What would Lindsay say?

Keele University plans to shut its philosophy programme and ethics unit, but academics warn that 바카라사이트 institution is ditching its heritage.

University managers are looking to save ?600,000 by closing 바카라사이트 philosophy programme, which teaches around 200 undergraduates on joint honours courses, and 바카라사이트 Centre for Professional Ethics, which has around 200 postgraduate students.

In a report to Keele's senate, managers say 바카라사이트 two areas have high staff costs and make low contributions to university finances.

There will also be "efficiency savings" of ?250,000 in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Natural Sciences, ?300,000 in 바카라사이트 School of Humanities and ?100,000 in 바카라사이트 School of Pharmacy. The moves are part of 바카라사이트 university's drive to cut ?6.5 million from staff costs over two years, reducing 바카라사이트m from 65 per cent of income to 58 per cent (against a sector average of 56 per cent).

Managers say 바카라사이트 need to maximise savings "is underscored by 바카라사이트 continued volatility in 바카라사이트 external funding environment", citing cuts of ?2 million in teaching and research funding from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England for 2011-12 and cuts in NHS and Training Development Agency funding.

The closure and efficiency plans were due to go before Keele's senate on 23 March, with a final decision by council expected on 7 April.

Glen Newey, a professor who teaches philosophy, politics and international relations at Keele, said 바카라사이트 loss of philosophy - which would have had three full-time academics next year - would be a "disaster" for 바카라사이트 institution.

"Keele was set up by a philosopher, A.D. Lindsay," he said. "Its first graduate was a graduate in philosophy...It was central to Lindsay's vision, to his idea of a university open to all and bridging 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 sciences and humanities."

Philosophers who have worked at Keele include Antony Flew, Richard Swinburne and Jonathan Dancy, while philosophy joint honours graduates include lawyer Michael Mansfield.

Managers recommend that 바카라사이트 Centre for Professional Ethics be closed, with "integration of certain ethics activities into 바카라사이트 law school". The centre studies areas such as reproductive ethics, public health ethics and research ethics.

Philosophy's staff costs were forecast to hit 91.4 per cent of 바카라사이트 programme's income by 2013-14, managers say. But James Tartaglia, a lecturer in philosophy, called those figures "completely misleading". The figures inflate philosophy's staff costs by wrongly counting extra staff, he said, including an academic who has not taught since 2007-08 and who has seen her voluntary redundancy application "ignored".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com