Petition to the Visitor

The University has been notified that the Visitor is to consider a petition claiming that we bypassed the body responsible for our academic mission, the Senate, in respect of restructuring in the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the School of Healthcare. The Petition calls for the economies exercise to be put on hold while the Visitor investigates the complaint; and the letter from the Visitor does ask the University to 'take no further steps towards implementing the proposals.' (It is commonplace in such cases for matters to be put on hold pending a decision on the substance of the complaint.)

We are seeking urgent clarification of the Visitor’s request – the economies exercise is still at a very early stage and we are some months away from formulating any ‘proposals’ which might be implemented.

We will mount a robust defence to the Petition itself.

Update - 19 February 2010

The Privy Council Office have clarified that until it has been possible to reach a decision on the Petition, the restructuring proposals in FBS should remain on hold.  This is ‘to ensure that the Visitor’s jurisdiction in relation to the petition is not prejudiced by the ongoing activities of the University and the Petitioner’.  It does not imply that the Visitor thinks the University has acted inappropriately:  no judgement has been made about the merits of the Petition.

As regards the Economies Exercise, the Privy Council Office has confirmed that we can continue to discuss, identify and evaluate options for change, provided that we do not implement any such options.

We do not expect the Visitor to reach a judgement before the end of March at the earliest.

Update - 29 June 2010

The Visitor has dismissed the petition. See the correspondence page for full details.