Blackburn College University Centre boss resigns after suspension (From Lancashire Telegraph)

I know one thing - it's NOT a University!

burner wrote:
I know one thing - it's NOT a University!

Wonderful insight there. You really are a fountain of guesswork...sorry, I mean knowledge

burner wrote:
I know one thing - it's NOT a University!

Spot on burner. There is a tendancy these days to give places and people fancy names/job titles. Unfortunately there never seems to be any improvement, in fact it is usually the opposite. I don't know the ins and outs of the Helen Mathers hoo-hah, but I have more than once experienced the situation where someone is brought in to 'sort things out' and then when they do, life is made difficult for them. Remember the woman who tried to sort out the EU's finances?

. . ."none of them claim to be full Universities " . . . . , ladysal, some KS4 pupils in Blackburn schools think it's a uni - don't take my word for it ; ask one of their teachers.
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. . and , no, I don't have a downer on the town and certainly not the College. I am, like several posters on this site, just frustrated at the way things are run or have turned out round here over the years. My disappointments started with the demolition of our beautiful Market Clock Tower and I'm now concerned about the management of football here. I love the location of East Lancashire and , definitely, the people. That is why you and I can have this discussion - we both respect the views of others ( don't have to agree, but go ahead and say your piece in public! ). Talk again, no doubt.

Burner you ignorant tool. It is not a university we all know this. It is blackburn college. With a building that is dedicated to delivering university standard education. Hence the name Blackburn College University Centre. What would you of called the place if you was in charge of the college campus?

I think the insertion of a humble comma or full stop between College and University would better define the actual title of the institute. viz Blackburn College, University Centre. That way it would have a similar status to Edge Hill College at Ormskirk or Blackpool and would denote a form of affiliation to the senior Universities at Lancaster and Preston.

wriggers, let me explain myself better.
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Sixth formers know all about unis and choices - no probs there.
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Some 14 / 15 year olds talk about their ambitions ( at all levels ). Some have said that, after A Levels they don't want to go away to uni ( like their siblings ) because they can go to uni in Blackburn. "It says that on the side, I walk past it ". I've heard that and similar from teachers. So whose fault is that?

burner wrote:
wriggers, let me explain myself better.
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Sixth formers know all about unis and choices - no probs there.
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Some 14 / 15 year olds talk about their ambitions ( at all levels ). Some have said that, after A Levels they don't want to go away to uni ( like their siblings ) because they can go to uni in Blackburn. "It says that on the side, I walk past it ". I've heard that and similar from teachers. So whose fault is that?

It's took a while but congrats you have got there. People can get a university standard education at the Blackburn college university centre and still have the benefit of mummy doing washing, daddy driving them here and there. As a mature student who has young children travelling to lancaster to do my degree is not an option. Which is why the UNIVERSITY centre is great.

You have missed the point again ,w. At 14, some think it's a University. At 18 they know it's NOT !!

burner wrote:
You have missed the point again ,w. At 14, some think it's a University. At 18 they know it's NOT !!

14 is actually ks3 and more to the point, they might of actually thought it was a university but will have it explained to them what facilities the college offer them so will know as well as fe they also have a dedicated building to university work. I would love to know what your research was before you came out with the age range. By my reckoning those 14 year olds that you mention will be about 16 years of age at the moment, centre opened in sept 09.

You don't reason well, do you?
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Forget the age of the pupils ( 14 /15/16??), I didn't remember all details of this conversation ( which happened since September, this current academic year. They are still around 15 now ). . . . . and I'm sure you are right ; the staff will have corrected their misunderstanding. But I evidence it as to the pupils' perception of what the building was in their eyes. They clearly thought it was the University of Blackburn. . . . . " It says so on the side".

"Principal Ian Clinton had stressed that the actions she carried out appeared to have been ‘motivated’ by, and in the interests of, the students and Blackburn College in general."

Nothing wrong with that until we see that motivated is 'motivated' - a standard device used to indicate the involvement of lawyers in the matter. Also note that this woman's actions 'appear' to have been 'motivated' by worthy interests, so leaving open the option to report later that her actions 'appear' in a different light. Given such devices of language in the report, it can be no surprise that our correspondents give it such a variety of interpretations.

Graham Hartley wrote:
"Principal Ian Clinton had stressed that the actions she carried out appeared to have been ‘motivated’ by, and in the interests of, the students and Blackburn College in general." Nothing wrong with that until we see that motivated is 'motivated' - a standard device used to indicate the involvement of lawyers in the matter. Also note that this woman's actions 'appear' to have been 'motivated' by worthy interests, so leaving open the option to report later that her actions 'appear' in a different light. Given such devices of language in the report, it can be no surprise that our correspondents give it such a variety of interpretations.

yes, but as they are not in possession of the full facts (and I suspect very few people are, including those who claim to work at the College), it is extremely dangerous to make assumptions as to what the actual causes of her departure were. She has gone, under what circumstances NO ONE except Helen and Ian can explain and to make accusations of bullying and or financial mismanagement such as those made by certain posters above, is extremely dangerous unless you can prove them to be true. Hearsay doesn't count. Personally I wish her all the best for the future and ask that if you want to comment on her departure, stick to the statements made in the article above. Don't forget that she or members of her family may be reading this.
Burner: its a pleasure to debate with you. I'm sure it will happen many times in the future.

