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| Reading confirms physics closure | Reading confirms physics closure |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Reading University's ruling council has approved a controversial proposal to close its physics department in 2010. | Reading University's ruling council has approved a controversial proposal to close its physics department in 2010. |
| Ahead of the meeting, the Institute of Physics had called on the university not to go ahead with the closure. | Ahead of the meeting, the Institute of Physics had called on the university not to go ahead with the closure. |
| But the vice-chancellor, Prof Gordon Marshall, said higher costs meant it could not continue subsidising the loss-making physics department. | But the vice-chancellor, Prof Gordon Marshall, said higher costs meant it could not continue subsidising the loss-making physics department. |
| Reading's share of £75m to sustain departments until student demand picked up would not be enough, he said. | Reading's share of £75m to sustain departments until student demand picked up would not be enough, he said. |
| The money, from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce), involves £25m a year from 2007-08 to support courses in chemistry, physics and aspects of engineering. | The money, from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce), involves £25m a year from 2007-08 to support courses in chemistry, physics and aspects of engineering. |
| The university says physics facilities will continue to be used | The university says physics facilities will continue to be used |
| In a statement, the university said the ruling council had decided the department would close in 2010 as planned. | |
| "Members voted 18 for the closure, five against, with one abstention. | "Members voted 18 for the closure, five against, with one abstention. |
| "The welfare and teaching of existing physics students will be a priority until the department closes." | "The welfare and teaching of existing physics students will be a priority until the department closes." |
| 'Warm words' | |
| The University and College Union (UCU) and students from Reading staged a protest, unfurling a giant petition against the closure. | |
| UCU joint general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "Over the past few weeks and months we have heard nothing but encouragement for science and innovation in the UK from all sides. | |
| "However, warm words mean very little when scientists are being made redundant, labs are closing and courses are being axed, especially at a time when we need more, not less, scientists." | |
| The prime minister had said science would be as important for Britain¿s economic future as stability - so it was clear that urgent action was required. | |
| Her union published a report showing a 10% reduction in the number of core science and maths degrees offered by UK higher education institutions since 1998 - although biology provision had risen by 9%. | |
| It said chemistry and physics had been worst hit. In Northern Ireland and in north east England there was now only one institution offering single honours physics. | |
| Demand | |
| Philip Diamond of the Institute of Physics said the decision was very disappointing. | Philip Diamond of the Institute of Physics said the decision was very disappointing. |
| But he added: "The institute is pleased that the government has now realised that there is a need for short term funding to support strategically important subjects such as physics at universities. | But he added: "The institute is pleased that the government has now realised that there is a need for short term funding to support strategically important subjects such as physics at universities. |
| "This will give Hefce time to review the real costs of teaching across the higher education sector and provide the basis for a more realistic way to meet the high costs of the science and engineering subjects at universities." | "This will give Hefce time to review the real costs of teaching across the higher education sector and provide the basis for a more realistic way to meet the high costs of the science and engineering subjects at universities." |
| In an open letter, Reading's vice-chancellor had said he had received letters of concern from schools and MPs - in areas which sent few if any physics students to his university. | In an open letter, Reading's vice-chancellor had said he had received letters of concern from schools and MPs - in areas which sent few if any physics students to his university. |
| "One such letter was forwarded by an MP for an East Anglian constituency, which had failed to send the university any physics students whatsoever during the past decade from its four schools and colleges," Prof Marshall said. | "One such letter was forwarded by an MP for an East Anglian constituency, which had failed to send the university any physics students whatsoever during the past decade from its four schools and colleges," Prof Marshall said. |
| The university's share of the extra funding from Hefce would, he believed, be some £180,000 - against a recurrent loss of more than £500,000 and the requirement to recruit a research team of three new posts with on-costs and equipment - a further £250,000 at least. | The university's share of the extra funding from Hefce would, he believed, be some £180,000 - against a recurrent loss of more than £500,000 and the requirement to recruit a research team of three new posts with on-costs and equipment - a further £250,000 at least. |
| "I do not see that the modest share of new money that would come to the Reading department changes the funding landscape significantly." | "I do not see that the modest share of new money that would come to the Reading department changes the funding landscape significantly." |