Sociology: the last update.

Avid followers of my blog will know that I spent rather a lot of last term working on the Sociology review. This Wednesday at University Council, the revised set of proposals were passed.

Every promise the students received from Professors Edward Peck and Cillian Ryan was kept to; there was an open and frank discussion with all options on the table, and over a dozen students involved. The proposals did change: twice as many staff are now being kept as were originally going to be, and these are more staff being kept for the MCS teach-out than were originally planned. We are in a considerably better position than we were in November.

There are a number of issues that I know students will want to know about, so I'm going to do my best to address them here. If you want to discuss any of them furthe, please do so below or get in touch.

Yes, there are still job losses; that is something I thouroughly regret, but as a students' union officer, my focus has to be on the students. And the staff who are going are not ones who teach students in significant numbers at all; in fact most don't, and many were actually on short term contracts. I am confident from a quality point of view that the course will not be affected adversley by this. I have to leave the staffing side to the staff unions, and that is what I have done.

Yes, the Media Culture and Society course will close, after the four year teach-out has completed. While I know this is not a popular move with students, it is natural that courses change and close. The levels of staff being kept for the teach-out mean that students shouldn't be affected massively. The jusification for keeping it open simply wasn't strong enough, but full credit should go to the students who worked hard to make the case.

No, there won't be a Sociology department; but there will be a Sociology group within the POLSIS department. So the University still has a sociology presence and course; although not in the way we are used to.

Something good that has come out of this review is that student involvement in future reviews is now at the forefront of the University's mind. In the Theology review I have seen great student engagement, and am working to advise the University on future reviews so we don't get into this situation again.

The students who have engaged in this review have done so with fantastic committment and really have made a difference to the department. I know that not everyone is entirely happy with the outcomes, but we really have come a long way and I am satisfied that the quality of the degree has been at the forefront of these changes. Please, any outstanding questions and worries, send them my way to b.jones@guild.bham.ac.uk or write below.

Brij