Charter Sent to Deputy Rector, Head of College, and Principal - awaiting their response

Charter Sent to Deputy Rector, Head of College, and Principal - awaiting their response, which we wilol hopefuly have by midday tomorrow.



Workshops

The University will make every effort to find staff to enable a return to 5 day access; the Digital Workshop will be opened 5 days a week from 10 am till 5pm and cover will be found to enable access to the Printmaking workshop on Mondays in addition to its current opening. This is to be implemented by 20th April 2009.

2 Elthorne Road

Studio opening times will be reviewed to provide appropriate equitable access.
In practice this means 9am - 8pm on Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs and 9am - 6pm Friday.
On occasions when ‘Byam Bar’ takes place on a Thursday in 2 Elthorne Road, and all BA Fine Art students attend, Elthorne Studios will close by 6pm. This is to be implemented by 20th April 2009.

Communication between CSM and Students at Byam Shaw

Better communication at College and local level is required. The Head of College will attend an all student meeting before the 20th March 2009 to discuss the ‘vision’ for the future and explain the overall budget and the budget setting process.

Revalidation of courses

Byam Shaw Alumni and Student Representatives will be involved in the revalidation consultation of the BA Fine Art course. Effective immediately, in all revalidation of courses across Arts London, Student Representatives will be given a meaningful chance to contribute to the development and drafting of validation documents well before the final stages.

Changes in course provision from handbook materials

All future changes in teaching hours and resource allocation for courses, as a minimum, must be passed through a course committee in the academic year prior to the changes being applied, with Student Representatives present and able to respond with their input, and influence the decisions.

The provision of cleaning and estates services at Byam Shaw

The University of the Arts London/Central Saint Martins will ensure students receive payment for cleaning services as soon as possible (based on students’ submission of information to the Principal of Byam Shaw), this is to be finalised by 20th March 2009.

The University will provide, by the 20th March 2009, a comparison of the costs of in-house maintenance and cleaning at Byam Shaw (as was previously in operation), against the current/future out-sourced structures to ensure best value and service for students.

Student Representatives’ feedback and involvement will be prioritised, and influence the final decision in the estates evaluation before April 2009.

The opportunities for students to work within the University of the Arts London estates department will continue to be championed.

Shortfall in tutorial hours for existing Byam Shaw students

Based on a suggested stimulus ‘package’ to be assembled by the Byam Shaw Student Representatives in the following days, the University will act to provide support in way of contact hours leading up to degree shows as a compromise/injection to cope with cuts in teaching budget and hours. This ‘package’ will be finalised, including the finance involved, before 20th March 2009, and will not have to be refunded at a later date.

Ensuring the strength of the Student Voice/Student Representatives

The Students’ Union in partnership with the University will pilot a project in the academic year 2009/2010 working on the democratic management of its committees. It is likely this will require additional funding from the university towards the development of Student Representation and engagement, and will specifically include work at Byam Shaw. The emphasis will be on moving towards the scenario of providing Student Representatives with the equivalent of a “vote, but not a veto”.

Senior Staff and high level finance for the University

The Students’ Union will analyse financial data on senior management pay and publicise to Student Representatives. If there is difficulty in interpreting data, the University’s finance department will provide appropriate support.

“Byam Shaw School of Art”

Throughout the revalidation process the strength of the contrast between Fine Art provision at CSM and Byam Shaw should be reinforced and maintained. The name of the “Byam Shaw School of Art”, the site in Archway, the small number of students attending the school, the character of the space and studios, the broad portfolio of exclusively Fine Art courses (whilst independent from the Fine Art courses offered at CSM), the leading role that practicing staff play, the library and workshops offering students continued engagement with one another, all contribute to the identity of Byam Shaw School of Art, which will not be compromised in any way. We thus intend to safeguard the unique identity and community for future students at Byam Shaw School of Art.

Student Representation

In line with the SU Governance review, local Byam Shaw representative elections will be held as soon as possible, and the input of the representatives formally recognised by the Students’ Union structures.