Leaked ? IAA closure papers

[BAJR]

Defend Education has had its attention drawn to two documents that have made their way on to the internet in relation to the IAA closure here! (BAJR NOTE --- only click the Click here to start download from sendspace link NOT any other DOWNLOAD link. ) The first one is the original letter sent by the Head of IAA Professor Ken Dowden that recommended that his own department be closed and the second is the conclusions of the special review of the IAA that led to its closure. In addition to adding evidence to problems raised elsewhere, there are two points we would like to raise about this new information, and what it shows about the university.


Do your bit to protect the department by attending the “save the IAA rally – dig for the truth” Wednesday the 17th of October outside the main library 1pm. Invite your friends to the facebook event here.


Learn more about it here:
http://www.defendeducationbrum.org/leake...re-papers/


Ken Dowden was director of the IAA for 7 years from 2005-2012 so it should probably make sense that if there were or are any problems with the IAA Professor Dowden should share a good deal of the blame. However the university have rewarded Dowden for his stewardship of the IAA by removing him from that sinking ship and making him the new head of the School of Philosophy Theology and Religion. This almost certainly has something to do with the interim report he sent to the university calling on the IAA to be closed.
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[BAJR]

Union officials at the University of Birmingham are to conduct a preliminary ballot on industrial action over the institution's decision to close its archaeology department and make 17 compulsory redundancies across its Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity.

In a statement, the university said it was "clearly not abandoning archaeology" and that a new "Centre for Archaeological Studies", bringing together archaeologists from various units, would "bring a greater focus for the various aspects of archaeological activity at Birmingham". It said that two joint honours courses involving archaeology would also continue to run.


The university also plans to close its contract archaeology unit, claiming it is no longer possible for universities to compete with commercial organisations "while also ensuring that such work generates high-quality research outputs".
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/st...421453&c=1