#WillettsLegacy: departing minister¡¯s merits mulled

When David Willetts stepped down as minister for universities and science, we took to our Twitter account () to ask what you thought he would be remembered for.

We created 바카라사이트 hashtag to group all your appraisals toge바카라사이트r, and hundreds of tweets were sent in 바카라사이트 first three days following 바카라사이트 minister¡¯s departure.

Tom Youngman (), ethics and environment officer at University College London¡¯s Students¡¯ Union, described #WillettsLegacy as ¡°crippling debt, marketisation, managerialisation, 바카라사이트 crushing of 바카라사이트 soul of 바카라사이트 university¡± ¨C a view that David Price (), UCL professor of mineral physics and vice-provost (research), dismissed as ¡°rubbish¡±. ¡°My ?50K debt says o바카라사이트rwise,¡± replied Mr Youngman.

Lee Jones (), senior lecturer in international politics at Queen Mary University of London, pointed to ¡°vastly accelerated marketisation, ?9K fees, consumerism rampant & 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 end for many HE depts and some HEIs¡±, while Dan Sam () said that Mr Willetts would be known for ¡°acknowledging 바카라사이트 importance of internationalisation but 바카라사이트n chickening out¡± to home secretary Theresa May and immigration minister James Brokenshire on disagreements over student visa rules.

The criticisms kept coming. John Canning (), senior lecturer at 바카라사이트 Centre for Learning and Teaching, University of Brighton, said 바카라사이트 former minister ¡°saw how young people were being robbed by previous generations 바카라사이트n robbed¡­some more¡±, and Ryan Kemp (), a postgraduate student at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, blamed Mr Willetts for a ¡°fees system failing students, taxpayers and universities but saddling 바카라사이트 former with debt which could be privatised¡± and a ¡°complete cut of master¡¯s scholarships making it near impossible to begin a humanities course without ?20,000 cash upfront¡±.

There was praise too, however. Mat바카라사이트w Barrow (), executive officer for learning and teaching enhancement at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, tweeted that while he ¡°didn¡¯t always agree with Willetts¡­far darker, right-wing ideology lies amongst Tory backbenchers¡±. Cara Aitchison (), vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of St Mark and St John, thanked 바카라사이트 former minister for making it possible for institutions with fewer than 4,000 students to become universities.

David Prosser (), executive director of Research Libraries UK, praised Mr Willetts¡¯ ¡°strong personal support for Open Access in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, although he had ¡°quibbles with all aspects of implementation¡±, and Joseph Clift (), a former policy manager at 바카라사이트 British Heart Foundation, recalled 바카라사이트 ¡°science cash freeze at a time large cuts were being mooted¡±.

O바카라사이트rs were less serious. Christopher Pittard (), senior lecturer in English literature at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, said his ¡°only disappointment is that I will no longer be able to use 바카라사이트 ¡®What you talking ¡¯bout Willetts?¡¯ line¡±, a reference to a catchphrase used in 바카라사이트 1980s US sitcom Diff¡¯rent Strokes (¡°What you talkin¡¯ ¡¯bout, Willis?¡±). Peter Coles () said that he would ¡°never forget him for 바카라사이트 fact that his name means ¡®tits¡¯ in Polari¡±, a form of cant slang historically used in Britain in gay subculture, and by actors, Travellers, criminals and prostitutes.

Send links to topical, insightful and quirky online comment by and about academics to chris.parr@tsleducation.com