Talk:Aberystwyth University/Archive 1

Infobox
Perhaps the University Infobox template should be used, so that it is standard like other universities in wales (see Cardiff, UWIC and Swansea). Personally I think the version used on this page is more aesthetically pleasing, so if anyone has the know-how, would it be possible to change the university infobox template so that all welsh universities have the one used on this page? Alex 14:35, 21 April 2006 (UTC)

University ratings
(I'm posting this to all articles on UK universities as so far discussion hasn't really taken off on WikiProject Universities.)

There needs to be a broader convention about which university rankings to include in articles. Currently it seems most pages are listing primarily those that show the institution at its best (or worst in a few cases). See Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Universities. Timrollpickering 21:44, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

College by the Sea
I have lived in Wales a long time, have relatives that live and lived in Aberystwyth, and yet have never heard UWA referred to as this. Benbristol, 11:33, 15th March 2007 (UTC)


 * It's a direct translation from the Welsh, 'y Coleg ger y Lli'. Gareth 12:44, 15 March 2007 (UTC)

Degree Awarding Powers / Full University Status
I'll try to do something about this, if I have time, in the near future, unless anybody feels like beating me to it, but the following pages seem to suggest that - as the earlier edit suggested - the University of Wales is approaching major changes in which individual colleges (including Aberystwth) may become full Universities and "The University will maintain close links with the institutions but they will cease to be members of the University which will, therefore, become confederal rather than federal in nature". It is also apparently true that Aberystwyth was seeking degree awarding powers, although I have not yet (in a very cursory search) come across the announcement that the earlier edit suggests that the Privy Council has already awarded such powers.

http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/pdf/index.php?pdf=intro-daps-full http://www.wales.ac.uk/defaultpage.asp?page=E5 ThomasL 21:23, 15 July 2007 (UTC)


 * As I understand it, Aberystwyth will begin awarding its own degrees, and rebrand as Aberystwyth University (linky to internal memo). I've no idea when, though.  Recent Charter changes by the Privy Council were 7 May 2005 and 4 April 2007, but I don't know the details because the PC website is rubbish. — mholland (talk) 02:09, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

Alumni
Can I ask whether anyone else has heard of 'Hannah Katherine Upfold'? I can't find any reference to her on the Internet, and I'm suspicious of the description 'Literary expert'. Kammer06 08:42, 31 July 2007 (UTC)


 * She's listed on Facebook as a 2007 Aber graduate. I have removed her from the list. — mholland (talk) 04:58, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

Referencing
I tried Refrencing some stuff but I don't think I did it right so if somebody could help me clean it up it would be great. Thank you —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.103.103.205 (talk) 11:51, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Requested move

 * The following discussion is an archived discussion of the . Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section. 

to move the article to the new title, but only on the appropriate date. Please ask me or an another admin to do this as soon as the university starts using its new name. Pro hib it O ni o ns (T) 11:07, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

I've placed a request to move the page as the university is now Aberwyswyth University, as the University of Wales is no longer a University per se and the University has been given a new Royal Charter with the name change. AlexD 12:04, 1 September 2007 (UTC)
 * http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6972832.stm
 * http://www.wales.ac.uk/defaultpage.asp?page=E14


 * Support move, but only when the University adopts the new name. Its website is currently still using UWA. — mholland (talk) 04:53, 2 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Support but only when the university itself implements the change (I think it's due on October 1st). Timrollpickering 12:17, 3 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Support as Mholland and Timrollpickering. – Ulla — 07:52, 4 September 2007 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the . Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The University will adopt it's new logo and name during the coming week. This will be reflected on the main University web site. — Kammer06, 16th September 2007.

