Philosopher Michael Loughlin from MMU Cheshire writes:

[P]hilosophy is one of a number of academic subjects currently offered on the Cheshire campus of Manchester Metropolitan University.  The whole campus is potentially facing closure as part of a commissioned "review" of its "financial sustainability" by a team of management consultants.  The board of governors is considering options that include the survival of the campus with a significantly reduced range of academic provisions on offer to students, and its outright closure.  In that event, a key provider of education in the Cheshire region for over 100 years would be lost and while some academic staff might be relocated to a city campus in Manchester, many academics – and many more support staff – could be facing redundancy.

We are trying to persuade the board of governors to consider less drastic options, arguing that campus closure would be a disaster for the local region and contrary to the university's commitment to "widening participation" – the region has been identified as an area with "a low density of HEIs" and we're concerned the students that commute from the local community may no longer be able to access university if the campus is closed.  Too many academic provisions are being lost across the UK as universities 'streamline' their offerings, and this tendency represents a serious concern for those of us who believe that a traditional academic education should be an option for people from a broad range of backgrounds – social, geographical and economic.  There is a case for a sustainable future for this campus, and in support of that case we're trying to get as many people as possible to sign a petition calling on the board to consider seriously the alternatives to closure.  The petition can be accessed here:

http://speakout.web.ucu.org.uk/save-manchester-metropolitan-university-cheshire-campus/

The comments that many of our former students who have already signed are instructive, and we hope members of the board will read them – but they are more likely to do so if the petition has many supporters.  So please consider clicking on the link and signing.