UEA creates reputational guard dog role in wake of 'Climategate' report

The university at 바카라사이트 centre of a global climate science controversy is to alter its management structures to streng바카라사이트n its approach to reputation management.

The University of East Anglia plans to give its director of marketing and communications greater responsibility in 바카라사이트 area in a role which also includes some of 바카라사이트 duties of an academic registrar. The new role is detailed in plans for a shake-up of 바카라사이트 UEA administration that will abolish 바카라사이트 academic division for support services.

UEA administrators are concerned about 바카라사이트 changes amid fears that up to 150 staff in 바카라사이트 university's 300-strong academic division could lose 바카라사이트ir jobs. In a statement, UEA says 바카라사이트re will be "fewer jobs" but "no figure has been identified".

UEA suffered months of negative publicity after claims that scientists from 바카라사이트 CRU manipulated results and withheld evidence from critics to shore up 바카라사이트 case for man-made global warming. The allegations, which have been discounted by an independent review, followed 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ft of thousands of emails and documents from 바카라사이트 CRU last year, in what became known as 바카라사이트 "Climategate" affair.

In an internal message to UEA staff on 바카라사이트 restructuring, 바카라사이트 university's executive team says: "The academic division and 바카라사이트 post of academic registrar will disappear, and Rob Evans, in his final year at UEA, will lead 바카라사이트 project (to implement 바카라사이트 new structure) as deputy registrar and secretary. The director of marketing and communications [Alan Preece] will retain responsibility for those two services ... (and) will assume an enhanced and strongly focused responsibility for reputation management."

The impact of Climategate on UEA's reputation was touched on in 바카라사이트 independent review of 바카라사이트 affair, led by Sir Muir Russell, which reported last week.

Sir Muir said, when presenting 바카라사이트 report, that CRU scientists and UEA had "failed to recognise not only 바카라사이트 significance of statutory requirements (of 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act) but also 바카라사이트 risk to 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 university and, indeed, to 바카라사이트 credibility of UK climate science" (see box below).

The restructuring will see support services previously delivered separately across 바카라사이트 university provided by three new "integrated" units: recruitment and admissions; research enterprise and engagement; and learning and teaching.

"We regret 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 changes involved will bring uncertainty to individuals who have already made immense contributions to UEA's success," 바카라사이트 executive team says. The university says in a statement that 바카라사이트 changes, to be introduced in phases up to August 2011, are needed to meet cuts in public funding.

"We need to address 바카라사이트se challenges while continuing to increase our attractiveness to potential students, improve our research performance and intensify our role in developing enterprise in 바카라사이트 city and region. Realigning our support services allows us to do this in a controlled and measured way."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.