King’s College London (KCL) faces mounting opposition to proposed cuts in the School of Arts and Humanities including the sacking of several internationally renowned academics.

There has been outcry in the Department of Philosophy over the forced retirement of Professor Charles Travis and the firing of two lecturers Dr. Wilfried Meyer-Viol and Professor Shalom Lapin, also Director of Graduate Studies.

The latter wrote online that he had been “summoned without warning” by Head of Arts and Humanities Jan Palmorski and told that his “position would be redundant as of September [2010]”.

He also claims that in May 2009 he had turned down a Chair in the Hebrew University Computer Science Department, after being assured that his job at King’s was secure, by Palmowski and Head of Department David Papineau.

The news has prompted a group of mostly graduate students to compose a petition letter, with so far over 1,500 signatories, which they will present to management on February 8th. It expresses their belief that the rational for the redundancies “has no standing” and that “there are alternatives other than redundancy” which could be pursued.

They also call the college’s claim that students will not be adversely affected by the proposed changes “simply false”.

A letter of opposition signed by academics from UCL, among other universities, to the King’s Head of Humanities, Principal Rick Trainor, and Vice-Principal, Keith Hoggart said: “Such a savage reduction of staff numbers through compulsory redundancy removes any appearance of job security for academics at King’s. The best candidates in the humanities will shun the institution; and those of strong standing now in post will all seek to leave. The reorganization will succeed in the aim of making a once great institution manifestly mediocre.”

Referring to the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), which gave King’s Philosophy Department an excellent rating, they claimed that management’s action “seems wilfully to ignore the intellectual strengths and organization of the disciplines within the school.”

It further claimed that KCL was treating the three academics “callously” and criticised what it called “the reckless manner in which you have sought to deal with individuals and their careers, seemingly without regard for proper procedure; or due concern for individual welfare.”

A further letter of protest was sent yesterday (February 1st) signed by 335 academics from universities across the world, causing more embarrassment to King’s.

They described themselves as “aghast”at the proposals and urged the college to“reconsider your plans”, saying that dismissing the senior researchers “will be disastrous for KCL’s international reputation.” London Student was unable to independently verify claims that Prof. Jonathan Ginzburg, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, has also been made redundant.

Meanwhile a series of high profile academics have penned personal letters to King’s.  One, Harvard Professor Stephen Pinker, sent a letter particularly in defence of Professor Lapin, warning that “To give the boot to a scholar like Lappin is an act of madness for an institution that, according to your website, aims to be a “prestigious university” offering “an intellectually rigorous environment supported by welcoming and caring traditions.”

As well as the Departments of Computer Science and Philosophy, there are concerns about cuts in the Department of Music and the likely closure of the Paleography department.

Peter Ridley, Philosophy Graduate Research Student Representative and creator a Facebook group with over 2,200 members – ‘Stop Philosophy Faculty Cuts at King’s’ – told London Student that “a freeze on all new appointments to the College or to the School; a pay freeze for all members of the College or School and potential pay cuts to all staff”, as options he believes were not considered openly before the redundancies were announced.

The Times reported that King’s was seeking to make 22 academics redundant in Arts and Humanities, while KCL lecturers union, UCU – who have called an emergency meeting for February 10th – estimate that 205 posts are currently “at risk” and up to 533 jobs could be lost overall.

A King’s College spokesperson said KCL was “prioritising our own student communications at the moment”, so was not able to comment.

:::::::::::::: UPDATE :::::::::::::::

Jim Wolfreys, UCU representative at KCL told Times Higher Education that King’s was pursuing “draconian measures”.

They also claimed that King’s will in total cut 205 jobs across 13 departments.

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