Short Demonstration on Thursday

Short Demonstration Today
Building 3.30 – 4pm (Thursday 29 April).

Gair Rhydd, the Cardiff student newspaper, is leading on our story in its next edition. They are sending a photographer to take pictures at 3.30pm. Let’s show our support for the campaign by assembling as many students, tutors and supporters as we can, to make a public demonstration of our support for humanities and Welsh at Lifelong Learning!
Feel free to bring your camera and send your pictures to other journals. Bring a placard if you want. Bring all your friends.

News from the Welsh Assembly

Gareth Jones A. M. , the Chair of the Welsh Assembly Enterprise and Learning Committee has written to Jane Hutt (the WAG Minister for Lifelong Learning) asking her to use her influence to overturn the decision to axe Humanities and Welsh.

A copy of the letter appears below:

Dear Jane

Proposed restructing of the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning (LEARN)

You will be aware that Cardiff University is currently consulting on the above as a result of its commitment to the regularisation of hourly-paid staff and the principle of equal pay.

The issue is of interest and concern to Members of the Enterprise and Learning Committee. Firstly, the timing of the consultation is not appropriate, since it will run until 18 July, allowing little time to communicate outcomes and decisions ahead of the new academic year in September. Second, the cuts proposed will most affect the Humanities Faculty, which includes Welsh language courses. I would suggest that this is a considerable blow to the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to promoting bilingualism. Third, lifelong learning is crucial to the current agenda of raising skills levels, especially as knowledge acquisition in the humanities can endow students with a wide range of transferable skills such as oral and written communication and problem solving.

I would be grateful if you would discuss this matter with the Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University at the earliest opportunity, advise him of the strength of feeling of Assembly Members, and use your influence to overturn the decision.

Yours sincerely

Gareth Jones AM

Committee Chair

Facebook Campaign Set Up

A Facebook Campaign called "Save Humanities at Cardiff University Lifelong Learning" has been set up. Facebook members can join here

An Inspirational Message of Support

An inspiration message from Royston Havard, former lecturer in Music at the centre:

27 April 2009

Over the years, some of the foremost academics and writers in Wales have seen fit to be involved in extramural/lifelong learning work. Here are a few names:
Saunders Lewis
R. S. Thomas
Waldo Williams
Roland Mathias
D. J. Williams
Raymond Garlick
T. H. Parry-Williams
R. Williams Parry
Kate Roberts
and
T. J. Morgan (Rhodri's father)
And what a wonderful experience it must have been to study with any of these eminent persons.

Goronwy Rees, Principal at Aberystwyth during the '50s, said, during an address at an Extramural Tutors' Conference
"...In the work of our College there is no element which is more important or more essential than yours."
And the Aberystwyth Extramural Department taught only Humanities subjects at that time.
Humanities must not be allowed to disappear from the programme!
Royston

Open Meeting Tuesday 5th May

The Second Public Meeting

The second public meeting in the campaign to save Humanities and Welsh will be on
Tuesday 5 May
7pm
In the Learn Building (room tba)

Please feel free to print out your own posters (click on the link to the left) and display them

How you can help:

1. Come to the meeting. Bring at least three friends!
2. Spread the word about the threat to Humanities and Welsh!
3. Do something practical!

***Write letters.
***Join a campaign task group.

We need volunteers to move the campaign forward. We want more people to join the groups working on lobbying politicians and lobbying University Council members. Contact Patricia Clark to join these groups. (ClarkP@Cardiff.ac.uk)

Have you written to your Assembly member? To your MP? To Jane Hutt, the Welsh Assembly Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning? To Dr David Grant, the University Vice-Chancellor?

ACT NOW TO STOP THE BONFIRE OF THE HUMANITIES!

150 people attend first meeting of the campaign


Students, tutors, staff and members of the public packed out a meeting room in the Centre for Lifelong Learning on Monday night.

Many people spoke passionately about the centre's work and how the campaign is determined to reverse the decision to cut Humanities and Welsh from the teaching programme.

The University's plans were described as "barbaric" and "short-sighted" by those who attended.

Representatives of UCU were also present and spoke of how the union will be throwing their weight behind the campaign.

Many people signed up with offers to help with the campaign and a big thanks to all.

The next meeting will be held in the centre a week tonight - Tuesday 5th May 7pm

everyone is welcome.

Online Petition

We now have an online petition here.

Please show your support by signing it.

Meeting Tomorrow

The public outcry about the proposed axing of all Humanities courses at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning is getting louder by the minute!

See Dr Dave Wyatt's comments on the first posting: He includes a very supportive e-mail from Gareth Jones, Assembly Member for Aberconwy and Chairman of the Welsh Assembly Enterprise and Learning Committee.

Don't forget:

• Campaign Meeting tomorrow, Monday 27th April, 5:30pm at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff, Room M1.02
  

More support for the Humanities Lifelong Learning Courses

Yesterday evening Gareth Jones, Plaid AM and Chair of the Enterprise and Learning Committee at the Welsh Assembly, spoke on the programme Good Evening Wales (BBC Radio Wales) against Cardiff University's proposal to axe the Humanities from the Centre for Lifelong Learning.

Listen to the interview here.

More voices are joining the protest against the University's short-sighted and cynical proposal!

Show your support by writing to the Enterprise and Learning Committee members! They can call hold the University accountable for their decision!

Join the Campaign to Save the Humanities at Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning!

Campaign Meeting at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff

Day: Monday 27th April
Time: 5:30pm
Room: M1.02

The Welsh Media are getting involved!!!

BBC Radio Wales this morning led with the news of Lifelong Learning Humanities course cuts

Listen again to Good Morning Wales here.

• Interviews with Cardiff Lifelong Learning students, academics and tutors
• Interview with Jenny Randerson, Lib Dem AM

See also the article at the website of BBC Wales

icWales also published online this article

with a follow-up here


A round-up of blog coverage:

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans

So Much Beauty Out There

Adventures in Momponia

UCU News

CALL

To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth

New Democrats Online

Save the Humanities!!!

Cardiff University has announced a proposal to close down all Humanities courses at the Centre for Lifelong Learning and make redundant over a hundred staff, both academics and tutors!!!

If this plan goes ahead in September there will be no more courses on

• Archaeology
• Art & Architecture
• Creative writing
• Folklore
• History
• Law
• Literature
• Media & Photography
• Music
• Philosophy
• Religion
• Welsh

Please join the effort to save our courses!

Write to the Chair of the Committee that holds the Welsh Assembly Government to account for Education and Lifelong Learning!

The Chair is Gareth Jones, AM
Here is the committee's website and the rest of its members

Write to your local AM!

Write to the Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University!
Here is the Vice Chancellor's address


Don't let our courses disappear!