University of Bolton
University of Bolton hits back at critics
THE University of Bolton has hit back at league tables which rank it second from bottom in the country.
It has been placed 112th out of 113 universities, with only the London South Bank University faring worse in the Good University Guide
Last year it was in 91st place.
The university was rated in a number of categories. It fared best in student satisfaction and was ranked 21st. The university was 41st for the amount spent on facilities and 71st for good honours degrees.
However it came bottom of the table in a number of other categories.
University leaders say the £80 million being invested in facilities will see it make huge strides in the league tables.
Dr Peter Marsh, deputy vice chancellor, said: "We're at an exciting stage of a £50 million estates development, which has already seen new teaching facilities built.
"We have places for a materials research centre, £30 million secured for a new student learning zone, medical centre and leisure complex with extensive sports science and rehabilitation laboratories.
"We're also making new staff appointments in our growth areas, such as media, health and computer games.
"We are a new, rapidly evolving university and the fact our students are happy here and are achieving good honours degrees should be applauded."
In the latest league table Oxford came out top, beating rival Cambridge, which held the coveted position last year.
1:23pm Saturday 26th April 2008
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CommentPosted by: Tommy on 2:42pm Sat 26 Apr 08
I see Peter Marsh retracted his earlier bull-poo statement blaming the high dropout rate on working class families.
I sent a letter a while ago into the BN which never got printed...
----
I'm surprised and disappointed to see that Dr Peter Marsh of the University of Bolton has the nerve to blame their high rate of student drop outs on the fact that they recruit from "working class families".
I can assure you as a former student this was not always the case. I was lucky enough to graduate from there, but I saw plenty of classmates and friends leave Bolton to join courses in other universities. This wasn't because of their "social class background", it was simply down to the sheer incompetence shown by staff and administration when providing and retaining vital course information.
This wasn't even specific to the fresher - for four years I had to pay visits to the personell department correcting personal details and seeing why I hadn't received certain documents and forms at my home address. Additionally, besides the problems caused by the administration, it was even rare to find lecturers who had a complete understanding of my course. There was never a single given answer - each member of staff gave me different advice to the last.
I recently bumped into a friend who's actually had to suspend their studies this year due to misgiven information. They spent so much time acting on contrasting advice that they were forced to miss an important deadline. Funnily enough, they now have been enrolled over 4 years!
I'm sorry Mr Marsh, but before you go around blaming the universities drop out rate on where your students were raised, you should take a step back and look at how your own university "raises" them. If these families aren't used to higher education, this isn't exactly the best place to make them comfortable now, is it?
----
I see Peter Marsh retracted his earlier bull-poo statement blaming the high dropout rate on working class families.
I sent a letter a while ago into the BN which never got printed...
----
I'm surprised and disappointed to see that Dr Peter Marsh of the University of Bolton has the nerve to blame their high rate of student drop outs on the fact that they recruit from "working class families".
I can assure you as a former student this was not always the case. I was lucky enough to graduate from there, but I saw plenty of classmates and friends leave Bolton to join courses in other universities. This wasn't because of their "social class background", it was simply down to the sheer incompetence shown by staff and administration when providing and retaining vital course information.
This wasn't even specific to the fresher - for four years I had to pay visits to the personell department correcting personal details and seeing why I hadn't received certain documents and forms at my home address. Additionally, besides the problems caused by the administration, it was even rare to find lecturers who had a complete understanding of my course. There was never a single given answer - each member of staff gave me different advice to the last.
I recently bumped into a friend who's actually had to suspend their studies this year due to misgiven information. They spent so much time acting on contrasting advice that they were forced to miss an important deadline. Funnily enough, they now have been enrolled over 4 years!
I'm sorry Mr Marsh, but before you go around blaming the universities drop out rate on where your students were raised, you should take a step back and look at how your own university "raises" them. If these families aren't used to higher education, this isn't exactly the best place to make them comfortable now, is it?
----
Posted by: Sun Tzu on 2:46pm Sat 26 Apr 08
I know of one potential student who sent two e-mails to Bolton university asking for information on a particular course. He never recieved replies and so went elsewhere.
I know of one potential student who sent two e-mails to Bolton university asking for information on a particular course. He never recieved replies and so went elsewhere.
Posted by: Tommy on 2:50pm Sat 26 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Sun Tzu[/bold] wrote:
I know of one potential student who sent two e-mails to Bolton university asking for information on a particular course. He never recieved replies and so went elsewhere.[/quote] A good decision. He just saved himself 3-5 years of frustration.
Sun Tzu wrote:
I know of one potential student who sent two e-mails to Bolton university asking for information on a particular course. He never recieved replies and so went elsewhere.
A good decision. He just saved himself 3-5 years of frustration.
Posted by: tax payer, Bolton on 3:02pm Sat 26 Apr 08
Bolton 'University'
lmao!!!
Bolton 'University'
lmao!!!
Posted by: Carl XVI Gustaf, Sverige on 5:00pm Sat 26 Apr 08
Did the Vice Chancellor advise "this University was rock bottom when I took over - even below Derby"?
Did the Vice Chancellor advise "this University was rock bottom when I took over - even below Derby"?
