THE QUEEN has been asked to arbitrate in a row over dodgy philosophy degrees at University College Swansea (UCS).
The dispute reached a watershed in July when the MA degree in philosophy of health care was scrapped.
Despite this vindication, Michael Cohen and Coleyn Wiliamson - two of the lecturers who blew the whistle on the MA course - have been suspended from their jobs. A third. Anne Maclean, paid off in February, is now asking for her job back College authorities lodged a string of discipinary charges against the lecturers alter they made their complaints.
Students in the phlosophy depart. ment quickly established a delence committee. For their stand against the suspension of Maclean, the stu dent union was fined 2000.
The University of Wales (UoW). meanwhile, reneged on its initial promise to investigate the centre for philosphy and health care, and the college - which spent over 100,000 during the disciplinary hearings hoped to steamroller ts way out of the outcome.
But three days before the council We are not amused Pana 6 OMi. 26: 1991. No: 10 was due to consider a recommendation to dismiss Cohen and Willamson, the University announced that t was commissioning a report from Sir Peter Swinnerton-Dver. The 0c turers were suspended pending the This tumaround was probably due to a number of factors. Three weeks earler Cohen and Willamson puolished their evidence of "serious improprieties' in the awarding of degrees. A number of professional philosophers had already protested to the University. Entire departments registered their protest and the media profile, sustained by student protest, intensfied.
The UoWs' very existence as an education authority is dependent upon the other University coleges in Wales; colleges who have every reason to be apprehensive about their association with Swansea.
In April a high-level University committee stripped one candidate of his MA for plagiarism, and expressed 'unease' at 'certain weaknesses in the overal administration of this MA scheme.
If the inquiry announcement saved the two lecturers jobs in March, Swinnerton Dyer's report did the same in July. Lord Callaghan, as president of the University, pushed a compromise on the college council.
The suspensions were replaced by 'enforced study leave.
UCS have publicly declared that Swinnerton-Dyer's recommenda• tions are 'unconstitutonal, and the MA course has been submitted, unaltered, as a new course.
But they have twice been suffi 4. ciently worried to hold back from striking the dismissal blow. If the campaign dies now, then they will not be so wary - regardless of what Liz Windsor has to say.