We would like to say thank you to all of those people who helped us during our initial campaign this spring, whether this was signing our petition, writing letters or coming to our protests, it all helps.

It appears that our efforts have had some effect as University management have lessened the pressure of cuts on CDS in the short term; however, the fight does not end there and with the government announcing its Spending Review on 20^th October, things look set to get worse for everyone and so the fight to save the Centre for Deaf Studies and it’s BSc Deaf Studies degree looks set to carry on through the ‘autumn of discontent’ which will see campaigning events being held by the Save Deaf Studies campaign as well as nationally by the UCU and NUS unions.

The University’s next step in its quest to aimlessly swing its unfair and shortsighted battleaxe of cuts upon CDS has been to appoint a temporary ‘Facilitator’ who will;

• Investigate where CDS can be re-located within the University – All the other departments and faculties are being told to cut, will they want another new centre amidst the need to cut…

• Investigate how staff who stand to lose their jobs as the degree gets dissolved in 2013. – We can’t see how teaching staff can be kept beyond 2013 as no alternative course has been proposed or guaranteed.

One of our responses to these actions has been to hold a ‘public meeting’, which has been proposed by the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU). It is hoped this will take place mid-October, after the Spending Review is announced and we intend to highlight the effects these cuts will have on CDS and higher education elsewhere.

We want to hold this meeting around the time of any Demonstrations, BUT NOT ON THE SAME DAY! – Tell us when your Demos are happening at savebristolcds@gmail.com

If you think you can help with setting up our ‘public meeting’ such as finding a venue or would like to speak then please also e-mail us, any help us appreciated.

Finally, the UCU, both locally and nationally are supporting our campaign and more importantly, so are you! Thank you again for all your support that hasn’t been without impact . The BSc degree will continue to be taught until 2013 though, whatever happens, however, beyond that, there are no guarantees.

All of which means the campaign continues to remain extremely important, and we’ve remained committed to trying to ensure the Centre has a future that involves teaching and research.

Please carry on supporting our cause, our staff, our students and most importantly, the 70,000 strong Deaf community who efforts work to support on a daily basis.

Thank you,

Greg

Save Deaf Studies Campaign Team

KEEP CHECKING THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES AND SUPPORT THE NUS/UCU DEMOLITION CAMPAIGN >

9 June 2010

Chancellor,

Building on the annoucement of our plans to save £6 billion this year, and ahead of the budget on the 22nd June and subsequent spending round, I am writing to remind colleagues of the importance of considering the impact of reductions in public expenditure on different groups when identifying how Departmental savings can be achieved. We have already discussed the importance of ensuring that regions within the UK are not disproportionately affected. This letter is to remind colleagues of the legal requirements to additionally consider how women, disabled people and ethnic minorities are affected.

I fully share the objective of spending cuts. Equally it is important that fairness is at the heart of those decisions so that all those most in need are protected. In this connection there are real risks that women, ethnic minorities, disabled people and older people will be disproportionately affected. Women, for instance, make up a higher number of public workers, and all four groups use public services more. The majority of those in receipt of tax credits and welfare payments are also from these groups. It is therefore important that Departments individually consider the potential impact of savings on different equality groups before taking decisions. I also think we need to take a collective view on the cumulative impact of cuts, and whether any action should be taken to spread the impact more equitably, to avoid widening inequality.

Ministers may be aware that it is legally required under the existing race, disability and gender equality duties to consider this when forming policy. Moreover it is recommended that Departments do the same in relation to older people, LGB and T people, and people of different religions, as the new Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 will extend this requirement to all groups, when it comes in to force in April 2011.

If there are no processes in place to show that equality issues have been taken into account to particular decisions, there is a real risk of successful lagal challenge by for instance recipients of public services, Trade Unions or other groups affected by these decisions. The Equality and Human Rights Commission also has the power to bring judicial review proceedings or issue compliance notices if they think that a public body has not complied with an equality duty.

This does not stop us taking the tough decisions necessary but we will need to show that we have considered the equality impacts. In order to help this process, I have asked the Government Equalities Office to develop a package of help for Departmental Equality teams to assist them in understanding the legal obligations, and what good practice looks like. For further information, I encourage your officials to contact Alison.pritchard@geo.gsi.gov.uk

Fairness is a key principle of our programme for Government, and it is important that we use this budge, and the forthcoming spending review to demonstrate our commitment to reducing the Government deficit fairly.

I am copying this letter to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Cabinet Secretary and members of the Economic Affairs and Social Justice Committees. I am seperately taking forward the issue of GEO representation on cabinet committees but going forward, I would be grateful if letters to the Economic Affairs Committee could be routinely copied to the GEO, so that we have the opportunity to identify at an early stage how changes to economic policy will impact on equality.

