Welcome to the CAmpaign to Save the Humanities at Cardiff's Centre for Lifelong Learning.
On Monday of this week the University announced the proposed closure of the entire Humanities provision at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, this will effectively axe over 250 courses at locations across the whole SE Wales, affecting thousands of students & leaving a huge hole in the cultural and educational life of the region, it also means redundancy and/or loss of income for almost 100 tutors.
There can be no ethical, moral or intellectual arguments to justify the University's actions in this instance, they are based solely on economic projections (which may well be flawed) and fear.
It is clearly incredibly short sighted to axe opportunities for individuals to retrain & re skill at this time economic uncertainty. All of the humanities subjects provide hugely transferable skills including problem solving, original thought, reason, debate, communication and research skills. These are vital skills that will help to lift us out of the current recession.
Moreover, the University's actions fly in the face of their commitment to community engagement as presented in evidence to the Welsh Assembly and in the University's own strategic plan. They also fly in the face of the University's 125 year old pledge, enshrined in its original charter, to extra-mural education and recently celebrated in a University sponsored publication celebrating its role in Lifelong Learning over the past century and a quarter.
The resolve of both staff and students at the Centre is very firm: this decision MUST be overturned. There can be no more righteous cause than the defence of education. In the short space of 5 days we have secured National media coverage in Wales for our cause, we have received the firm support of two Welsh Assembly Members (Jenny Randerson, Lib Dem AM and Gareth Jones, Plaid Cymru AM), we have also amassed a large group of well wishers & activists & have created our own web page. This is simply the beginning, we will not cease our efforts until the University reverses its decision.
We are holding a meeting here in the Centre of Lifelong Learning, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff at 5.30pm on Monday 27th April in room M1.02 to which all are very welcome.
You should also know that ours is part of a much wider struggle to preserve open access higher education, so please visit & support:
http://www.callcampaign.org.uk/
Heartfelt thanks for your suport,
Dave Wyatt
