The University of Bristol has announced plans to close its Centre for Deaf Studies. The plan is subject to approval by the university council later this week.
The university has issued the following statement on the proposed closure of the centre.
“The University is rightly proud of the achievements of the Centre, which began its work in 1978, and it has made a valuable contribution to research and teaching and has brought benefits to the Deaf community. The Faculty has vigorously pursued all viable routes to sustain the Centre, but has concluded – with regret – that this is not possible.
There are eight research students currently registered to Deaf Studies research programmes and a small number of students on the MSc in Deafhood Studies. The Faculty is in discussion with each of the students to consider how the University can best support them to complete the programme of study for which they are registered.”
The campaign group Save Deaf Studies has expressed its disappointment over the university’s decision to close the popular centre.
Campaigners believe that a smaller research-focused centre could stay open, if the right support is given. The Save Deaf Studies campaigners claim that alternative proposals to keep the centre open have not been considered by the university authorities.
The university has also been accused by campaigners of reneging on a deal to provide the centre with a cash subsidy to keep it open. However, the university has denied this, telling The Limping Chicken that there is no truth to the allegation.
Plans to shut the centre has been criticised by leading deaf studies experts.
“The proposed closure of the CDS is devastating for the disciplines of both Deaf Studies and Sign Language Interpreting Studies. Having studied and worked at the CDS the academic team’s ability to nurture in-depth understanding of ‘being deaf’ in a non-deaf world is unparalleled in Europe and one of the foremost places to study globally,” Dr Christopher Stone of UCL Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre, said in a statement.
In 2010, the university axed the BSc Deaf Studies programme, despite protests from students, academics and the Deaf community.
You can sign a petition to save the Centre for Deaf Studies here: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-bsc-deaf-studies.html
Image: Adrian Pingstone via Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence
By Paul Harrison, the Limping Chicken’s News Reporter. Paul is a freelance journalist, currently living and working in London. When not at his desk writing or tweeting, he can be found at a coffee shop or Loftus Road/The Stoop/Celtic Park (delete as applicable) mumbling insults at the referee or sloppy passing. Follow him on Twitter as @paulbharrison
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Katherine Coutanche
July 3, 2013
Such a sad day for the department. It has been at the forefront of Deaf Studies in the UK for many years in the fields of linguistics and Deafhood. The names of its lecturers are known and respected by students and academics worldwide.
Unfortunately, universities must make money these days in order that they can be considered for privatisation so that corporations can make money from students. Deaf Studies isn’t a money spinner so it has to go. Shame.
Linda Richards
July 3, 2013
My reading of the Save Deaf Studies campaign group’s response is that Deaf Studies IS a viable financial stream of revenue. In one example, it is quited that the University appears to have reversed offers of places thus losing some £30,000 to £40,000 of income. There is also significant income from research funding. And so it goes on.
It was the same with the MA course at Leeds. Due to accounting systems used, it was determined the course was not viable, in fact, it generated an average of £35,000 a year in student fees. They realised their mistake too late and like translation and interpreters courses (in whatever language) in Britain, this insidious move will truly leave Britain lagging behind in interpreting and translation services across all languages and at all levels from the community provision through to legal, parliamentary, national, European and international levels.
I was not a student at Bristol’s CDS but support the campaign to avert the closure of same. If we don’t collectively campaign and sign the petition, then much will be lost and a greater understanding of BSL, Deaf culture, linguistics, etc., will be slowed and marginalised. Whatever your position, Deaf, hearing, a user, a researcher, a student, a parent, heathcare professional, etc., etc., please sign the petition.