Black Wednesday 4 - questions

20-credit scheme starts Sept 2010. Questioner points out the total lack of consultation / pedagogical justification. Will it be phased in or applied across all levels? Response: 'it has been announced'. Well, that's good enough for me! 'Big Bang' implementation. Suggests that consultation on the 'shape' of the system may occur. It's a 'policy' change rather than an educational one and apparently happening in other universities. Someone else says it follows a funding decision to tie money to successful completion of 20-credit modules. So if we fail someone, it will hit our budget. There won't be any pressure to mark more generously at all then…

Unclear what mechanisms exist to maintain students' access to additional language programs etc. 

Will 10-credit sub-modules run?

How is HLSS performing? A: budget of c. £12m. We're £200,000 in deficit, perhaps less: minimal as there aren't many schools. Our deficit has come down from well over a million.

Why wasn't 20-credit idea raised for discussion? Reduces modules to 6 per student per year. Will there be voluntary redundancies? Response: each module might involve 4 hrs contact time and thus no less teaching. Sounds rather shaky. VR: executive hasn't announced VR nor has any procedure been initiated. Current savings plan wouldn't cover the whole £5m though - so something else is coming.

Lots of extra work and hassle involved in this at best, horrendous at worst. Distortion of modules, undermining of teaching. Actual question unclear (as management point out). Has Executive arsed it up, and how are they going to share the burden? 

-- Silence from stage, giggles from us.