Rt. Hon Theresa May MP

One of the key points from the above letter, “I also think we need to take a collective view on the cumulative impact of cuts, and whether any action should be taken to spread the impact more equitably, to avoid widening inequality.”

The University of Bristol, are you actually taking note? This isn’t a box ticking exercise. 75% cuts, few/no alternatives nationally, no consultation with the wider Deaf community; looks like widening inequality to me.

The most notable part was the statement from the university:

The university said the degree was going for academic reasons …

Who decides ‘academic reasons’, and what about diversity in the decision making process? The duty to listen to traditionally excluded groups is a legal requirement. The university as a public service has an obligation to put public money to diverse use.

If you’ve not already done so, you can read the previous public statement from Dr. Mike Gulliver here.

“Heed the Five Thousand”: World Petition Swells to Defend Bristol’s Centre for Deaf Studies

A worldwide campaign opposing savage cuts at the Centre for Deaf Studies, Bristol University, has passed a major landmark.

On Thursday 20th May Leonor Gaspar of Lisbon became the five thousandth person to sign a petition launched less than two weeks ago by third-year undergraduate Greg Judge. Like other students and staff, Greg, who is studying for his BSc in Deaf Studies, is concerned that if proposed job cuts of up to 75 percent are pushed through, the current degree course might not only be the last, but would itself be damaged to the detriment of students.

Greg started the petition rolling on May 8th with the simple plea, “Keep my degree course going!” Since then, hundreds of people from every continent have added thousands of words, pleading eloquently with the powers that be at Bristol to reverse their short-sighted proposals.

The incredulity of many internationally renowned scholars was summed up by Dr Judy Shepard-Kegl of North Yarmouth, USA:

“The Centre for Deaf Studies at Bristol has made an impact on the field of Deaf Studies internationally. Jim Kyle’s work was groundbreaking and still defines questions I grapple with daily in my work. Paddy Ladd’s work, including but not limited to Deafhood, is the most sophisticated social analysis available. Cutting this program removes what should be one of your university’s signature programs. I can only imagine that the administration is unaware of the program’s stature and reputation.”

The feeling is growing that the University Senate and Council have demonstrated breathtaking ignorance of one of the jewels in Bristol’s crown. They point out that the Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) ticks nearly every box in the University’s Vision and Strategy, drawn up for its centenary in 2009.

The centenary slogan was “Great past, greater future”. The CDS is emblematic of Bristol’s great past, having chalked up nearly thirty firsts and many unique achievements since it was set up in 1978:

• First use of the term Deaf Studies, now widely used all over the world
• First textbook on British Sign Language – still in use
• First full-time training programme for sign language interpreters
• First BSc & MSc in Deaf Studies
• First Professorship in Deaf Studies
• First Deaf person to head an Academic Centre in Europe
• First full-time University training programme for Deaf people taught in sign language

The CDS has also consistently looked to the future. In 1995, the first mobile text message sent by a Deaf person anywhere in the world was by David Jackson, a researcher at CDS. It has been a pioneer in visual e-learning for both Deaf and hearing students. And just this year a major new initiative was the creation of a national videophone service to connect directly to the 999 emergency services through interpreters.

But it is not only academics who have spoken out on behalf of CDS. Deaf people from all over the world have joined the outcry, as they see one of their few hard-won gains yet again being threatened by a blinkered hearing world. And one mother from Cambridge spoke for many parents when she wrote:

“Our deaf children need adults who are aware of their needs and strengths. Our deaf children become deaf adults; they need our society to be aware of deafness and all it has to offer us.”

It is this awareness that most of the Deaf world – and international academic opinion – thinks is lacking amongst Bristol University’s decision-makers.

Other organisations who have signed the petition include the European Society for Mental Health and Deafness. Mental illness is a serious issue in the Deaf community, affecting a far higher proportion of Deaf people than hearing people.[1]

The European Union of the Deaf (EUD), the organisation representing the interests of Deaf people at European level has written officially to the University, saying:

“The Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) was the first centre to solely focus on Deaf Studies. In its 30-year history it has established itself as one of the best centres for Deaf Studies in Europe and the world… Closing the Deaf Studies degree will affect Deaf people in the UK, and all over Europe…”

And just this week, the TUC’s annual Disability Conference passed a motion condemning the University’s proposals, adding the support of six and a half million trade unionists to the campaign.

You can read the University’s Vision and Strategy, count just how many of its boxes the CDS ticks, and how many of its professed commitments to inclusiveness, consultation, equality – and quality – the Senate and Council have failed to meet, here.

You can find out more about the Save Deaf Studies campaign and petition here: http://www.savedeafstudies.org.uk/

For further information contact: savebristolcds@gmail.com

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[1] Mental Health and Deafness – Towards Equity and Access (Department of Health, 2005)

PDF of the above Press Release, please feel free to distribute to your contacts.