Like students at the School of Music, Cardiff University nursing students were greatly impacted by leaking of the proposed changes to the media before they were announced by the university itself. With a lack of any official information, one nursing student, who wished to be anonymous, told us of how she and her co-students were “collectively getting our updates from Wales Online as it was updated”. Layla Harris, a second-year adult nursing student, told us that it was “heartbreaking not to find out through the university but through the press”. Adding that it had “left us all lost and confused”. The widespread panic and confusion among nursing students caused some lecturers to email students that night to reassure them, even though they reportedly had little information themselves, although the same anonymous student told us that none of the senior lecturers at the school contacted them at that time.
Nonetheless the day after cuts were announced via the media, a senior lecturer at the School of Healthcare Sciences, emailed nursing students to inform them of changes to their course in light of a staff meeting that had taken place that day. In that email, which has been shared with Gair Rhydd, she identified the university’s reasons for cutting nursing. They were “finance, inconsistent NSS results, poor student experience in placements and not being able to meet our commissioned targets”. Healthcare is a devolved matter in Wales, and it has been reported that alongside departmental issues, the reduction of nursing grants by the Welsh Assembly has contributed to the axing of nursing from Cardiff University.
The reaction from nursing students and the wider student community to the axing has been one of shock and dismay, with many especially confused given the broader national context in which demand for new nurses has never been greater. One nursing student described feeling “disgusted”, adding that “I’m concerned personally but more what this means for the future of nursing in Wales. The NHS is already in crisis and this will only make that situation worse”. While the university has publicly committed to allowing current nursing students to complete their degrees, like those studying music. There has still been a climate of uncertainty in the days after the announcement, with one student telling us of rumours that nursing is to move to USW. Whatever the basis of these claims, it is clear that recent events have had a major impact on the lives of nursing students. The prospect of the end of nursing as a course of Cardiff has led to the creation of the “Save Nursing” campaign, which is currently organising protests in response.
Alongside the termination of Nursing courses and the closure of the School of Music, Cardiff University intends to close the School of Modern Languages and end the teaching of Ancient History and Theology at the same time as downscaling humanities departments more broadly (allegedly as much as 50% in the case of ENCAP). This is expected by many to have a negative impact on student experience. Carys Jenkins an Ancient History student told us “We have concerns of module deduction and whether lecturers are to leave” and that the changes will “leave many of us with less opportunities to learn specific modules within that course”. Similarly, Fflur Evans, another Ancient History student commented that “I’m worried about what support will be available for us”. Likewise, students at the School of Modern Languages have been left feeling unsure about the future quality of their courses as the school prepares to close. One student expressed concerns about the future of the department, saying “When we come back from our year abroad in fourth year, what will it be like?”. Charlotte Amelie, a French and Law student, commented “Language students often have to fight to be respected, I am the daughter of parents who both have degrees in languages and it has only enriched our lives. I hope we are all heard and it is acknowledged the true impact of these decisions”.
As with both Nursing and Music students, there was panic and distress from the unofficial way the university’s decision reached students. One Ancient History student expressed how they felt “deeply disappointed and angry at the university” for the way it had communicated with them. Evans told us that it was “cruel and unprofessional for us to find out about our course closures from the media”.
On the 5th of February, the Cardiff branch of the University and College Union (UCU) issued a statement outlining the motivation for a vote of no confidence in the governing board of the university.
“A packed open meeting of the Cardiff University UCU Branch yesterday voted overwhelmingly to hold a no confidence vote in the leadership of Vice Chancellor Prof Wendy Larner and the University’s Executive Board (UEB) over their plans to axe 400 staff and cut schools and programmes in nursing, music, modern languages, ancient history, and religion.”
Dr Joey Whitfield, president of the UCU characterised the the cuts as “cruel and unnecessary” and argued that the vote of no confidence “reflects their deep-seated anger and frustration within Cardiff University”. It is clear, at least from the perspective of the UCU, that the recent decision has caused a crisis between management and staff.