.On points 1, 2, 3: (1. A reinstatement of the budgets and a return to the tutorial hours as they were for the academic year 2006-2007, when the current Stage 3 students on the BA first enrolled on their course. 2. A reinstatement of the budget for teaching and materials that was cut on the FdA course.3. A reinstatement of the budget for materials in the different workshops.)
With regard to the appropriate deployment of budgets; Sources include: government, research activity, tuition fees, holiday courses, trust. 80-85% of which comes from tuition fees. Unfortunately Byam Shaw’s income doesn’t match its expenditure, is being cross-subsidised. Giving you more tutorials would involve taking money away from other students.
What has happened?
- Costs escalated last year, partly due to the unpredictability of oil, gas, electricity prices. Tutors income has actually gone up (nationally negotiated salary increase) though this has been apparently under the shadow of the credit crunch / money munch.
- Teaching hours at Byam Shaw in relation to other sites across the University are higher and over the years, for the fairness of all UAL students, we have tried to level the hours on all courses on all sites.
What is being done?
- We have to redeploy cost against income in response to the nations current financial climate.
- The new rector is trying to bring the deadlines, for the grant of money from government sources, forward.
- “If we had the money we wouldn’t have cut it in the first place”
-“I can only apologise on behalf of the university and its staff for the lack of this communication of these changes” says Jane Rapley
-In the course handbook, tutorial hours “contact time” consists of group tutorials and seminars as well.
In conclusion; the answer in no.
Points 4 & 5:
(4. For all workshops to be open from Monday to Friday for a minimum of 6 hours per day.
5. For studio opening times in 2 Elthorne Road to be brought in line with those of the BA Studios which are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.)
They are both issues that can to an extent be dealt with by Alister and meetings will shortly be held to decide their outcomes.
Point 6:
(6. A return to the more economical, direct employment of the students by the Byam Shaw School of Art and a cessation of the outsourcing of school staff in regards of maintenance and cleaning duties.)
Jane empathises, she doesn’t have authority on the mater, it is a matter of Estates, which are currently under review due to a lack of operational inefficiency. Estates are controlled not at the individual collages but centrally at the university, Jane agrees, for efficiency. “I doubt that it will come back to individual college management, due to expense.” The person to talk to is Russle Cherrington, “local man responsible for cites at CSM”
Point 7:
(7. Adequate communication with the student body regarding matters like the allocation of funding and any proposed changes to it.)
Jane agrees and has apologised for the lack of communication so far. The use of Blackboard as a tool for communication is difficult and Jane has expressed her frustration at her and other staffs lack of privileges with regard to use of blackboard. Kit has discussed with us the creation of a new computerised resources to be built in the near future; meetings about this issue are to commence shortly.
Point 8:
(8. That students be represented by an elected officer for the Byam Shaw site in any forthcoming meetings about the future of their course and be given the right to veto any major changes to the way their course is run, ie. the merging of the BA Fine Art course with the other BA Fine Art course offered at CSM.)
“You can’t preserve the past and you can’t veto the future. Evolution is necessary for improvement. We will involve students in meetings after we have gathered a bit of shape to our intentions after our meetings. This merging of the BA Fine Art course with the other BA Fine Art course at CSM WILL happen, the question is are you prepared to except the change or do you want us to wait until you have finished your degree?
Point 9:
(9. According monetary compensation of all the already lost hours of tutorials in proportion to the tuition fees with regard to the number of tutorial hours specified in the course handbook given to each of the students when we originally joined the course.)
“NO, not one of our principles” “More hours don’t mean a better quality of education” “we feel that the quality of the education is adequate, and according to the course handbook the tutors deliver.” Though the quality will change year by year / tutor by tutor.
What The Group Said In Response
General Meeting Minutes.
General Consensus was called about delaying the meeting with Mr A
Meeting was pushed back to 16.00. This was good news
Agenda.
1. Minutes from last minutes led out – Thank you Jess
2. Press - Put forward by Oli, Well done!
3. Working Groups - In need of organisation
4. Mass Email - Look out those at CSM
5. SU Reps
6. Continuation
7. Weekend - Art ARt ART…(and maybe some aerobics!)
Minutes
- First point brought to attention was the merging of Byam Shaw BA Fine Art with CSM BA fine art courses at Kings Cross, the Byam Shaw building is remaining however Kit mentioned that Byam Shaw was being referred to as “CSM archway” in meetings. The reason for merging the fine art courses was to lift weight off CSM at Kings Cross; this would implicate that the size of the course at Byam Shaw could increase. This raised a concern in the potential increase of students at Byam Shaw. We have heard many different contradicting statements, Kit added however that Jane spoke at the college academic committee meeting of a 15% reduction in student intake.
