Volume 8 - 1980/81 - NEWSCHEET

Preamble

One feature that comes through as each week unfolds is the attention being given to how the College should be managed.  Perhaps this is ironic since the college itself was teaching Business Administration.  The usual difficulty applied in summarizing this year in that NEWSCHEET itself gave a précis of longer papers which means that all that is contained herein is often a précis of a précis!

(1)  Cliff Rogers welcomed John Carman from San Diego on exchange with Richard Thomas.  In his address to the staff Principal Buckley said SCHE was being coupled with Portsmouth Poly rather than other colleges of  HE.  He outlined the seriousness of our financial situation but stated that CNNA had accepted the college as an environment suitable for advanced work.  The Vice-Principal, John  Hanson, looking to the future, pointed out that in the 1990s the student population will fall from the present 900,000 to 600,000.  Only the good will survive.

(2)  Sandra Pumphrey, Finance Officer, illustrated specific points that had to be made by a formula, for employees estimated costs.

(3)  Wilf Norfolk drew attention to the lack of confidentiality caused by the new system for handling monthly pay slips.  The Academic Board noted that we were being charged 13,000 pounds rent for Clifford House and 2,000 for services.  The estimate had been 4,000 pounds.  The college had been rapped on the knuckles for overspending on full-time teaching.  Ann Tupper brought up the problem of the inadequate telephone system.  Don Pallister pointed out that there were 19 lecturers on one extension.

(4)  A poem entitled The Lament of Lucky Abe was printed whose first line was ‘I’m Lucky Abe the Anagram’ and included other anagrams – ‘Changing taffs have steered my ship’ being an example.

(5)  Derek Prout appealed for swimmers to take part in raising funds for the Wessex Body Scanner Appeal.   Bill Morton advertised an auction of SCR periodicals.

(6)  Marion Stubbs wrote of  an old lady who used to live where the Art Faculty Library in now located and had been jilted on her wedding day.  Ann Tupper gave early notice of the College Christmas Ball.   At the SCR AGM Don Pallister was elected as Chairman and Bill Morton as Hon. Treasurer.

(7)  Mike Ogley is the new Student Counsellor.  Clive Welsteed asked staff not to print on coloured paper because of cost.

(8)  R. D. Purssey gave details of the Presentation Day in his capacity as organizer of the event.  The Technical College asked for feedback (through a tear –off slip) about a proposed College Nursery.

(9)  John Souter appealed for singers for the Mountbatten Singers.   Sister Bega gave details of the next Wessex Blood Transfusion visit.  College  ties were on sale from the General Office at 3.90 each.

(10)  Ann Davis and Terry Baker published a paper – ‘The Re-Organisation of SCHE’ It ran to eight pages and Dennis Rutley attempted to summarise it hoping not to misrepresent the authors intent.  He also thought that it had no hope of being accepted by either unions or vested interests.  David Lawrence gave details of the Christmas Carol Service.  Ann Tupper was advertising the  College Ball.  Brian Elwell wrote of the next four Midday Mountbatten programmes.

(11)  At the Academic Board a working party was set up (Chaiman; John Hanson) to review the academic and administrative structure of the college and its associated committee system and make recommendations.  The college would seem to have 30 staff too many to meet the required staff/student ratios.  Cliff Rogers reported that a group of HMIs would spend a week long visit to investigate the proposals the college has made for a new computer.

(12)  Having had difficulty finding a car park space, Lawrence Tetley counted 22 cars not displaying the college car park sticker and asked who these mysterious visitors might be.

(13)  Sister Carol Bega reported 128 volunteers had attended the blood transfusion event.   Stan Parker  gave details of the Staff Development process.  Cliff Rogers stated the outcome of the HMI visit in part that a separate Computer Centre be set up with a staff of 22 people.   Ann Tupper reported that because of a lack of support from staff (apart from Management and admin.) the College Ball will be cancelled and asked if staff would contact her about their interest in any future event.

(14)  Wilf Norfolk stated that Mr Holmes is retiring as Principal Lecturer in Surveying and Estate management.  Dennis Rutley wrote an open letter to Ann Tupper explaining his reasons for not wishing to attend a Christmas Ball.

(15)  Ann Tupper replied to the ‘overwhelming response’ to her earlier plea (2 verbal, 1 written) by announcing the decision to have a ‘Masked Valentines Ball’.  Alan Barham and Don Pallister  were to run a seminar about the need for a more professional recruiting approach.  The Research Committee announced a ‘light-hearted’ opening to the term’s seminars – Bill Macey on ‘Content and Quality in Home Made Wines’.  A Working Party to look at the whole structure and running of SCHE announced its members  -  Terry Baker, Brian Green, John Hanson, Roger Purssey, Dennis Rutley, John Stanley, Ann Tupper.

(16)  The Research committee seminar was a report by Denis Faithfull of his visit to a Technical College in Peking.    The Faculty of Art and Design arranged the premiere of the film ‘The Dance Goes On’ as the first positive action towards the college’s contribution to the International Year of Disabled People’.

(17)  David Lawrence wrote as chair of the Amenities and Welfare Sub-Committee stating that the committee structure had set two groups at loggerheads, traditional management of the college with that of the new committee.  His committee had set up a small working party to look into the problems of catering.   J. Gregory gave details of a Town Planning Questionnaire to be sent to randomly selected staff and students.  The group was working with the City’s Planning Department.

