Dear colleagues,

Please, find below a message from David Rundle, Executive Officer of the 
Society for the Study of Medieval Languages and Literatures. The message 
concerns the Society's 'Response to HEFCE consultation on REF (September 
2009/38)', which I attach to this message. 

The Society invites colleagues to contribute (please send comments directly 
to D. Rundle as advised in the message below) and express support for the 
Response.

This is probably the worst time of the year to send such a request. However,  
your time and contribution to the document and discussion will be greatly 
appreciated. 

HE Braun, Director LCMRS

"Dear colleagues,

The present consultation on the proposed structure for the REF can hardly 
have passed you by. At the Society for the Study of Medieval Languages and 
Literature, we are highly aware of the problematic implications the proposals 
could have for medieval studies, and, in particular for the sort of 
interdisciplinary and collaborative research that is encouraged by the 
existence of Centres of Medieval Studies and similar institutes, like your own. 
We have therefore drafted a response to HEFCE’s consultation and we would 
like to share it with you, ahead of the deadline next week. We attach the file 
as a Word document, so that you can employ the Track Changes function, if 
you so wish. If you have any immediate comments or suggestions, please do 
send a message to the above e-mail address. We intend to submit our finalised 
response early next week, so we can only promise to attempt to incorporate 
your thoughts if they reach us before 9am on Monday, 14th December.

The topic of this message may not have provided much festive cheer, but we 
also take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Christmas. 

With best wishes,

David Rundle

Dr David Rundle
Executive Officer, SSMLL
c/o  History Faculty, University of Oxford 
George St
Oxford OX1 2RL
JOIN US at the Oxford Medieval Graduate Conference, 16th - 17th April 2010"