Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Interview with the Vice-Chancellor
    • Country Highlight: The Netherlands
    • If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …
    • Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever
    • All About … Period Poverty
    • My Veggie Journey: How not being strictly Vegetarian is OK
    • Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month
    • Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Interview with the Vice-Chancellor

      May 23, 2022

      Retro? Chip shortage may bring vintage tech to your car.

      May 6, 2021

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever

      July 7, 2021

      Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

      May 17, 2021

      Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

      May 16, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      May 6, 2022

      If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …

      August 3, 2021

      All About … Period Poverty

      May 17, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Japan plan to release radioactive water into the ocean

      May 6, 2021

      The link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots

      April 29, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      The 48-hour rise and fall of the European Super League

      April 27, 2021

      The European Super League is announced

      April 19, 2021

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»News & Politics»Politics»What Were All Those Protests About?
    Politics

    What Were All Those Protests About?

    Kayleigh LavorniaBy Kayleigh LavorniaFebruary 19, 2019No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Grace Worsley

    Recently, students of Bangor, in their campaign against the proposed University budget cuts, organised a protest to voice their concerns. The plans to implement up to 60 staff redundancies and the proposed closure of the Chemistry department have attracted widespread concern among the student body. The protest took place on the 18th January 2019 and was intended to display solidarity among staff and students, place pressure on the University to safeguard the jobs at risk, publish full and detailed financial accounts to be openly scrutinised and ensure the protection of the Chemistry department. Arguably the most discussed element of the proposals, the closure of the Chemistry department would see the University reduce the teaching and research of Chemistry over a three year period, until the end of all undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the subject area in 2022. The University has stated that its motivation for proposals such as these is to ensure an annual saving of £5 million, however further analysis of the University Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income and Expenditure undertaken by student protestors has revealed a £20 million surplus following the 2017/18 academic year, something which has led to further confusion among the student body as to exactly why the closure of the Chemistry department is such a central part of the proposed cuts. The £20 million surplus is supposedly a mandatory financial requirement that is the result of the distribution of University costs in other areas. A spokesperson for the University previously stated that Bangor University is facing a significant drop in the population demographic in 18-20 year olds, and that the proposed cuts are a means by which to ensure healthy long term finances, particularly in relation to the reduction of staff members in correlation to the decreasing number of students. In a statement, the Bangor Needs Chemistry campaign gave their opinion on these issues and a notion of the future should the proposals be carried out:

    ‘While at a glance the proposed reduced ratio of staff to student makes sense, it actually reveals losing diversity of teaching, and with that, potentially also quality of teaching. It would also massively impact those students still on the course during the phasing out period, particularly in the lower years when choosing dissertation supervisors, with an ever narrowing choice. The demographic dip will be resolved in 5-6 years time, with a likely 16.77% increase in the population of 18-20 year olds, therefore the notion of closing the department for the benefit of long term finances doesn’t correlate to government statistics’.

     

    The Bangor Needs Chemistry campaign also indicates the impact of the school’s closure on other BU degree programmes: ‘the Chemistry department does run modules for various other degree programmes – for example (but certainly not limited to) environmental science degrees. Many of these require a lab module run by Chemistry. There are numerous other degree programmes that use our lecture staff and/or facilities’. It is clear from the protests conducted by students at Bangor University, and the passion with which many students and alumni speak on the proposed changes to the University, that there remains many avenues to be discussed and resolved. The business case for consultation in relation to the closure of the Chemistry department and the staff redundancies, among other policy changes, is still ongoing, with final arrangements being decided upon later this month.

     

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Kayleigh Lavornia

    Politics Editor 2017-19

    Related Posts

    Interview with the Vice-Chancellor

    May 23, 2022

    What?! Bangor University burned down two weeks ago?!

    April 1, 2021

    SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

    March 20, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.