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INKYTEXT 133
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ISSUE No 133 ESTABLISHED 1993 Thursday 14th March 1996
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HOUSE FOR SALE: a clean, efficient two-bedroomed stone terrace within
easy walking distance of the station. Traditional features combine
tastefully with modern facilities, and plenty of shelves, to make it of
interest to university staff or similar. Available from August 96 with
no "chain". For details phone x4651 or 35494.
AGENDA
1. Editorial: Water running uphill
2. News: Accounts, Retirement, S. Martin's, Sugar House, Stockchecking, Rooms
3. Charlotte Mason College: past, present and future
4. Letter from KPMG to the Vice-Chancellor plus outline of savings
5. Consumer Corner: Sainsbury's; Soupe a l'oignon
6. Readers' Letters: Council, Subscriptions, Minnesota tenure, Insurance
1. EDITORIAL: WATER RUNNING UPHILL
----------------------------------
[Levity and navel-gazing seems out of place. This has been cancelled
as a mark of respect for the victims and families of the Dunblane
massacre.]
2. NEWS
-------
ANYONE THINKING OF RETIRING PREMATURELY is reminded that it would suit
the university if they could get in touch with Professor Shennan before
Friday. Current policy appears to be to offer a maximum of 8 years
enhancement of pension contributions. (For academic staff on average
this would cost the employer around 64K.)
CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST have arisen regarding
the University Secretary's role in negotiating arrangements with S
Martin's College, of whose governing body he is also a member.
THE COLLEGE AND RESIDENCE budget cuts for next year look more
realisable after Monday's unusually constructive meeting of the College
and Student Support Board. Support for student pre-School Centre users has
been transferred to the Access budget. Another 100K or so remains to be
found if rent rises are to stay around inflation level. (The vaunted
benefits of the fixed-rate debenture are not of course currently
demonstrable.)
CURRENTLY AROUND 50 CAMPUS ROOMS are unlet. This figure may rise
during the summer term, given the number of 2-term students to whom we
guarantee campus accommodation. The completion of the SW Campus will
add over 400 more to fill on long-lets.
THE NEW FIRM OF BAR STOCKCHECKERS Staveley and Theaker (?), employed
to placate the Audit gang, have been having some initial difficulties
and made some errors. It improves the atmosphere no end when Personnel
and Audit are willing to consider that such may be the case, instead of
shooting from the hip at long-standing employees as has in the past
sometimes seemed their wont.
NIGGLING WORRIES ABOUT RECRUITMENT do not seem to be worrying
budget-setters, who continue to make optimistic assumptions that
overseas and graduate intake will hold up at present levels. Special
concerns in the Management School, which was relying on presumed
increases in such categories to fund its loan for the new Graduate
Management School (still the most expensive underused facility on
campus: Audit please note.)
WORRIES ABOUT THE SUGAR HOUSE: a fullish mechanical, electrical and
fabric survey has been conducted by senior staff from the Building
Office. Overall the place is in a rough state and the decor minimal.
It suffers heavy vandalism most weeks, the urinals being a special
target for macho demonstrations of muscularity. The roof leaks and
permanent condensation seems unavoidable; the drains are [the
'technical' term used is unprintable].
The question is whether the money it makes and other benefits it
brings warrant much further capital outlay, given the sacrifices
demanded elsewhere. The latest trading figures cause concern.
3. CHARLOTTE MASON COLLEGE
--------------------------
A FACTUAL NOTE FROM JOHN HALSTEAD, currently Charlotte Mason
Principal, welcomed Council members. It recalled that CMC merged with
us in 1992 to becme our 10th college. About 150 staff, not all full
time, and 700 students work at Ambleside. Altogether the college has
about 1200 fte (= full-time equivalent) students.
It is located on four sites spread across Ambleside, though only 36
percent of students are housed in university owneed or leased
accommodation. Total 'turnover'of the Lake District campus is over 6
million per annum, student income, much of it spent in Ambleside,
totalling some 2 million. The campus was valued at 4.7 million for the
purposes of the University's debenture issue.
The teacher training department is involved in primary teacher
education and a PGCE. Two other money-making ventures are also based
there: the Centre for Training and development, which does examining
and work for National Vocational Qualifications, plus the In-Service
Education and Training outfit, which does as its name suggests, plus
bits of OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) inspection, and the
slightly surreal PGCE/Maitrise taught elsewhere.
