Concrete issue 161 25 02 2004

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Students shocked as University announces it could be

curtains for Drama and au revoir to LLT by 2008 THOMSMITH News Editor

Official proposals put to students last week call for the closing of the school of Language, Linguistics, and Translation (LLT), and the Drama Sector, a part of EAS. At the moment the closures are only proposed. with the University's usual decision making programmes to be used over the n ext few months; there will be no official decisions reached until at least May. However. there have been concerns voiced that the decision has effectively already been taken. The departments will close In 2007-8. after all enrolled students have completed their degrees. though students will be recruited for drama and language courses this year 2004. This has, however. led to fears that the last students to graduate will see their courses suffer. According to both LLT and Drama.

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"we intend to fulftl our commitment to existing students", however this has been questioned, with Professor Ralph Yarrow of drama telling Concrete that he is suspicious of claims that there will be no ill effects on students' degrees. "The University may wish to make a statement that the quality of the degree will not suffer.路 he said "but the statements would be dubiou s". Students were to be informed of the deci sions by the reading and circulation of statements. However, LLT failed to forward details of the reading and. as a result , the firs t meetIng was only attended by three students leading many to find out second-hand about the proposals. The drama meeting was. however. well attended. At this m eeting. senior members of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) faculty were gathered at the front of the lecture theatre , and read a statement that ~

was also circulated by e-mail and by paper copies to all students. A version of this statement is reproduced inside, on page six. According to the statement, the sector had been losing money for a considerable period of time, and it had been decided that it was no longer possible to subsidise the subject. However. staff and students were invited to s uggest methods by which the financial problems could be alleviated. After the statement was read , the staff tried to leave but the students questioned them. attempting to find out more information. including how proposals for dealing with tht> problems could be suggested to relevant pt>ople. Very little additional information was offered. however. and students were mere ly asked to talk to their advisers. After the staff left. the students were then addressed by Mr Ned Glasier. the Union Communications Officer. who urged them tv

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contact the Union of UEA Students in order to take the matters forward together as a group, and that the Union would be there to support student's welfare and academic needs. In an Interview with Concrete, on page six. Prof Yarrow also questioned the UEA's accounting models and procedures, s uggestIng that "other universities do not use this system. and no other University In this country is trying to close down drama... drama departments are expanding not contracting. except here. it seems". LLT. it seems is still hopeful that a solution to the problems can be found . as according to statements sent to students. and given to Concrete by the Dean of LLT. Or MarieMadeleine Kenning saying "We remain conl1 dent that a way will be found to secure the futu re of our degrees programmes after 2008". .

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