Colleagues may be aware that the DCMS has instructed the LIC to
'pause' in its award of research grants, effectively embargoing all
NEW projects with financial implications beyond 31 March 2000.
Some 15 projects selected for awards following the recent LIC 'open
call' for proposals are thus left in limbo.
It appears that no decision as to whether the selected projects are to
go ahead can be taken until ‘more is known about the budget and
priorities for MLAC’s research programme’. There is no indication
as to when this decision will be possible.
Naturally, we are very concerned about this situation. Those who
submitted proposals for the Call committed much effort and resource
to their preparation. While prepared to accept rejection on the
grounds of the methodological quality of the proposal or its lack of
timeliness and significance, it is rather difficult to believe that
judgements may now take place on criteria other than those that might
reasonably have been inferred at the point of formulating the idea and
committing the time.
The delay in decision making will also materially impact upon matters
of research execution, in that most proposals will have included a
detailed timetable of activities, which is likely to have been devised
with factors such as the academic year and staff commitments in mind.
Delay in execution may impact upon such plans and at present there
is no way of estimating the scale of that impact.
Continuing uncertainty is also problematic for contract research staff
as well as for departments making decisions about staff deployment.
Accordingly, on behalf of the Heads of School, I have written to the
Secretary of State to protest his Department's actions. A copy of that
letter is attached for your information.
******************************************************************
*
* Ian M. Johnson
* Head, School of Information and Media,
* The Robert Gordon University,
* Garthdee Road, ABERDEEN AB10 7QE, Scotland, U.K.
*
* Telephone: National 01224 263902; International + 44 1224 263902
* Fax: National - 01224 263939; International + 44 1224 263939
*
*
* e.mail (INTERNET): [log in to unmask]
* URL - http://www.rgu.ac.uk/schools/sim/sim.htm
*
******************************************************************
The following section of this message contains a file attachment
prepared for transmission using the Internet MIME message format.
If you are using Pegasus Mail, or any another MIME-compliant system,
you should be able to save it or view it from within your mailer.
If you cannot, please ask your system administrator for assistance.
---- File information -----------
File: Dcmsltr5.doc
Date: 29 Oct 1999, 12:51
Size: 31744 bytes.
Type: Unknown
|