Philosophy at Middlesex

[altariel]

Middlesex University has announced the closure of its philosophy department.

In a meeting with Philosophy staff, the Dean acknowledged the excellent research reputation of Philosophy at Middlesex, but said that it made no ‘measurable’ contribution to the University.

The philosophy department is currently the most prestigious and highest research-rated subject at Middlesex University. Its Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy is a distinctive department in the UK (philosophy here being primarily in the analytical tradition). The department received a grade of 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, and in the 2008 RAE Middlesex was rated first in philosophy among post-1992 universities.

Please read the insightful, nuanced, and rightfully angry comments posted to this post. Also this excellent piece.

Then consider signing the petition.

There is also a FaceBook group where you can show support and get more information.

Meanwhile, the university continues to recruit.

Comments

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

There's something so telling about their replacing philosophers with insight officers...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Paging Mr Orwell...

[hafren.livejournal.com]

They are clearly infested with marigold-measuring inchworms. Creative writing depts get the same shit, meaning they have to obsessively hunt up successes and relevant career moves. Me, I think the only necessary outcome of learning is that someone ends up knowing more than they did before.

I do wish the bean counters would also realise that when you are busy measuring the effect of your work, you aren't actually doing any. As the man said, you don't fatten the pig by constantly weighing it when it's trying to get to its trough.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's not even a good business decision.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

Unis could save a mint by sacking VCs. If the porter's off or the repro room shuts, everything comes to a stop, but the VC can swan off for months and no-one's any the wiser. All they do is trouser vast sums of unearned dosh.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

For fuck's sake! Sadly, this is going to become typical.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Read and petition signed.

How can they claim that the department's contribution can't be measured when that's precisely what the RAE and REF have done? Or am I displaying logic in the face of the worst kind of businessthink?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm struggling to find any rational basis for the decision.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Personality clash between the dean and the head of department? That's about all I can come up with.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I imagine the measure they are using is purely monetary, although they would no doubt bleat about 'impact' as well (which makes one want to lob a hardback copy of Truth and Method at their heads and say "Enough impact for ya?").

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I have a paperback copy to hand, it can still pack a punch.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I have the paperback too - let the clobbering commence!

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

(which makes one want to lob a hardback copy of Truth and Method at their heads and say "Enough impact for ya?").

Ooooh, yes! Let's lob!

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

First they came for the paleographers, and I was angry because I am a paleographer. Then they came for the philosophers. Oy.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's not going to stop here, of course. I fear there'll only be business schools left in ten years time.

[vasiliki.livejournal.com]

That reminds me of an article I read some months ago in a British newspaper, wherein the Minister of Education said something to the effect they don't need departments such as "Art History". It boggles the mind!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think we have a Minister for Universities and Skills now, which says it all.

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

There might be some law schools. Possibly also medical schools.

[manna]

What a muppet. Even I know Middlesex has a really good Philosophy department, and I can't think of any of their other departments that I've heard of.

The department should take back their RAE money and set themselves up in business on their own.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

This. Exactly this. What has the department gained by handing over 53% of its funding to uni administration? Less than nothing.

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

Someone suggested that and I kinda love the idea!

there was a recent chronicle of Higher Education article that had found that contrary to popular belief, it actually wasn't the sciences carrying the humanities but the other way around in many (most? all?) US unis. We are very cheap indeed.... So even with the lack of external funcding we make more of a profit than the sciences apparently. Interesting!!!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable thing to do. These are world class academics with a proven ability to bring in funding. What exactly do they get from association with the Middlesex brand (which must be taking quite a tarnishing since this announcement)? The Centre should pack up, take its funding, find some office space in a nearby innovation centre, and carry on. No more handing over more than half its funding to uni administrators - and no more administrating undergraduate applications. Probably end up with more time for research.

[manna]

which must be taking quite a tarnishing since this announcement

This made me think of the trouble they had at the MRC unit in Leicester where I worked. Funnily enough, after they'd got rid of 5 out of 8 groups in the unit, they had trouble attracting replacement group leaders. Who (with a world-class research reputation) is going to want to move to a place where no matter how good their RAE results they can have their whole department shut down without warning?

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I was annoyed enough on reading about this to overcome my usual apathy, and signed the petition.

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

Wow. Thanks for the links. Joined FB and signed.

[fawatson]

Thanks for drawing this to my attention - I signed the petition.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

It's just shameful, isn't it? (Or rather, shameless) - and unbelievably short-sighted even on financial grounds, because if they are as a commenter suggested setting out to game the funding system by running Sci/Tech/Med courses on the cheap, then HEFCE may well spot that and cane them for it in the next funding round. To say nothing of all that REF money disappearing down the Swanee next time round.

Sadly, the Prince of Darkness at BIS/DIUS/whatever they are this week has made it more than clear that managerialism and definable contributions to the bottom line are precisely the guiding principles he expects HE to be following in these straitened times. And given the economic mineshaft we are down it's not as though either of the other main parties is going to be in a position to shore up the financial position of HE. Battening down hatches...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It will be very pleasing to see the Prince of Darkness out on his arse later this week. Well, scuttling off to the Lords.

[kerravonsen]

Bastards.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

Can non-UK folks sign the petition as well?

This is just a bloody shame. What exactly do these bureaucrats want? That everyone gets a fucking MBA?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that non-UK folks can add their names; a sign of international anger.

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Academic excellence isn't a measurable contribution?

Sounds like a university intent on self-destructing. Closing down the most highly-rated department in the place is hardly a way to attract top-notch students or instructors!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Exactly. It's the kind of bad business decision made by people who don't have the first clue about actually running a business.

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

I guess the question of what George W. Bush is doing these days has been answered - he's clearly working as a consultant for the accounting branch of Middlesex University!