Issue 28

25 June - 22 July 1996

Letters to the Editor

In his column of 29 May Don raised the important issue of priorities for the capital spending plans of the College in this time of major change. The list of possible building projects has grown rapidly in the last two years and significant time and money has been spent on feasibility studies. He mentioned landscaping the car park, a new sports hall and a humanities centre. There is also, inter alia, talk of a new College front entrance in Exhibition Road, new student residences and improvements to the Boathouse. These possible projects are in addition to the BMS building and Library extension which have already started. A faculty club does not figure on the latest list discussed at the Governing Body.

We are assured that each project will be judged on the basis of a 'business case', but as Don says, it is unlikely that grants will cover the full capital cost. We are concerned that decisions on each project may well be taken in isolation without assessing whether the capital available would be better spent on, for example, a new front entrance, a sports hall or on minor works needed by departments to sustain their academic mission.

'Where is the College forum for these matters to be discussed?' Don asked. Of course, the ultimate forum is the Governing Body and we write this letter to remind our colleagues that we are your elected representatives on that Body. We have, indeed, raised the issue of prioritisation of capital projects at several recent meetings. We believe that College staff would welcome a wider debate on these issues.

Staff can, of course, convey to us at any time their views on these and any other College matters.

Yours sincerely

Dr Peter Cawley

Professor David Goodgame

Professor Richard Kitney

Professor Brian Morgan

Elected teaching staff members of the Governing Body.