Oxford college shuts its music department
NewsIt became known this morning that the mathematics and music departments at Oxford Brookes University are to be shut without delay. There has been no official statement and no reason has been given.
Other departments at risk include English, Film and Anthropology.
Oxford Brookes, a former polytechnic, is not part of the University of Oxford.
Professor Alexandra Wilson, who lectures in Italian opera, is among those who will lose their jobs. She writes: ‘I am limited in what I can say but a few basic facts. Current students will be seen through. Some staff staying to teach them. Others at risk to go much sooner. I am in the latter group. Process being conducted at high speed. I must also make it clear that I am open to all offers for any alternative positions.’
The Oxford Opera Society has tweeted:
We are shocked to hear of the @oxfordbrookes decision to close so many of their key departments, particularly Music. Academics like @amwilson_opera are doing popular, unique, and important work on current topics. It is a loss for Oxford and a short-sighted decision for Brookes.
— The Oxford Opera Society (@oxfordoperasoc) November 16, 2023
Nothing misleading about this headline
You’re being tongue-in-cheek, right?
Another misleading headline. Oxford Brookes is a university, not a college. Why not ‘Oxford Brookes shuts its music department’ ?
‘Oxford college…’ immediately suggests part of Oxford University, though ‘shuts its music department’, for those familiar with the collegiate structure, signals either more sloppy language, or else that it’s nothing to do with an Oxford college, since colleges at Oxford University do not have departments.
Not sure why this merits a thumbs down. It’s not an opinion, it’s a statement of fact. There may be no intention to mislead with the headline, but it calls a university a college. It’s either intended to mislead, or misleads by being sloppy. Either way, misleading. If you don’t like facts, sure, give it a thumbs down. But it’s not a very smart look.
Oxford Brookes is a university. Not a college. Its name is literally “Oxford Brookes University”.
Colleges are a completely different thing, doubly so in Oxford. This is embarrassing.
I would encourage all “Down-Thumbers” to write exactly what they disagree with. Facts? – Maybe?
Quite! I suspect the thumbs-downers aren’t really engaging their brains at all, just enjoying the ‘throw them to the lions’ thrill of anonymous rudeness.
This is sad; it in fact is a good university although not affiliated with Oxford University.
I too think the headline is misleading. Easy to say Oxford Brookes University is closing down much of its music department.
This started the the early 2000s with the obsessive approach to “education for the 21st century” to “compete in the global economy.” I spent 20 years in academia and saw high school “pre-engineering” programs flood colleges and universities with students all wanting to be on a vocational path rather than that of a “whole” education. Then the STEM madness began also at the high school level, and I remember thinking that no doubt the humanities would suffer greatly. And here we are… with a lot of engineering majors working as baristas.
Re: jcr
Really? There is a shortage of engineers- why would they be working as baristas (unless they wanted to)?
So: going back to being a poly.
Quite a shock that Ox Brookes Uni is shutting its Maths Department. And if English Department goes too then it is a loss to the teaching of fundamental subjects. I don’t know why anyone would study music at Brookes anyway, and they seem to have reached that conclusion. Very sad for the hardworking involved, though. It’s not their fault.
Brookes is of course dependent on packing in lots of overseas students, to subsidise the unviable fee cap on UK students. A fact of life these days. And I suppose this simply reflects that there is declining demand from their applicants for these courses.
the idea of a university without music, math, and english departments… what is a university anyway?
Because the University of Oxford is so bad in Mathematics, Music, English, Film, and Anthropology, that the village of Oxford needs another Oxford Brookes University to pick up the slack?
This saddens me to read. The music course at Brookes was excellent, and the culture of the university is so supportive and encouraging of its students. Whatever has happened with its funding (at a guess), I hope it doesn’t spread and result in more departments closing.
Alexandra should be snapped up!
It’s no surprise when the liberal arts are second division subjects in comprehensive schools. The pool taking GCSE music in our schools is very small. Inevitably, numbers going on to study it at A Level are not economical so those studying music at university will always equally uneconomical.
There are no jobs for so many people studying music. The world needs less music departments, Musikhochschule, Universität für Music, and conservatoires and more places (and better funded) and opportunities for people to who have studied music to work: orchestras, opera houses, festivals, concert series…
I must admit to being amused (and disappointed) by the comments about the name of the university (or, as written, ‘college’ – oh woe is me to suggest such an issue is irrelevant) while this is all about the closing down of a well known and much respected music department. The real issue (the closing down of that department) is a deeply sad indication of what is happening and what is yet to come. I’m so glad I’m now retired from HE work. A timely and lucky escape! I absolutely do not envy anyone currently working in this sector with another 20 years of work left in them. What most current music lecturers will experience in the next few years will be hard to cope with. I wish them all well and suggest that, right now, they start considering their best options. The writing is painted in the largest possible letters on a mighty big wall!