PARLIAMENTARY PETITION IN SUPPORT OF TARGETED FUNDING OF LANGUAGE TUITION IN GLASGOW

[Jan Culik]

PARLIAMENTARY PETITION IN SUPPORT OF TARGETED FUNDING OF LANGUAGE
TUITION IN GLASGOW



Dear colleagues

I am forced to write to you again. News from Glasgow University is not
particularly positive. We need support for our petition to the Scottish
parliament, requesting the Scottish government to introduce targeted
funding for lesser taught languages and cultures.

Please sign this petition if you have not already done so.

The petition is on this website:

http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=455

Further details:

http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/view_backgroundinfo.asp?PetitionID=%20455

Please, if you can, sign it before 31st June 2011.

>From 1st August, the Scottish parliament petitions website will be down,
because it will be undergoing a process of modernisation, but signatures
to the petition can still be added. Please send your name and address
after 31st July 2011  to petitions at scottish.parliament.uk, indicating
that you are supporting Petition No. 455 about targeted funding for
modern languages.

The petition will be discussed in Scottish parliament on 30th September.

Please write also to the Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell,
pointing out the strategic, political and economic importance of
retaining language-based cultural studies of Central and Eastern Europe
in Scotland.

cabsecell at scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Michael Russell MSP
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

He normally replies that "universities are independent" and he cannot
interfere in academic matters, but in fact Glasgow University is about
to start negotiating with the Scottish government about targeted funding
for its department of Nursing. If Nursing at Glasgow can be directly
funded by the Scottish government, why not lesser taught languages and
cultures?

Thank you.

Jan Culik
Senior Lecturer in Czech Studies

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NEWS FROM GLASGOW:

In spite of what it looked like at the beginning of June, the situation
at the University of Glasgow is not particularly positive. We are
concerned that unless the Scottish government provides targeted funding
for lesser taught languages and cultures, the way this is done in
England, the provision for the teaching of East European languages and
cultures in particular will disappear in Scotland.

I informed you in my previous email that on 2nd June, Glasgow University
Senate expressed the view that the Slavonic Studies programme should NOT
be closed down.

However, Glasgow University Court decided on 22nd June, in direct
opposition to the view of the Senate, that the Slavonic Studies cultural
programme WILL be closed down as of September 2012. The Slavonic Studies
programme is a backbone of the Slavonic provision in Glasgow. Some 120
students are enrolled on the course.

Subsequently two top Glasgow University lawyers have written to
Principal Muscatelli, pointing out that the Court decision to close down
Slavonic Studies may be illegal. According to law, University Court can
make academic decisions only on recommendation from the University Senate.

For further details, see this:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=215793668463251&set=a.179670052075613.46125.179538408755444&type=1&theater

There has been no further news regarding this matter.

In its press release of 22nd June, University Court pledged to retain
all the existing language provision at the University of Glasgow.
However, the Honours courses in Czech and Polish studies have been
abolished and language tuition in Czech and Polish is to be provided by
a unit which to date has been running "Languages at Lunchtime" courses.

The future of a unique intensive postgraduate taught Russian Diploma
course at Glasgow is also currently in doubt, although more than 10
paying postgraduates have enrolled for the 2011-12 session.

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