Legal bid mooted over axed art course

November 29, 2002

Students of Lincoln University's fine art degree in Hull have threatened to take legal action to overturn plans to close their course and make staff redundant.

"We consider the authorities to have been thoroughly discourteous to tutors and students by not consulting about plans to review fine art in Hull," a statement says this week.

A Lincoln spokesman said a BA in fine art, video, sound and digital imaging would be launched in 2004 to replace the existing fine art programme, which has suffered a decline in student numbers over the past four years. "We have reinvented our fine art degree to make it progressive, innovative and appropriate for the 21st century," a statement says. "Existing students should not be concerned since all areas of the course will continue to be covered by specialist staff."

But students fear that the redundancies - 12 of the 13 faculty members - will leave them without adequate supervision.

Gary Mckeown, a second-year student, said there had been a unanimous vote of no confidence in the university management last week.

Vice-chancellor David Chiddick said the teaching of painting and sculpture at Hull was uneconomic. "In recent years these subjects have been subsidised by other subjects in the university to the point where they have become unsustainable."

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Sponsored

Branding Strategy and Solutions

Diagnose key factors impacting your university’s brand and reputation. Learn best practices from the region and world. Discuss strategies for institutional branding, media engagement and communications.
Promoted by THE Consultancy
Sponsored

Institutional Performance Simulation

Times Higher Education is able to simulate rankings performance for universities who are: prospective new entrants, considering a merger or making strategic changes.
Promoted by THE Consultancy
Sponsored
ADVERTISEMENT