GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

think about creating a standard and that standard would have elements in it

that we want in it, like political awareness and so on and so forth, as well as

more kind of instrumentalist things that one would do in a role as an officer and

so on and I think that is an important step forward for us in terms of

safeguarding the future of Ruskin.

I think also one of the things that is challenged at Ruskin is the whole arts

curriculum. It has never really taken off. I have been at Ruskin for four years

now and I think we need to rethink that. We are beginning to do that, we are

beginning to work with radical theatre companies like Townsend Production, for

example, and we have put in place a range of FE courses which are about the

creative arts and that will be launched even more so from September onwards.

I do think that is a growth area for the college and again I would put out a

request if there are colleagues that are interested in this, if there are people

who want to contribute to that journey with us, do step forward and have a

conversation with me, because we do need all the support that we can get.

Again, that just reiterates what I have already said in many ways. One of the

other things that Ruskin should aspire to, like it did in its past really, is the

whole notion of creating a space, a place where people can think really and

consider, so going back to its more intellectual roots, but equally that has to be

done in such a way that will work, that will work financially for the college and I

think it is quite useful listening to the presentations, particularly around cultural

change and cultural ideas, that that is something that Ruskin could do

potentially really, really well. I think the programmes do need to be relevant, of

course. They need to be delivered in a way that is accessible for students and

they need to be relevant, otherwise people just will not come and do them,

particularly in higher education.

Just to finish off, again I will just restate that. If you want to speak to me today,

please do so and we can perhaps exchange some ideas and so on. If you

want to come and meet me at Ruskin, come and meet me at Ruskin or I will

come to you. Let’s have a thinking, creative process here about how we can

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