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CGCU and RSMU in merger talks

Apr 20 2001 17:54

Rob Cooper

High level discussions are taking place between the CGCU and RSMU to align the CCU structure withthe new faculties.

What will the new crest be?

The RSMU, CGCU and RCSU are redefining themselves to the new faculty structure of the college. With the engineering, life sciences and physical sciences faculties being set up the CCUs are looking at the options of maintaining their names and existance.

Both students and the rector are keen on keeping the names of the constituent colleges alive as well as maintaining the Associateships. This is especially important for students of the RSM as the ARSM is widely acclaimed in industry, whilst the awarding of the ACGI can only continue as long as the City and Guilds College is in existance.

A leak reveals the fate of the RSM is most in question, as its departments would be split between several faculties. Options exist for the RSMU to become a branch of the CGCU encompasing the engineering departments of the RSM, whilst other proposals suggest the faculty of physical sciences is labelled RSM whilst engineering is labelled "C&G" and the life scinces is labelled "RCS". Whilst this leads to a split of both the RCS and the RSM, both could end up the stronger.

Whilst these changes are still speculative, the need for change is clearly present. There are many people who would like to believe the historical structure should be preserved, but for the betterment of the Unions and the College this is not an option. It only remains for the students to decide the best set up and sell this to the College.

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Discussion about “CGCU and RSMU in merger talks”

The comments below are unmoderated submissions by Live! readers. The Editor accepts no liability for their content, nor for any offence caused by them. Any complaints should be directed to the Editor.

1. Adrian Thoroughgood

Apr 20 2001 21:02

I realise that this is a difficult issue to resolve, and whatever happens not everyone will be happy with the result, but the idea of putting Physics Maths and Chemistry into a re-styled Royal School of *MINES* and leaving the Royal School of Science with just Bio+Biochem is just nuts.

Phys,Maths+Chem have a combined UG population of about 1300-1500 students, whereas Bio+BioChem have around 300-500. Why on earth transfer all the Phys Sci students, to a different union, rather than the relatively small number of Life scientists?

Surely the only justification for this plan is that it wouldn't be quite as insane as calling the life science union the RSMU! After all, how many people in the Phys,Maths+Chem do anything at all to do with mining?! This must just be an attempt to keep an independant RSMU. I don't know any figures for RSM, but I imagine that the largest proportion of them will be going into the engineering faculty anyway. I believe that many of their courses have an almost even mix of science and engineering, although some are more heavily engineering based. Given that bias surely some RSM-C&G merger would be more sensible.

Would it really be so difficult to just leave RCSU covering both science faculties? This would result in the least disruption to everyone, leaving only the miners to reorganise. If a joint life and physical sciences union really was impossible to keep, then life sciences would just have to branch off on their own. They have allways been slightly more independant than the other departments, and particularly the former BioChem departmental society is very active. But it would be a shame for RCSU to lose the life sciences, and I think both would be stronger working together than existing as separate entities - if College can be persuaded to allow it.

2. Andy Heeps

Apr 21 2001 18:00

Guilds and RCSU merging? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Whew!

3. Editor

Apr 21 2001 20:13

Sorry Andy. I had to modify your extended "haha" as it was making the page display badly!

BTW I think you mis-read the article. It is speculating about Guilds and *RSMU* merging...

4. D'Eath

Apr 23 2001 13:26

"High-level discussions"? Mustafa's trying to pull Scully...

5. stef

Apr 23 2001 14:35

It is still unclear where all the RSM depts will be going. Materials and Earth Resources would be in the Engineering Faculty but Geology may return to the Sciences (in the Physical Faculty) or go in the Engineering Faculty. If Geo goes to Engineering it would be easier to maintain RSMU with the core areas altogether. Even if they are apart it wouldn't be that had and they would still be, basically, in the same building for a majority of students

RSMU could very easily exist any way- one of the strangest of which I heard last week (set up a society in Social Clubs (the one with the religious, political and misc socs for those unsure) called RSMU and have it with several subcommitties)

6. Jason McKee

Apr 28 2001 19:22

I think it is important to remember that academic and indeed non-academic representation must be preserved at a high standard. Having the RCSU cover two faculties may make this difficult. Life Sciences could do quite well branching off on their own.

I do agree with Adrian's view that calling Phys, chem and math,Mines is ridiculous and rather defies any sort of logic.

7. Andy Heeps

Apr 29 2001 19:53

Yep! I did misread it. Thank god for that. Phew!

I intend to put a paper into ICU Council about this. Come hear me rant.

8. stef

May 02 2001 19:06

more CCU stuff from Andi...what fun..I feel a migraine coming on next Thursday

9. Mustafa Arif

May 14 2001 15:21

So what happened to the promised Council paper? I can't find it on the Council web page.

10. ed