- In regard to the issues surrounding the budget it was decided that we must go higher up the ‘slices’ as it was felt it was beyond Jane’s control.
- A meeting with Nigel Carrington (rector) hasn’t been scheduled but there is a possibility of meeting with either him or deputy rector William Bridge.
- Communication across the board had already been brought to the attention of staff at CSM and the idea of a new interweb called Portal is in its pulmonary stages. Kit stated that it is being set up and relies on student input. A notice board will be put up within Byam Shaw shortly and students are urged to contribute ideas towards this.
- It was made known to us that the loss of associate lecturers was due to standardising across CSM.
Press
- The positive and negative effects of the press where discussed and the concern of being cut off from CSM was mentioned. Kit mentioned that with the plans CSM have for Byam Shaw and their involvement already, it was highly unlikely they would separate. The general consensus was that these implications needed to be researched.
- Using the press could be a very positive thing, engaging other people to get involved, including a call to other universities, guest lecturers, and workshops.
- Being aware of how we could be used by the press.
- The proposition of sending a group of people to represent Byam Shaw at other universities, promoting what we are doing through our reasons including the love we have for Byam Shaw!!
- The idea of getting the Arts Group within the SU and having a statement in Representing Art specialist institution magazines was discussed and the consensus was to write up a draft Press Release.
Working Groups
- It was decided that there needed to be a new group born for publicity at other universities and a research group.
Mass Email
- In two weeks time a mass email will go out headlining the Byam Shaw’s’ Occupation. Kit will talk to SU to try to push date this forward immediately for release this week.
SU Reps
- A Byam Shaw student representative was voted on. We can proudly state that Laura and Tarek are our new spokespeople!! Way!!
Continuation over the weekend will go on as per norm!
General Meeting Minutes.
General Consensus was called about delaying the meeting with Mr A
Meeting was pushed back to 16.00. This was good news
Agenda.
1. Minutes from last minutes led out – Thank you Jess
2. Press - Put forward by Oli, Well done!
3. Working Groups - In need of organisation
4. Mass Email - Look out those at CSM
5. SU Reps
6. Continuation
7. Weekend - Art ARt ART…(and maybe some aerobics!)
Minutes
- First point brought to attention was the merging of Byam Shaw BA Fine Art with CSM BA fine art courses at Kings Cross, the Byam Shaw building is remaining however Kit mentioned that Byam Shaw was being referred to as “CSM archway” in meetings. The reason for merging the fine art courses was to lift weight off CSM at Kings Cross; this would implicate that the size of the course at Byam Shaw could increase. This raised a concern in the potential increase of students at Byam Shaw. We have heard many different contradicting statements, Kit added however that Jane spoke at the college academic committee meeting of a 15% reduction in student intake.
- In regard to the issues surrounding the budget it was decided that we must go higher up the ‘slices’ as it was felt it was beyond Jane’s control.
- A meeting with Nigel Carrington (rector) hasn’t been scheduled but there is a possibility of meeting with either him or deputy rector William Bridge.
- Communication across the board had already been brought to the attention of staff at CSM and the idea of a new interweb called Portal is in its pulmonary stages. Kit stated that it is being set up and relies on student input. A notice board will be put up within Byam Shaw shortly and students are urged to contribute ideas towards this.
- It was made known to us that the loss of associate lecturers was due to standardising across CSM.
Press
- The positive and negative effects of the press where discussed and the concern of being cut off from CSM was mentioned. Kit mentioned that with the plans CSM have for Byam Shaw and their involvement already, it was highly unlikely they would separate. The general consensus was that these implications needed to be researched.
- Using the press could be a very positive thing, engaging other people to get involved, including a call to other universities, guest lecturers, and workshops.
- Being aware of how we could be used by the press.
- The proposition of sending a group of people to represent Byam Shaw at other universities, promoting what we are doing through our reasons including the love we have for Byam Shaw!!
- The idea of getting the Arts Group within the SU and having a statement in Representing Art specialist institution magazines was discussed and the consensus was to write up a draft Press Release.
Working Groups
- It was decided that there needed to be a new group born for publicity at other universities and a research group.
Mass Email
- In two weeks time a mass email will go out headlining the Byam Shaw’s’ Occupation. Kit will talk to SU to try to push date this forward immediately for release this week.
SU Reps
- A Byam Shaw student representative was voted on. We can proudly state that Laura and Tarek are our new spokespeople!! Way!!
Continuation over the weekend will go on as per norm!
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