U+WE = Education…. Unless you have kids!

bristol | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday June 10, 2009 10:52 by UWE Students

As part of its programme of cuts, and in contravention of its supposed "commitment" to widening participation, the University of the West of England and its Student Union are seeking to disadvantage some students by withdrawing much needed nursery provision at the St Matthias Campus. If you need help, don't go to UWE!!

St Matthias Nursery to close

Threats to close the much-needed nursery at the St Matthias campus of the University of the West of England have become something of an annual event in Bristol. In fact the threats to close it are almost as frequent as the Vice Chancellor’s claims to be widening participation at UWE.

In fact it was only last year that the VC informed the world that, “UWE is committed to providing excellent facilities as part of the drive to make the student experience at UWE second to none”

But in the inimitable style of the cabal in charge of UWE, this commitment has been short-lived, with the announcement of the closure of the nursery. To add insult to injury, parents at the nursery were not consulted and were informed a mere three weeks before the closure.

Unfortunately the Student Union at UWE has yet again failed to represent its members. Current President of the Student Union, Dominic Parsefeld, didn't say, “we try not to care about needy people. If we can divert the money from the nursery to pay for new offices and equipment, then we can ensure that our orders for cheap beer can be processed more quickly. Besides, parents belong at home. Get your priorities right, bitch”*

The Student Union’s lack of support for the nursery belies its “mission” statement. UWESU claims it aims to “nurture and encourage membership involvement by continuously looking at different participation opportunities” and “Enjoying, celebrating and encouraging the differences in all of us.” It seems, though, that it is okay to be different only if one needs no support.

The closure of the nursery will have devastating effects on current and potential students at St Matthias and Glenside campuses. A student from Glenside campus said, “I am dependent on the nursery. Without it I wouldn’t have been able to come to UWE and I might not be able to stay”.

Other students have expressed similar concerns. One student explained in a letter to UWE, “We are very disappointed about the decision since we feel that this will be to the detriment of (baby’s) development … we feel rather let down by the way in which this closure has been handled. Would there have been any consultation, or even an information meeting, we may have felt more at ease with the decision, but one letter coming three weeks ahead of final closure is not a respectful way of informing parents that the nursery is closing”

Students are now organising a campaign to keep the nursery open for those in need until the whole campus is closed down and moved over to Frenchay in two years time. If the nursery is kept open it won’t make too much of a dent in the £30,000,000 being spent on the new development at Frenchay, nor the £3,000,000 per year UWE Student Union allows the University to profit from student rent and catering.

Unfortunately the Deputy Vice Chancellor, who is involved in the decision, has found “the simple logistics of diaries” too difficult to meet with parents to discuss the closure.

For more information, or to get involved, please contact Charlotte Wood on charlottewood2007 at hotmail.co.uk ***

* This is a made-up quote, the other quotes are not.
** Charlotte Wood had nothing to do with the writing of this article.