PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 23/3/11
Glasgow Student Representative Council Slam Senior University Management Over Consultation Process. The Principal of the University of Glasgow is refusing requests to allow student representatives to sit on the consultation panels the Senior Management Group has appointed to review cuts to courses and departments at the University of Glasgow. Principal Anton Muscatelli’s refusals come despite requests from both the democratically elected council representing students at the University - the SRC- and a motion passed by the academic staff representative body of the University - the Senate. Both senior representative bodies demanded that student representatives be included on the panels. The inclusion of student representatives on the consultation panels is essential in ensuring they are the fair and transparent devices that the University’s Senior Management Group (SMG), composed of just fourteen people, claim them to be. The Principal has stated student representatives can only join the panels with the approval of Court, despite the fact Court will only meet after the Consultation Process has finished. Each panel has been appointed by SMG to review pre-selected departments and courses within the University to see if they can be cut or merged as they embark on a bid to save 3 million pounds, caused by a lack of funding for Higher Education by the Scottish Government. President of the SRC, Tommy Gore said: “It is unacceptable that Senior Management Group don’t see fit to listen to the the requests of neither Senate nor the SRC in allowing student representatives to sit on these consultation panels. “The SRC is the proper and legitimate channel through which students should be able to make their opinions heard to the University. Senate is the representative academic body at the University. That senior managers are now ignoring both groups is very concerning for us and is damning for the validity of this consultation process.
“Not paying any attention to the opinions of the two key bodies representing students and staff at Glasgow University is disgraceful and sends out completely the wrong message as to how students here should go about airing their problems within the University.” “Whilst many staff and students have previously voiced concern that this consultation will not be a truly open and fair process and the results are already pre-determined, we have stood by the University in good faith that this consultation process would be a measured and logical exercise. “However, following their refusals to respond to both our requests and the request of Senate for student representatives on those panels we can no longer assure students of Glasgow University that the consultation will be a legitimate exercise” “We have serious concerns about the legitimacy and transparency of many of the consultation panels, some of which have already begun their reviews” The full motion passed at an Emergency meeting of University Senate on 18th March 2011 read: “"Senate requests of Court that a Senate Assessor & Student Representative should serve alongside a lay member of Court on consultation panels set up to carry out a consultation with a particular subject area"”
Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council represents the interests of students registered at the University of Glasgow to the University and nation. The representative function is augmented by the delivery of services aimed at enhancing the student experience while at Glasgow. Council comprises up to 37 elected students who meet throughout the year.
For more information contact: Luke Winter VP Media and Communications vp-comms@src.gla.ac.uk 0141 339 8541 07989 111 856