MOVING TO FRONT FROM JANUARY 28 TO MAKE SURE READERS DON'T MISS THIS (and see the various updates)
I have had reports now from many correspondents about shocking developments at King's College, London. It is confirmed that due to budgetary problems, KCL has announced an intention to eliminate 10% of its academic staff. Already, KCL has informed Professor Shalom Lappin that he will be made "redundant" as of this September; Professor Lappin's statement about the matter is here. I am told another faculty member with similar research interests has also been made redundant, but this is not confirmed. In addition, I have been told, but this is also not confirmed, that another full professor will be forced to retire, contrary to a prior agreement made at the time of his appointment.
Even if Philosophy were not one of the outstanding units at KCL, this treatment of senior faculty would be outrageous; but, in addition, KCL Philosophy is one of the top philosophy faculties in the country and one of the very strongest units at KCL.
I have opened comments; signed comments only. Suggestions for what the international community of philosophers can do to protest the treatment of philosophy faculty at King's would be especially welcome; more information and details about what is happening would also be helpful.
UPDATE: I have now received some further details. KCL has proposed eliminating "computational linguistics," though that decision is itself being challenged. But even if it stands, it is still disputed whether Professor Lappin and Wilfried Meyer-Viol belong to "computational linguistics." The other, unrelated dispute concerns the age at which Charles Travis must retire; he is presently 67; obviously, his retirement would also be a substantial loss for KCL. As some readers may recall, he only moved to KCL in 2005.
ANOTHER: Firings may be in the offing at University College London as well, though there is no indication yet that Philosophy will fall victim (Life Sciences is the current target). There is additional information from the KCL staff union site.
AND ONE MORE: I would urge readers to join the Facebook group in support of the KCL philosophers.
JANUARY 29 UPDATE: More details on KCL cuts in the humanities (doesn't mention philosophy, oddly).
AND SEE THIS LETTER OF PROTEST from leading philosophers and linguists.