He appended an excellent 2 page history of the place by former
Principal John Thorley (father of Alex Thorley in University House).
The original Charlotte, founder and first Principal, was a doughty
Victorian pedagogue who died in 1923, aged 81.
She founded her House of Education at Ambleside in 1892, having
already set up the PNEU (Parents' National Educational Union) in 1886,
dedicated to improving the standard of children's education at home by
governesses. Although it too was initially established to train
governesses, the school's students mainly took up posts as primary
teachers in independent preparatory schools.
The college was independent from 1923 to 1960, recruiting its staff
mainly from its own students, thus perpetuating a distinctive
'philosopphy' based around the founders own teaching, linked to the
ideas of Pestalozzi. The PNEU moved its headquarters to London only in
1966. [QUERY: any connection with the famous Norland Nannies
upper-crust establishment in Holland Park Avenue, which began around
that time?]
Council has currently agreed to 'pursue the implications of agreeing
to allow St Martin's to take over teacher training and other activities
that cannot or should not be disentangled from core teaching areas.'
This is to include a cost benefit analysis and consider (a) the phasing
of changes (this September or next), effects on use of the site,
implications for the Faculty of Education and the college itself.
The group, to be chaired by Prof Abercrombie, is to liaise with S
Martin's via the university secretary, and can consider any other
options deemed relevant. It is to submit an options appraisal to
Coucnil and Senate in May and June.
It was agreed that the Teacher Training course will have an intake
this autumn, and that current first years will come to Bailrigg next
session. The interests of Charlotte Mason students will be given
priority in any policy-making affecting the Lakeland campus.
4. LETTER FROM KPMG
-------------------
St James' Square
Manchester M2 6DS
7 March 1996
Dear Bill
[...]
Since we met in early January I am aware of the seriousness with which
you have taken the financial position and that the University has made
very strenuous efforts to address the issues. Indeed these are set out
in your letter to me of 27 February and your draft letter to the HEFCE
dated 4 March which is being presented to Council.
We have reviewed with you the financial effects of these actions which
are summarized on the attached schedule, and in particular we have
discussed the sensitivities of the projections, which show that after a
difficult couple of years the overdraft will reduce.
Accordingly, on the basis that the University Council confirm their
approval of the steps you are undertaking, appreciate the consequences
of those steps, thus enabling you to achieve the savings you have
outlined, and reconfirm their approval of the 1994/95 financial
statements, then I confirm that we will sign our report without
qualification, within a few days.
I have spoken to the HEFCE who have confirmed their agreement to this
course of action.
[...]
David J Illingworth
Partner
Attachment: Potential impact of Proposed Cash Savings
Cumulative Savings (K)
95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99
Equipment savings 500 1400 1400 1400
Sale of farmland 350 350 350
Sale of various Bailrigg properties 350 350 350
Refinancing of SW Campus 1000 1000 1000
Interest savings 30 192 345 489
-----------------------------------------
Total Cumulative Savings 530 3292 3445 3589
Overdraft per draft projections -4522 -6716 -5948 -5968
Revised overdraft -3922 -3424 -2503 -2379
[EDITORIAL NOTES:
(1) If capital raised from sales is used in this way to reduce the
current account overdraft it cannot also be used to fund premature
retirements of course.
(2) The money budgeted from revenue for these is currently 500K in
each of the next three years. The average cost of buying in an extra
year's pension for academics over 50 is about 8K. Buying in 6 years
would thus cost nearly 50K, os that amounts to about 10 a year. The
number of posts we must lose is many, many times greater than that.
(3) Any net cost reductions from staff shedding via PRCS will be
additional to the above savings.
(4) There is a ratchet effect, however, in that early payroll savings
reduce the overdraft and interest payments, and potentially release
revenue that can also be used to fund further retirements.
(5) The VC recently reminded us that the aim has to be to oscillate
around break-even budgets, not just staying within our 3 million
overdraft limit.
CONCLUSION: there is still quite a way to go.]
5. CONSUMER CORNER
------------------
The enlarged new Sainsbury's is now operational. Superior in-store
cafe, cash dispensers, improved car-park, wet fish and butchery
counter, vastly increased range of items. Still not in the Chelsea
Harbour league for French cheeses of course, and still driven by
Lancaster's conservative demands. NB: now stocks duck breasts and less
delicate portions, and Barbary duck breasts. Not cheap at circa 7 quid
a pair, but easy to impress with and ideal for non veggie candle-lit
dinners.