(18)  Bill Hogben commented on the Working Party’s report (see 10).  He saw a problem with staff motivation and wondered about the finding of the Ethos Committee which had been formed ‘some time ago’.  Bruce Tattersall advertised the staff portfolios that would be on display in the Faculty Gallery.   John Veck and Alan Barham reported on their computer work that had led to an ‘Instant Jargon Generator’ should anyone wish to produce such a thing at the drop of a hat.   10,000 examples could be seen by typing in a number between 0000 and 9999.

(19)  The death of Ken Blatchford was announced.  He had worked at the college for 16 years, intending to retire – through ill-health – at the end of the summer term.  Dave Clark was to give a research seminar on his experience of spending Easter in Paris studying the French version of an Ombudsman.

(20)  Dennis Rutley wrote about the responses (36) for the Structure Working Party to consider, one being 25 pages long.

(21)  Stan Parker reminded staff who wished for Staff Development activities about the approaching application deadline.  Colin Dempster produced the programme for the forthcoming Faculty of Art and Design’s Open Day.

(22)  The full list of submissions to the Structure Working Party was published along with the names of the authors.  Dennis Rutley commented that a similar committee set up at Southampton University ‘had been unable to arrange a date for a meeting since all its members are fully occupied with other committees’.

(23)  Wilf Norfolk wrote:  ‘Here it is folks.  The news you will be relieved to hear.  Yes. I’m really going at last.’  Brian Bowen, Dave Clark and Ken Cook offered a seminar about finance and administration.

(24)  A note from the Principal had been circulated concerning economies as a reminder of the severe financial constraints within which we are now operating.

(25)  The death of Bill Hogben, after an absence of only a few weeks, was announced by Ken Cook and Don Pallister.   Having joined the college in 1969 Bill had finished as Head of the Management Studies Section.

(26)  Mike Bennett commented on life at the college from a teaching perspective.  He had moved into a little office that had a telephone serving 19 staff.  He had to collect photocopying that once was delivered to his desk.  Colleagues now had to type their own work because of the increased demands on the typists.   Various instructions had been handed down including one that said if staff wish to have their pay slips in an envelope, those envelopes must be returned.  A Stop Press noted ‘No decision was made on Friday on the appointment of a new Principal and the post is being re-advertised.’

(27)  A spirited reply was offered by Clive Welsteed about the photocopying service alluded to in last week’s edition quoting a whole range of figures. The Academic Board report started:  ‘The boardroom was packed for the naval  battle of the year.  The winner would have the honour of teaching all boathandling.  The protagonists were the crew out of Warsash supported among others by Tom Poore and the crew out of Southampton supported among others by Peter Maskell who had been pressganged on East Park terrace into the Boardroom.’  Eventually the Board voted 17 – 0 in favour of Southampton.   Brian Green  stated how he was in favour of  monitoring teaching standards at SCHE.  The paper on college marketing was agreed.  Staff cuts were discussed.  Bryan Dowding spoke of the lack of progress concerning the new computer and Harry Sida regretted the savage cut in the amount of money spent on the college prospectus this year.

(28)  Charles Painter wrote about the magnificent send-off he had been given.   Clive Welsteed gave full details of the new copiers about to be installed.

(29)  Charles Ford congratulated John Tollefson on his award of Master of Philosophy and wished him well from his serious illness of the past several months.  Don Pallister gave details of the SCR Chairman’s Walk to take place in Dorset.  A room-booking spat was reported when two staff arrived at the same room for the same time. 

(30) A plea for car stickers to be displayed at all times was made.  A lunchtime seminar was to take place on the subject of Microprocessors led by Dennis Brown, David Heffer, Duncan Keith and Graham King.  Maggie Ross advertised the forthcoming SCR Social Evening at Townhill Park House.

(31)  David Lawrence detailed an interdenominational Communion service to be held.  Seminars for Production Engineers and Artlaw Lectures were announced.

(32) A copy of a letter from NATFHE was published which contained in part; ‘This Liaison Committee deplores the action taken by the College of Nautical Studies and the misuse of the agreed procedures in the case of dismissal of our member.’  David Clements further wrote that matter would be taken further.  The Academic Board met and a definite cut of 20 staff was announced.  How to deal with that situation took up a good part of the meeting with strategies to accommodate the loss of teaching hours.  ‘The Principal then launched into one of his famous speeches.  Fewer contact hours meant less teaching.  Therefore there would be no extra work for staff.  The students would learn on their own’.  A problem seen by T. Baker was where this own-learning could take place.   Staff Appraisal was the next point of discussion and whether comments from students should be included.  The Principal then said that the latest position of the Structure Working Party is that it was not free to alter the management structure of the college in any way.

(33)  C. R. Ford reported that all of John Tollefsen’s colleagues had been saddened to learn of his death.  He had been one of the longest serving lecturers at the college.  Angela Corello gave details of the Fashion Show of students’ work to be held in Southampton’s Art Gallery.  Sister Carol Bega reported that 114 donors had attended the latest visit of the Blood Transfusion Unit.  She further stated that she was in the process of compiling a paper on the facilities for disabled people in the college.

(34)  Triona Christison gave early details of the College’s Arts Ball.  Brian Cotton congratulated two students from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Marine Electronics who had won external awards.

(34)  FRONT PAGE MISSING   The SCR Garden Party had been attended by over 100 people.  Barbara Kirby thanked  Maggie Ross, Geoff Staples, Ralph Coney, Bill Norris and Mrs. Jones for their part in making the event a success.  From the Academic Board report (only partly available)  the main issue was finance.  Parts of the college would have to close down if money was not soon forthcoming.  At the conclusion of business the Principal thanked Wilf Norfolk for his work over the past years.  Terry Murphy then made a ‘delightfully ironic speech thanking Tony Buckley on behalf of the opposition for the way he had run the Academic Board meetings over the years’.

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