D-Day for Uni social care school

Bosses at a Berkshire university will decide later whether to close its School of Health and Social Care.

The University of Reading has recommended closing the department as part of a move to concentrate resources on areas of academic strength.

The British Association of Social Workers said the move may lead to a shortage of industry professionals in the county.

The university senate will meet at 1430 GMT to make a final decision.

If approved, the school, which has 350 students, would close in September 2011.

‘Financial pressure’

Sally Hunt, from the University and College Union, said: “These are people who are training as social workers, nurses, people who we all need. There is a choice that needs to be made.

“[The choice is] whether a future vision includes practical, good people being trained for the community or whether it doesn’t.”

The proposal comes after an internal review, which concluded that the “strategic importance of the school is limited” and is “not predicted to change in the future”.

Professor Gordon Marshall, vice-chairman of the university, has previously said: “We regret closing any activity at the university but the university is under great financial pressure.

“We have to make savings of many, many millions.”