And from Jean-Louis Di Domenico a rather personal Soupe a l'oignon:
Pour une petite sou-soupe pour 2 (ou 4)
1 kilo d'oignons (NB JAUNES et non pas blancs comme j'ai vu quelques
malotrus (=ill-bred ruffians) anglosaxons faire - aaaargh l'angoisse...
pas orgasmique du tout le truc.)
1 litre de vin blanc genre vin sec avec du gout comme le Chablis ou le
Chardonnay, si vous voulez plus moelleux (= soft but bouncy)...
moelleux, aaaargh... le matelas...(=reminds me of mattresses) dodo !!!
ooops ... je m'egare (=wandering from the subject).
Donc une casserole de 2 litres qui puisse aller au four... bien que on
peu transferer dans un caquelon de terre cuite (=earthenware dish) pour
le four.
On commence:
1/4 de paquet de margarine, ou huile de tournesol (=sunflower),
chauffe un peu... ajouter les oignons coupes en demi-cercle (la
geometry en cuisine !!! on aura tout vu !) quand ils sont bien partis
... les faire revenir, doucement... quand ils sont tendre et juste un
peu colores... ajouter, en saupoudrant (=sprinkling) (tres important
!!! pas le genre "FLOC" (= don't just dump in a shovelfull) ...et la
voila la pelle de farine !!!... delicatesse... tout dans la
delicatesse, comme avec le doigt [CENSORED] ooops, je m'egare encore
!!! (= sorry, mind wandering again)... je reviens a mes oignons).
2 cuilleres a soupe de farine dans une petite passoire (=sieve) et
tamiser (=sieve) tout partout...[=allusion to betting on all
possibilities in roulette) (meme sur le 12 rouge, pass et manque... et
zut c'est pas Monaco ici...) ... et "massager" ave la que-yere en bois,
a feu moyen (= on a medium heat) parce que ca va brunir dur a partir de
maintenant... le fond DOIT attacher un peu...
2 or 3mn of massaging et tu ajoutes deux verre de vin blanc... mais
attention: 1 verre dans la soupe... et un verre pour toi... parceque il
commence a faire chaud au dessus du pot !!! ...touille (=stir briskly)
un peu... si tu aimes bien le vin, encore 2 verres... un pour la soupe
et un pour toi... puis tu ajoutes 3/4 de litre d'eau et tu montes la
chauffe...(= turn up the heat) puis la... c'est un peu du personnel...
le choix de cuisson: 15mn... puis le four... ou 20 minutes.
Sapristi... j'ai oublie le sel et poivre... n'oubliez pas hein ?
Donc, au four, avec juste un peu de grue-hier , gratiner pandant 5mn,
sortir quand c'est brun... remuer ave la cuillere, au four a nouveau
avec encore un peu de gruyere... a chaque fois le gruyere c'est du
leger, juste pour faire une fine croute.. donc 5 fois 5mn avec du
gruyere a chaque fois... et tu finis avec une bonne couche pour faire
joli. Les tranches de pain, je les preferes juste frites dans l'huile
d'olive, puis grattees avec de l'ail... donc c'est une recette du
soir... parce que attention les effluves dans le metro !!! (= beware of
the smell in the metro>)
6. READERS' LETTERS
-------------------
Readers might like to know that as of today (Monday 11 March) the
country's Internet link to the US has now doubled its capacity to 8
Megabits/second
Alan Phillips
ISS
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[ For latest PFE (0.06.002) see: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/people/cpaap/pfe/ ]
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Thank you for unfailingly printing everything I've asked you to over
the past year or so, for letting us have the real story about meetings,
etc. But what _has_ happened to [...]?
[NOTE: Sorry, but a standard-raising journal like ours encourages
containment of unhealthy curiosity. Nothing can be said at this time.
Nor would you want trivial ad personam gossip. Correction: you might
want it but you ain't gonna find it here. Public interest implications,
if any, will be pursued, dinna fret. (Ed.)]
--------------------
Could you please put my on the subscription list for your interesting
publication. I found out about it via an e-mail from the USA. News
travels far and fast. Thanks.
----------------------
Thanks for all the news over recent weeks. I have been persuaded to
transfer to unix from cent1 (is this an example of re-structuring ?) and
would be grateful if you could send all future Inky text issues to
<username>@unix.lancs.ac.uk
[NOTE: Thanks - others in a similar position please note. (Ed.)]
