Threatened closure of mathematics at Bangor

Threatened closure of mathematics at Bangor

[Ronald Brown]

Dear All,

I am sure the subject matter is news to you all, and I am now  asking for
help. I am sure you would want to know before the axe falls.

Details of the problem are below, but any email or fax  expressing
support  for maths research work at Bangor, and dismay at the proposed
threat to the international research reputation of the University of Wales,
Bangor, would be welcomed by all of us in maths. It could also say that
information on the threat comes from me,  since I have no contract with the
University, and it should ask for this view to be presented to Council at
its meeting on Friday, Oct 4, at 1015 am. The crucial variable is the
number of messages received. These would also be helpful as evidence for
future plans.

Any email or fax should go by tomorrow (Thursday, December 4) at the latest to

Professor Roy Evans,
Vice Chancellor,
University of Wales, Bangor
fax: +44 1248 383 296
email: roy.evans@bangor.ac.uk

Details: Maths has a declining recruitment over the last few years, and it
is in this session under 10. The financial system in place is that maths
get less credit for service teaching than for teaching of students
registered for a maths degree,  and the current situation is worse in that
classes of 60 are taught by maths staff with financial credit going wholly
to the School of Informatics,  and not to the maths group, which is somehow
accounted separately.

In any case, no recruitment budget for maths has been assigned over the
last few years.

Also attacked at Senate was the research reputation of Mathematics at
Bangor, so this is where you can all really help. I was there as an
observer, so did not speak, and am now in a position to argue that Senate
had inadequate information in this respect. So if you have contrary views,
please ask the VC to present these  to Council on Friday morning.

I have proposed that Council should reject the Senate motion, and ask that
adequate funds should be assigned to recruitment in maths with clear and
achievable goals.

The Senate motion is actually to sack some staff and then to ask for
certain milestones, to be achieved, with apparently zero resources.


Ronnie
r.brown@bangor.ac.uk
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~mas010