'Outstanding National and International Reputation
This looks like a generalisation without firm sourcing, and this sort of thing has been removed from many University entries as 'unsourced puff'. The website citation that was added when I originally queried this phrase was apparently University advertising (seemingly posted by the University itself on the Foreign Office website) and didn't actually say anything about an 'outstanding' national and international reputation. Instead it listed RAE rankings and other information that does not seem to support the 'outstanding' claim (the Guardian RAE ranking places Aberystwyth 48th out of 124 institutions - like Aberystwyth's other league table rankings, a decent but not 'outstanding' ranking). If the 'outstanding' claim is to be retained, it needs a respected impartial source behind it that actually says what is being said in the article. ThomasL (talk) 15:17, 25 November 2007 (UTC)

The RAE at Aber
I read in the latest Times Higher Education Supplement that Bangor and Aberystwyth have applied to the Assembly to submit a joint research application to the RAE, in an attempt to boost both institutions' research scores, and with the ultimate hope of getting Bangor and Aber into the Russell Group. Does anyone have any more information on this? It seems to be quite an important development! Let's get something about it in the article :) Twrist 16:56, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Despite what was said in the THES, there are no publicly anounced plans for Aber and Bangor to make a joint RAE submission in 2008. However, there are increasing links between various departments in Bangor and Aber (for example the recent funding from the National Assembly Government for increased research links: http://www.aber.ac.uk/aberonline/cymraeg/uwa1006.shtml). The problem that I have with this page is that there is a discussion of a MUD (I had to look up what this meant - it should probably be defined). Also, should this be included in the History section? Mike, a user in Aber. 27/2/06

- Not sure about that but UWA is in the process (2005/6) of applyig for Degree Awarding Powers, as it seeks to follow Cardiff in leaving the University of Wales


 * It does not follow that getting degree awarding powers means leaving the University of Wales. Lampeter has always had its own degree awarding powers, for example, and I'm fairly sure that Swansea has its own powers too (I could be wrong) - it's an insurance policy, certainly, but it is highly unlikely that Aber (or Bangor, for that matter) would ever leave the University of Wales, whilst it continues to be a viable entity. You shouldn't believe everything you read in the Western Mail ;) Twrist 15:36, 23 April 2006 (UTC)

Apparently, you can believe some of it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.153.76.107 (talk) 09:01, 17 October 2007 (UTC)


 * Haha, well yes - but a change of structure isn't quite the same is it. The UoW institutions have all become independent whether they liked it or not. Twrist (talk) 23:32, 6 December 2007 (UTC)

Partner universities
Is there really a need for this? Honestly, who cares? Besides the list of universities that individual departments collaborate with must be massive. Can anyone give a legitimate reason for its existence please let me know —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.104.168.95 (talk) 17:31, 30 January 2008 (UTC)


 * On balance, I would support removing that section. It is out of step with other articles on Universities, and there is no indication given that Aberystwyth's international partnerships are anything unusual or distinctive. — mholland (talk) 17:57, 30 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Hmm, i notice that the section is back, or never left? With no objections from anyone, i think i'll remove it.  Objections...? Cheers, Lindsay 19:26, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

College / University Colours
The Red and Green colours of Aberystwyth seem to have a fault in the current infobox. They were fine in the edit dated 6th of April 2007. Perhaps that someone knows how to recitfy this.

Also, perhaps a University of Wales group could be added to the articles on University scarves / colours, showing the University of Wales & institution colours? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 144.124.16.28 (talk) 09:35, 7 September 2007 (UTC)


 * I've copied & pasted the code in so it should work now.


 * I'd add it to the Academic scarf page but the current coding isn't good for a direct copy & paste job - each colour cell needs to be in a form like this:




 * Which produces:


 * for the University of Wales. The table on Academic scarf will get the right width autmatically. Timrollpickering 10:08, 7 September 2007 (UTC)


 * The Aberystwyth scarf is still wrong... the red and green lines should be of equal size, so they are equally spaced out. 212.10.136.113 (talk) 12:57, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Alumni/Staff
I've added a few staff (past & present) of note. I noticed, in the process, that some people listed as alumni do not show any such thing in their articles, but that they are/were staff (F. Gwendolen Rees, Mihangel Morgan, to give but two examples); does anyone know the truth here? I.e., are they both and it could be added to their articles, or are they solely staff, and can be removed from the list of alumni? Cheers, Lindsay 17:24, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences
Hello. This is a formal notice to let you know that I've since moved moved Institute of Rural Sciences to Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, and I've attempted to merge Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research into the new article. I suspect this current article needs to be updated to reflect the change. Thanks. Viriditas (talk) 12:06, 3 April 2009 (UTC)

