Will the study of archaeology soon become a thing of the past?

[Oxbeast]

That's pretty interesting Doug, and I am surprised. Perhaps this is more to do with managers wanting to get rid of degrees that are expensive to teach. Maybe you should post that on the Guardian's site.

[Doug]

Yeah, I think the pro-vice-commander-honorable .... was taking advantage of some good press to fight his corner for the humanities, not just archaeology. Can't blame him, I would do the same.

Probably the whole system of universities these days is to blame e.g. always looking to cut costs, and get better returns (they never say what that is). Though that being said I have never actually seen any break down's on "expensive" degrees to teach. Yeah, archaeology can be expensive but it can also be dirt cheap. How many people actually get into a lab? How many students get to work with .... (expensive piece of equipment) it seems to me, (with a few notable exceptions) most courses are taught just like history courses, read this this and this. There are exceptions to this (osteoarch etc.) but for most part it seems like archaeology is no more expensive than maths, or English or underwater basket weaving.

Does anyone have numbers or know where some are? When Birm was closed down (not yet, but probably will be) did anyone post any numbers as to why/how they would save money?

Just wondering, thanks.

[Dinosaur]

That's a depressing thought Dino. I have two pension plans, neither of which are worth the paper they're written on. Hooray for those "reliable" local government pensions (turns out it wasn't an Equitable Life after all) and "stable" multinationals (which wink out of existence at the drop of a hat). Cruddy/non-existent pension deals aren't limited to archaeology - retirement wasn't an option even *before* I started!

Mine's actually quite good - or would be if I'd started feeding it 30 years earlier

At least I'll be able to afford 20 fags at Xmas - by the time I 'retire' the figures should have just about converged :face-crying:

[Antipesto]

Well, in theory mine ought to actually be a pay increase over a basic diggers wage (assuming I'm still alive to collect it). The benefit of a pension before learning to drive.

[Dinosaur]

And let that be a lesson to the rest of you younger diggers out there, even a few quid a week adds up over forty-odd years :face-approve:

Shame no one told me that

[VGC]

With the new student loan system meaning that you don't have to pay back till you're earning over £24k, it's quite concievable that as an archaeologist wouldn't have to start paying back the loan for a very (very) long time. Could be its USP...

[Oxbeast]

With the new student loan system meaning that you don't have to pay back till you're earning over £24k, it's quite concievable that as an archaeologist wouldn't have to start paying back the loan for a very (very) long time. Could be its USP...

Its 9% of your income over over 21K, plus it starts earning interest as soon as you borrow it, and RPI +3% after graduation.

Its a better loan deal than I got, to be honest, but I've only had to pay RPI on the interest since graduation. And now they write it off after 30 years, which they didn't before.

Although...

It's important to understand Parliament is omnicompetent. In other words, it's completely free to make and change rules made in the past. This means there is no 100% guarantee the system will remain unchanged for the 30 years until you’re clear. It's worth being aware this is a risk factor.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/student...-changes#3

[Unitof1]

Doug I see that you have got the numbers together for HE, I presume historic environmnet? Just wondered where all these part time archaeology students undergraduate and post graduate used to exist at? The figures would have it that back in the nineties there were more part time undergraduated than undergraduated in archaeology. Was this something that went on at places like sheffield?

[GnomeKing]

never mind that;

[h=1]Support pours in for the People's Assembly[/h] [h=4]In just two weeks, support for the People’s Assembly has been overwhelming. Sam Fairbairn reports on the most recent developments.[/h]

Register now | Add you support | Model resolution | Launch letter in Guardian

By Sam Fairbairn Secretary, Coalition of Resistance


On Wednesday 6 February a list of trade union general secretaries, MPs, campaigners, and cultural figures put out a call for a People’s Assembly Against Austerity with a letter to the Guardian. In the two weeks since, there has been some significant developments. Below is the first update. We will be sending out more as the assembly gathers momentum.

• Unison contacted us the day after the appeal appeared in the Guardian to sign up. We welcome them on board. The significance of having the trade union with the biggest public sector membership involved can’t be overestimated.
  
• Comedian Mark Steel has pledged his commitment to the project and written a fantastic article, published in the Independent on Monday. On Mark’s blog hundreds have left comments and messages of support for the initiative.
  
• Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, has supported the call. The FBU has an important role to play in the anti-austerity movement with the threat of 12 fire station closures in London.
  
• Disabled People Against the Cuts have signed up for the assembly and are producing a specific letter encouraging disabled organisations across the country to send representatives.
  
• Rallies are being held to organise around the People’s Assembly in a growing list of towns and cities. We will publicise all of these on our website once they are confirmed. Plans are being made to get large meetings set up in major cities in the UK.
  
• On the website more than 1,200 people have pledged their support for the People’s Assembly and already, 5 months before the event, 195 people have booked their seat.
  
• Salma Yaqoob, speaking to 1,000 people on the platform at a Stop the War Coalition conference, announced her support for the People’s Assembly and encouraged others to support too.
  
• The latest trade union branches and organisations to add their support include:
  Unite London and Eastern Region, NUJ Independent Broadcasting and New Media, Doncaster UCATT, Future TSSA, University of Bedfordshire UNISON, The Distant Voices, Justice4Jobseekers, Liverpool Confidential, TSSA btn, Lakin McCarthy Entertainment, Queer Resistance North West, UEL Labour Students, Bridport TLC – Community Resource & Recycling Project, Communist Party, South West and Cornwall District, Waltham Forest Labour Representation Committee, Milton Keynes Against the Cuts, People’s Bookshop, University of York Green Party, Bradford People’s Coalition Against the Cuts, London Eviction Resistance Network, The Peoples Bank UK, Really Wild Forest School, Marsh Farm Outreach CIC, Tyne and Wear Coalition of Resistance, Croydon Labour Representation Committee.
  
• A number of our European contacts have been in touch to say they want to attend the People’s Assembly so we have decided that we will hold a Europe Against Austerity Assembly the day after the main event to continue co-ordination with our European partners.
  

This is just a taste of what is happening around the People’s Assembly. The response we have already received from the existing anti-austerity movement and also sections of the community not previously involved with the movement have been very encouraging.
Hundreds of others are currently putting the model resolution to their trade union branch or oragnisation, getting their friends, family and workmates to register, and spreading the word around Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. We would encourage you to do the same, think creatively about who to contact, what organisations might send delegates, and how to make sure the assembly has the biggest impact possible.
If we can maintain this level of activity, we can make the People’s Assembly into the launch pad of a mass anti-austerity movement which can for the first time begin to set the political agenda.
In solidarity,
Sam Fairbairn
National Secretary, Coalition of Resistance

[Doug]

Doug I see that you have got the numbers together for HE, I presume historic environmnet? Just wondered where all these part time archaeology students undergraduate and post graduate used to exist at? The figures would have it that back in the nineties there were more part time undergraduated than undergraduated in archaeology. Was this something that went on at places like sheffield?

HE lol

I know there is data by university (not sure if it goes all the way down to degrees) but I think that is not released too the public. You have to get access to the database. I use to have access but it was a year ago and I forgot the login details. I will see if I can dig up that info for you.