Reading social work students and staff await closure decision

Students and lecturers at the University of Reading will learn this afternoon whether their social work department will be closed down by 2011.

The university’s management board wants to close the school of health and social care after an internal review found it would not be financially viable in the long term.

The announcement earlier this year provoked a wave of protests from students, lecturers and social workers, while Reading Council has also lobbied against the proposal.

The university council, the executive governing body, will make a final decision in a meeting today.

Staff and students face uncertain future

Ashleigh Jeppesen, 20, a first-year social work student, was one of 30 students who took part in a demonstration over the issue at the university last week.

She said: “It looks like they will go ahead and close it, but there’s a chance the popular vote could go in our favour. If not, it will be strange for us knowing we will be the last students to complete the course, and difficult for staff who will have to find other jobs.”

• Have your say on the potential closure of the University of Reading’s social work department on CareSpace
• See a video of students’ and staff’s view of the closure.