Alumni
It seems likely that the Notable Staff section may be the victim of some self promotion. Would someone without a direct link to the University be prepared to take a look and re-evaluate it? Kammer06 (talk) 15:55, 9 June 2009 (UTC)


 * With the exception of the List of Presidents,Principals and Vice-Chancellors of the University, it would seem that anyone without their own article page should not be listed as a Notable alumni. Codf1977 (talk) 20:32, 28 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Further to the above and with reference to WP:NLIST - I am going to remove anyone from the list(s) who does not have an artical page. Codf1977 (talk) 11:39, 5 January 2010 (UTC)

External link
I'd like to add a link to the lists of pre-1926 University of London students: http://www.shl.lon.ac.uk/specialcollections/archives/studentrecords.shtml as these include many students from University College, Aberystwyth. This was deleted on the grounds of being of marginal relevance. I disagree, particularly as the article contains sections on the Aberystwyth's history and alumni. I ought to declare an interest. I work for Senate House Library, where we digitised these data. Just checked the lists - there were at least 891 Aber students listed by 1900. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Richard temple (talk • contribs) 14:59, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

Alumni again
I notice that people have been adding names to this list and linking them, even though they link to the wrong person with the same name. Would someone please check all the "notable" names and make sure they all point to an actual Aberystwyth person? Best regards, -- Ssilvers (talk) 22:12, 25 August 2010 (UTC)
 * The Notable Alumni section has been cite-tagged for well over two years. No cites have been added. I intend removing the entire section. I suggest that someone restore and cite the few most notable; also that a See also link to Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University be included in the article text. Writegeist (talk) 02:23, 6 July 2012 (UTC)

WWII
I've read that during World War II many students from colleges in London (like the UCL for example) "moved" to Aber, because their colleges were being bombed (and therefore temporarily closed). Is that true? Did they continue their studies at Aberystwyth University during that time? If yes, that sure is a fact worth mentioning. --193.175.206.234 (talk) 12:44, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

Academic reputation and profile dates
Some of the material in this section and the lead is really out of date, going back to 2006-8. Would be good if someone could add more up to date material from the more recent surveys. Peteinterpol (talk) 13:42, 8 May 2014 (UTC)

Recent controversy regarding the Vice Chancellor; April McMahon
Would it be possible to add a section regarding the current Vice Chancellor and people's petitions to have her removed/and suspected influence in the decline in the university's prestige?

A few local newspapers have covered it, but I don't know how relevant this would be to this page.Sata1991 (talk) 20:32, 17 August 2015 (UTC)


 * 2014 Local media coverage is probably not as serviceable as this article, which addresses the university's sharp decline, the petition, and the beleaguered McMahon's (painfully predictable) "nothing to do with me" blog response. Writegeist (talk) 20:59, 17 August 2015 (UTC)

Thanks, I was considering writing about this, but I wasn't sure whether this would be strong enough to write about without it being considered bias. Sata1991 (talk) 21:39, 17 August 2015 (UTC)


 * You're welcome. It needs to be given appropriate WP:WEIGHT (i.e. a succinct mention without gory details); and inclusion of McMahon's buck-passing response would obviate any question of bias/POV. (Just my poisonal opinion; others may disagree.) Writegeist (talk) 23:06, 17 August 2015 (UTC)


 * So far I have this written:

Recent Controversy Regarding the Current Vice Chancellor, April McMahon

As of 2013; controversies began to emerge regarding the incumbent Vice Chancellor April McMahon, allegations from The University and College Union referring to the Vice Chancellor's running of the university as being ″Like a dictatorship″ began to surface, claiming that the university managers were behaving like schoolground bullies and staff were fearful of their jobs.

In 2014 a petition was raised by a then second year student Kieron O'Shea calling for the resignation of April McMahon; citing the university's decline in rankings, her salary of £228,000 during the 2012/13 academic year. However it was closed after a meeting with the senior staff figures at the university.

Months later, these claims were addressed in a blog post, citing years of underinvestment in the university.

I'm unsure whether it's going over anything already written on the page or not.Sata1991 (talk) 21:56, 19 August 2015 (UTC)

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