--------------
DEPARTMENTAL TQA EXPENDITURE. The net direct cost of the French TQA,
with one claim still to process, stands at 1 641 pounds. This relates
only to identifiable expenditure (much of it expenses for alumni whom
the assessors asked us to produce) and does not include other costs
such as photcopying (masses), still less overheads (of which hundreds
of working hours). Of course it was not included in the budget.
-----------------------
Until recently I was dependent on my good-natured neighbours for
copies of InkyText. Now that I have become a subscriber in my own
right, I shall cease to have any contact with them. I'm going to seek
out one or two benighted individuals who have yet to subscribe and
gleefully inform them of the wonders of InkyText. If my plan succeeds,
they will be dependent upon me for the latest information and remain so
until such time as they realise that they can subscribe too. Thanks
A new reader.
-----------------
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-------------------------------
Was today's News Update 18 really talking about the same meeting
described in Inkytext 132? There seems to be almost no overlap at all
between the items you both pick out as important.
[NOTE: Aye. True. And given that I wasn't there my account was a
critical piecing together of what various unconnected members could
most clearly recall. News Update conveys a more selective top-table
account. The new openness clearly has its limits. (Ed.)]
------------------------
Gavin Silver says he does not know how I can possibly survive in this
world without "Inkytext"!! Could you enrol me, please.
Peter Hearne
------------------------
Does Laurie Taylor (whose column regularly graces the back page of teh
THES) subscribe to InkyText? I've noticed parallels between his column
and your fine journal before, but in the March 8 edition, speaking of
retirement schemes, he writes:
"Although this scheme does look relatively austere compared to
those we've offered before, it's worth mentioning that it will
be better than anything you'll ever get in the years to come."
I seem to recall something very similar written in a recent edition of
InkyText. Coincidence, or is there a mole somewhere in your editorial
staff?
David M. Smith
Maths
[NOTE: Shouldn't think so. And the thing it alludes to is more like
Prof Shennan's letter (see Inkytext 128). These things are simply
archetypal, and folk prolly weep daily over such things in common rooms
throughout the land. As Flaubert said of Emma Bovary. Almost. (Ed.)]
-----------------------------
Q: What is the definition of an optimist?
A: Whoever put up the poster this morning in Uni House advertising PGCE
courses at Charlotte Mason College........
----------------------------
The words 'Lancaster University' are fading from my name badge. Is
this significant?
[NOTE: I fear it may be. We have always been into rushing into
plastic, building walls then demolishing them. The slower, less
glamorous policies of the new era have more of a granite feel to them.
(Ed.)]
---------------------
University of Minnesota President Niels Hasslemo and the university's
Board of Regents are launching a serious campaign to end tenure not
only at the University, but nationally as well. The threat to tenure
nationwide is serious enough to warrant strong protests to the
president and the Board of Regents (address for both: Morill Hall,
Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455) from all over the country by
individual faculty, faculty organizations, and professional societies.
At its December meeting, the Board of Regents set May 1996 as a
deadline to effect changes in the tenure code in order that they may be
put into effect in the fall. President Hasselmo in a letter of November
20, 1995 to Regents Chair Thomas R. Reagan wrote: "Tenure imposes
rigidities of lack of flexibility... It is assumed that the proportion
of faculty who are tenured must decrease." Hasselmo not only proposed
reduction of the number of tenured faculty (apparently to under 50% of
the faculty), but also proposed a redefinition of tenure that would
make it possible to eliminate faculty by dissolution of their
departments (by shifting the place of tenure from the university as a
whole to one's department) or to force individual faculty to leave by
reduction of their salaries (in Hasselmo's words: "partial decoupling
of compensation from tenure").
President Hasselmo and the Regents initiated these moves and set a
schedule for their implementation without meaningful consultation with
the faculty, seriously undermining the institution of faculty
governance. The Regents have the power to abolish tenure with or
without Senate concurrence and recent statements by some adminstrators
and regents indicate the intention to do so. This is why faculty
collective bargaining to save tenure is on the agenda today. Aware that
tenure is honored at all research universities and at essentially all
other public institutions of higher learning, President Hasselmo also
recommended that the Regents initiate a national discussion on tenure,
which one can only interpret as a recommendation for dismantling tenure
nationwide. [..}
Please circulate this news as widely as possible
Erwin Marquit
School of Physics and Astronomy
116 Church Street SE
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0112 (612) 922-7993
------------------------