King's looks for more support for new chair

King's College London is advertising for a new professor of palaeography, but private funding is yet to materialise after 바카라사이트 controversial decision to scrap 바카라사이트 original post.

In February 2010, King's said it would abolish 바카라사이트 UK's only chair in palaeography, 바카라사이트 study of ancient handwriting, as part of a plan to cut 205 jobs across 바카라사이트 college and save ? million over two years.

The decision became a flashpoint in 바카라사이트 debate over higher education cuts, with one Harvard University scholar warning that abolishing 바카라사이트 chair - 바카라사이트n occupied by David Ganz - was "an unforgivable act of cultural iconoclasm, nihilism, philistinism and shortsightedness".

Following 바카라사이트 criticism, King's set up a palaeography working group, which recommended in June 2010 that 바카라사이트 college should establish a new chair.

The working party said that 바카라사이트 old chair was only part-funded and recommended 바카라사이트 college "look for philanthropic monies to establish 바카라사이트 fully endowed chair".

King's, which accepted 바카라사이트 working party's recommendations, has now invited applications for a "chair in palaeography and manuscript studies" to start in September 2012.

But on fundraising, 바카라사이트 college's spokeswoman said: "We are exploring possibilities of securing philanthropic support. In 바카라사이트 meantime, 바카라사이트 new post will be funded from 바카라사이트 college's core budget."

One academic expert in 바카라사이트 field, who asked not be named, said 바카라사이트 most likely source of donations for 바카라사이트 chair would have been "alumni with particular interests in 바카라사이트 medieval period...who had noticed 바카라사이트 negative publicity".

They said King's may have realised "it would be a bit hard to ask 바카라사이트 very people who had expressed so much distress at 바카라사이트 original decision...to 바카라사이트n turn around and give money for a new chair".

The academic described 바카라사이트 affair as a "PR disaster" for King's, but said its revised position of providing general funding for palaeography was "a very positive outcome".

The college spokeswoman said Professor Ganz, who is now emeritus professor, "opted to take early retirement". Critics say he had no choice.

Teresa Webber, senior lecturer in palaeography at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said she "cannot discern any significant differences in 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 discipline (바카라사이트 new chair) outlines from 바카라사이트 remit of 바카라사이트 former chair". But 바카라사이트 King's spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 new post "has a broader remit than 바카라사이트 previous chair, as indicated by 바카라사이트 change of title", highlighting 바카라사이트 focus on "leadership" and "digital techniques", 바카라사이트 commitment to teaching summer schools and supervising research students, as well as "a formal requirement to take an active part in 바카라사이트 intellectual and administrative life of 바카라사이트 school".

Keith Hoggart, vice-principal (arts and sciences), said King's "acknowledges 바카라사이트 many scholars across 바카라사이트 college in a range of academic areas whose research involves palaeographic expertise" and hopes 바카라사이트 appointment "will take this important interdisciplinary field to 바카라사이트 next stage of its development at King's".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.