Background to the campaign

 

Take a look at the background to the Sort US Out campaign - find out what prompted it and what has already been done. You can see what will be coming up this term on the homepage.

 

2002/3

 

Students vote no-confidence in the Vice-Chancellor, Alasdair Smith

 

2003/4

 

USSU handed a 'Student Submission' to the QAA (independent reviewing body) as part of the QAA's report on the University. The submission highlighted a lack of contact time and inconsistent provision

 

A computer cabling project went £3.25 million over budget due to bad management (Jan 2004)

 

A financial crisis was announced - cuts were made across the board (e.g. £200,000 cut to the Library, accommodation rents increasing), and the University started a voluntary redundancy scheme. In the financial year of 2003/4 the University was running a £4.1 million deficit. Just nine years earlier, the University had been £15 in credit. It had lost over £19 million in this time (Nov 2004)

 

AUT (staff union on campus) vote no-confidence in the Vice-Chancellor, Alasdair Smith

 

USSU submits concerns about the student experience to Senate (the academic committee of the University) (March 2005)

 

The National Student Survey results show Sussex in the bottom 25%, due to lack of contact time, academic resources and an inconsistent delivery (Sep 2005)

 

60 members of staff leave overnight, due to voluntary severance and early retirement caused by the financial crisis. In 2004-5, over 100 members of staff left the University, including at least 11 senior managers (Sep 2005)

 

2004/5

 

'Write the Wrong' campaign launched, protesting against educational cuts on campus (Oct 2005)

 

'Sort US Out' campaign launched (Nov 2005)

 

Students, at the Students' Union AGM, passed a motion of no-confidence in the University Council (main committee of the University) due to poor management and financial mismanagement (Nov 2005) To read the motion click here

 

University announces that its finances are still 'tight'. In the 2004/5 financial year the University is still over £3 million in deficit (Dec 2005)

 

AUT renew their vote of no-confidence in the Vice-Chancellor, and include a no-confidence vote in the University Council (Dec 2005)

 

A petition signed by 1,311 students of no-confidence is handed to the University Council, as well as a 30-page 'Student Submission', detailing all the issues currently facing students at Sussex. The Badger carries a front page article about the campaign (Dec 16th 2005)