No new students will be enrolled on Chemistry programmes for the 2019/20 academic year
As one of the founding subjects at Bangor University, Chemistry has been taught for over 135 years and currently stands at 33rd in UK rankings. Today, the peace talks cease as Bangor University prepares their 3-year evaporation of the Chemistry Department. In retaliation to the proposed plan, the Facebook page ‘Bangor needs Chemistry’ erupted and have fought over the consultation period to rectify this movement from the Ex- Vice Chancellor John G Hughes. The direct effect of this is the loss of 15 academic and 3 technical staff gradual over the next 3 years while those currently on the course finish their degrees.
This has been solidified today with the Bangor need Chemistry Facebook page releasing this statement “It is with regret that we announce that the results of the consultation with Bangor University did not go in our favour and that the phase-out plan and closure will go ahead. Massive thank you to all of you for your tremendous support through these tough times!”. We got in touch with the Admin of the page to address some unanswered questions you may have…
In regards to initial reactions a spokesperson expressed a level of shock throughout all, alongside a feeling of ill-timing for the consultation. Given the large majority of Students leave Bangor over the winter period, it meant that not all opinions and concerns may have been raised. This has been something publicly disputed on social media platforms and the process was extended. From this point onwards, the main apprehensions outlined by the ‘Bangor needs Chemistry’ is the accreditation of the degrees. Awarded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, the accreditation of such are integral and may be impacted over the course of the next couple of years as a results of staff cutbacks and changes made to the current syllabus.
With a following of over 1,000, ‘Bangor needs Cuts’ is still receiving tremendous support; from both the alumni but especially from chemistry staff members. They send their upmost thanks and respect on behalf of all the students who helped make an all-out stand. Despite this, they remain diplomatic adding that they understand the reasoning behind the university’s decision and accept such.
A final word of the summarised situation: ‘Bangor University will face the three-year dissolution of one of it’s founding subjects. This is a tremendous loss for not only staff and students of the university but also the local areas, having field days with Coleg Menai. Chemistry never dies, it just stops reacting.’
