and listened to everything and used it all to help us argue for you in everything we've done. Please continue send us your thoughts, and contact your Student Reps who will be setting out the process for continued consultation in the near future.

Best wishes

Brigid and Fabian
VP (Education and Access) and President
Guild of Students