CollegeOne wrote:
Ian Clinton is Principal of Blackburn College, Helen Mathers was Dean of University Centre at Blackburn College, the HE section of the institution.

I am a member of staff at the institution and this article is once again complete and utter spin.

The truth of the matter has nothing to do with bullying at all, I of course cannot disclose the reasons behind it due to gagging orders placed on Ms Mathers and the institution. Suffice to say the end of the financial year will cause some headaches.

Ms Mathers resigned over a month ago with a golden handshake, the reason that this has now only appeared in the paper today is that a Freedom of Information request was placed with the College within the last week on the matter by an investigative journalist to who they responded this morning. Damage limitation.

Somehow doubt a FOI request has been satisfied within the week. I am certain that any information contained in that FOI request would be denied, surely it is covered by the same alleged gagging order.

However, if an investigative journalist did receive the data requested, How did a Telegraph Hack get hold of it? he he he he he

I was not aware of the request until informed of it, a simple search of the Internet proved fruitful on a website named whatdotheyknow.com where information has been requested on the matter, you are free to have a look yourself, it's all in the public domain

wrigglers wrote:

burner wrote:
wriggers, let me explain myself better.
.
Sixth formers know all about unis and choices - no probs there.
.
Some 14 / 15 year olds talk about their ambitions ( at all levels ). Some have said that, after A Levels they don't want to go away to uni ( like their siblings ) because they can go to uni in Blackburn. "It says that on the side, I walk past it ". I've heard that and similar from teachers. So whose fault is that?

It's took a while but congrats you have got there. People can get a university standard education at the Blackburn college university centre and still have the benefit of mummy doing washing, daddy driving them here and there. As a mature student who has young children travelling to lancaster to do my degree is not an option. Which is why the UNIVERSITY centre is great.

Same her wrigglers. I'm a mature student with a wife and three kids. Going to what 'burner' might deem to be a proper university just isn't an option. The university centre offers the course I want with the same end qualification, at a fraction of the cost and within walking distance from my house. The course is validated by Lancaster Uni and it is Lancaster's logo on the final certificate.

So 'burner', why split hairs on whether it should be called a university? My future job prospects are the same either way - dependant only on how hard I work and the state of the job market at the time of graduation

burner wrote:
You don't reason well, do you?
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Forget the age of the pupils ( 14 /15/16??), I didn't remember all details of this conversation ( which happened since September, this current academic year. They are still around 15 now ). . . . . and I'm sure you are right ; the staff will have corrected their misunderstanding. But I evidence it as to the pupils' perception of what the building was in their eyes. They clearly thought it was the University of Blackburn. . . . . " It says so on the side".

Ok now that your age point has been blown out of the water we will forget it.

And the pupils perception is quite right hence the word university. If you actually looked at what it says on the side you would see that the wording is actually Univesity centre AT Blackburn College.

It is people like you burner who have the wrong perception of the college as a whole not 14 year olds.

In support of the beleaguered correrspondent burner I remark that 'centre' has become ubiquitous yet the suggestion the word gives as a place of value and excellence does not extend to ubiquity.

An interesting report above, wrigglers; Blackburn has a univesity centre. Ooo r.

Ian Clinton is Principal of Blackburn College, Helen Mathers was Dean of University Centre at Blackburn College, the HE section of the institution.

I am a member of staff at the institution and this article is once again complete and utter spin. The truth of the matter has nothing to do with bullying at all, I of course cannot disclose the reasons behind it due to gagging orders placed on Ms Mathers and the institution.

Ms Mathers resigned over a month ago with a golden handshake, the reason that this has now only appeared in the paper today is that a Freedom of Information request was placed with the College within the last week on the matter by an investigative journalist to who they responded this morning. Damage limitation.

The link is here

http://www.whatdothe
yknow.com/request/re
moval_of_ucbc_dean

It's unusual that the institution is claiming there was no investigation in response to Mr Patels request given that there was one. When a member of staff is suspended it is plainly absurd to suggest there was no investigation into the events that proceeded the suspension.

Maybe the Telegraph should investigate?

wrigglers wrote:
Burner you ignorant tool. It is not a university we all know this. It is blackburn college. With a building that is dedicated to delivering university standard education. Hence the name Blackburn College University Centre. What would you of called the place if you was in charge of the college campus?

I would suggest you consider enrolling on a GCSE English Language course, particularly if you are going to accuse people of being ignorant.

wrigglers wrote:
Burner you ignorant tool. It is not a university we all know this. It is blackburn college. With a building that is dedicated to delivering university standard education. Hence the name Blackburn College University Centre. What would you of called the place if you was in charge of the college campus?

What do we think of 'Blackburn (Town) Centre College With Lancaster Lite University'?

What is so wrong with 'Blackburn University'? If the quality of education presented there is good enough for Lancaster University to confirm that it's so, then it's a university.

The colleges of Cambridge and Oxford aren't troubled by this distinction.