As many of you will be aware the Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Education will be merging into one faculty in 2010/2011. It has been of utmost importance that there are student representative on the working groups that implement this merger to ensure that students views are considered throughout this process of change.

I have been sitting on the task group that will recommend a title for the new faculty; this process is about consultation not communication so I’d appreciate your views and opinions on the shortlist of names we have at the moment. I’d also appreciate your input on how this may affect you as students studying within these faculties, your identity and if you think it would make a difference to prospective students.

To provide a small amount of background information

• It was felt that whilst the title of the merged faculty was a key concern, of central importance were the structures that make up the Faculty. It was accepted by the Group that in this sub-structure the positive branding and key identities that there were in the Faculties would be maintained.

• The name of the new merged Faculty needs to reflect the work both current faculties do, without spelling out in detail every subject aspect — the sub structure will do that. So it was agreed by the Group that we shouldn’t go for Faculty of Education, Law, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences — snappy as it sounds!! But rather a more generic title, something imaginative and short. A guiding principle was a name that suggests some newness and new opportunities for collaboration but also represents in the broadest sense the work that both Faculties would recognise.

We are now looking for your opinions on the following;

• Faculty of Applied Humanities;

• Faculty of Applied Social Sciences;

• Faculty of Humanities;

• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences;

• Faculty of Social Sciences;

1. We felt that the word ‘Applied’ raised issues of relevance and policy impact that might be deemed important in the title;

2. Whilst colleagues had raised issues around the definition of Humanities, our examination of Faculties of Humanities around the world (and particularly in the US) found a wide range of subjects grouped in these Faculties, without there being any agreement on what it should include. Universities have taken a very pragmatic approach to this title – and certainly out with a strict dictionary definition;

3. Social Sciences similarly has a broad base of subjects within it in universities around the world.

But at this stage we’d like your further thoughts. Be as honest as you like!

Thanks, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Gill Currah

Vice President Student Development