Annex A
Dear
Re: Letter to non-final year-students on single
honours chemistry programmes and joint honours chemistry and law
and archaeology and chemistry
In the light of the University's decision to
cease its activities in single honours chemistry programmes and
joint honours chemistry and law and archaeology and chemistry,
I am writing to you to give you information that you will need
in order to make the best possible decision, to achieve an excellent
award at the end of your period of study. You are not being required
to make an irrevocable decision at this point but we are asking
you as part of a continuing dialogue to consider carefully the
information below and provide an expression of interest in the
options available by using the return slip provided.
As you will know, I have convened a Student
Liaison Group which I chair and which draws upon Guild of Students'
representatives, student representatives, Chemistry staff representatives
and a member of support staff from central administration. I am
extremely grateful to the student reps on the Group, for giving
their assistance to this task in what I am aware are very difficult
circumstances. The Group has met twice this week and I envisage
that it will continue to meet as necessary in the coming weeks
and months.
The first task for the Group was to discuss
fully the options for students and to seek to provide the fullest
possible response at this stage so that students are able to reflect
on this information with family and friends over the winter break.
This letter has been produced through that process, and I very
much hope that you will find it helpful.
What are my options?
As indicated by the Vice-Chancellor when he
met with Chemistry students last week, there are a number of options
available, and we are not ruling any of these out. However, it
is in everyone's interests to start considering their options
as soon as possible, particularly so that students who wish to
transfer together to other Chemistry departments can make fully
informed choices as early as possible and receive maximum support
from Exeter and the receiving institution.
Option 1: Continue to study Chemistry at Exeter
As discussions get underway with Chemistry staff,
we are not yet in a position to know which staff will have left
the University by 31 July 2005. However, it is clear that many
will do so, which will pose challenges for the delivery in 2005-06
of the full programme of undergraduate Chemistry teaching at Exeter.
We will endeavour to meet our obligation of delivering core modules
as indicated in the programme specifications, but there will be
reduced flexibility in the optional modules and projects offered.
We are actively considering whether students could access specialist
modules elsewhere whilst continuing to register for an Exeter
degree or be taught on the Exeter programme by specialists from
other institutions.
Current third year students in Chemistry and
Law will be unaffected by the changes as the final year of the
programme is taught by the School of Law.
Option 2: Transfer to other universities to
continue studying Chemistry at ESc and undergraduate Masters level
We have held detailed discussions at the highest
level with Bristol and Bath universities and will be able to arrange
group transfers to their excellent Chemistry programmes—under
these arrangements we would be able to sort out much of the paperwork
involved. We are carrying out a detailed mapping of modules at
present. Depending on the level of interest shown, we will organise
visits to these universities and their Chemistry departments at
the start of the Spring term.
We have also been approached by several other
universities who are willing to take Exeter students, including
Southampton and Surrey, where we have had discussions with senior
officers. We will facilitate all transfers, but stress that it
is clearly in the best interests of students and receiving universities
for this to be handled on a group basis.
In all these cases financial assistance will
be provided to students to facilitate transfer and we anticipate
that we will be able to offer up to £2,000 to each student
to assist with the costs of relocation. Final decisions will need
to be made in February.
Option 3: Transfer to other programmes within
Exeter at the end of the 2004-05 academic year
Transfer to other programmes at Exeter is possible,
providing that you have appropriate qualifications, although we
will be as flexible as possible. Some programmes (such as Biological
and Medicinal Chemistry, Physics, Exercise and Sports Science,
and Engineering) may accept students part way through this academic
year. Should students be required to drop back a year, financial
assistance will also be provided.
Chemistry and Law students can transfer to the
Law LLB at the end of this academic year (first years into first-year
LLB, second years into second-year LLB, etc).
Archaeology and Chemistry students can transfer
to single honours Archaeology at the end of this academic year
(first years into second-year Archaeology and second years into
third-year Archaeology).
Should you wish to transfer to another programme
within Exeter, you should advise us as soon as possible.
What happens next?
The Council's decision will be posted on the
University homepage straight after the meeting ends on 20 December.
As part of our dialogue with you, we have provided
a form below for you to indicate your current preferred options;
please return this as soon as possible, and no later than 31 January.
We will be discussing these options with you again early in the
Spring term. Although full details about staffing levels here
will not be available until later next year (around the start
of the Summer term in April), it will be important to make final
decisions about transfers as early as possible to ensure that
places are available.
| 