Posted by: Bolton Blogger, Bolt on 8:05am Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Carl XVI Gustaf[/bold] wrote:
Did the Vice Chancellor advise "this University was rock bottom when I took over - even below Derby"?[/quote] Done a really fabulous job - no longer rock bottom. How many more credentials does one need? - I have made sure that THIS university is NOT bottom!!!!!!
Carl XVI Gustaf wrote:
Did the Vice Chancellor advise "this University was rock bottom when I took over - even below Derby"?
Done a really fabulous job - no longer rock bottom. How many more credentials does one need? - I have made sure that THIS university is NOT bottom!!!!!!
Posted by: tax payer, Bolton on 9:38am Sun 27 Apr 08
I would not employ anyone with a degree from Bolton "University" over someone with GCSEs
I would not employ anyone with a degree from Bolton "University" over someone with GCSEs
Posted by: mrfusion, Notlob on 10:29am Sun 27 Apr 08
I still refer to it as Bolton Institute.
Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status.
I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement.
Keep up the good work.
I still refer to it as Bolton Institute.
Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status.
I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement.
Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Bolton Blogger, Bolt on 10:35am Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]mrfusion[/bold] wrote:
I still refer to it as Bolton Institute. Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status. I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement. Keep up the good work.[/quote] University is now the common generic name for all institutions that used to be called Institute of Higher Education, Polytechnics and universities.
mrfusion wrote:
I still refer to it as Bolton Institute. Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status. I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement. Keep up the good work.
University is now the common generic name for all institutions that used to be called Institute of Higher Education, Polytechnics and universities.
Posted by: mrfusion, Notlob on 10:38am Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Bolton Blogger[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]mrfusion[/bold] wrote: I still refer to it as Bolton Institute. Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status. I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement. Keep up the good work.[/quote] University is now the common generic name for all institutions that used to be called Institute of Higher Education, Polytechnics and universities.[/quote] Ah, fair enough.
Howcome they had such a hard time getting university status though? I remember they were declined for it once?
Bolton Blogger wrote:
mrfusion wrote: I still refer to it as Bolton Institute. Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status. I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement. Keep up the good work.
University is now the common generic name for all institutions that used to be called Institute of Higher Education, Polytechnics and universities.
Ah, fair enough.
Howcome they had such a hard time getting university status though? I remember they were declined for it once?
Posted by: Bolton Blogger, Bolt on 11:00am Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]mrfusion[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Bolton Blogger[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]mrfusion[/bold] wrote: I still refer to it as Bolton Institute. Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status. I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement. Keep up the good work.[/quote] University is now the common generic name for all institutions that used to be called Institute of Higher Education, Polytechnics and universities.[/quote] Ah, fair enough. Howcome they had such a hard time getting university status though? I remember they were declined for it once?[/quote] That was in the old days of Uni's Poly's etc....
Now it has all been simplified (your own point of view as to whether it has been dumbed down or not!!!!!)!
mrfusion wrote:
Bolton Blogger wrote: mrfusion wrote: I still refer to it as Bolton Institute. Bolton isn't a huge city as it is. I will never understand why we needed university status. I think the word 'university' went to someone's head as a fad or fashion statement. Keep up the good work.
University is now the common generic name for all institutions that used to be called Institute of Higher Education, Polytechnics and universities.
Ah, fair enough. Howcome they had such a hard time getting university status though? I remember they were declined for it once?
That was in the old days of Uni's Poly's etc....
Now it has all been simplified (your own point of view as to whether it has been dumbed down or not!!!!!)!
Posted by: Sun Tzu on 11:03am Sun 27 Apr 08
Further/higher education is being used by New Labour as a way to manipulate the unemployment figures.
Keep people in education and pay them dole money, rebranded as EMA.
Keep them in education studying for pointless degrees and give them a loan to pay for it.
And the sweetest plum of all. Extend school leaving age to 18 and pay them nothing.
Education is the new incapacity.
Further/higher education is being used by New Labour as a way to manipulate the unemployment figures.
Keep people in education and pay them dole money, rebranded as EMA.
Keep them in education studying for pointless degrees and give them a loan to pay for it.
And the sweetest plum of all. Extend school leaving age to 18 and pay them nothing.
Education is the new incapacity.
Posted by: Sun Tzu on 11:03am Sun 27 Apr 08
Further/higher education is being used by New Labour as a way to manipulate the unemployment figures.
Keep people in education and pay them dole money, rebranded as EMA.
Keep them in education studying for pointless degrees and give them a loan to pay for it.
And the sweetest plum of all. Extend school leaving age to 18 and pay them nothing.
Education is the new incapacity.
Further/higher education is being used by New Labour as a way to manipulate the unemployment figures.
Keep people in education and pay them dole money, rebranded as EMA.
Keep them in education studying for pointless degrees and give them a loan to pay for it.
And the sweetest plum of all. Extend school leaving age to 18 and pay them nothing.
Education is the new incapacity.
Posted by: Bolton Blogger, Bolt on 11:43am Sun 27 Apr 08
Sun,
so you would have moaned when they raised the leaving age from 15 to 16, then - using the same exact reasons!!!!
Did it do you any harm???
I actually agree with raising the leaving age to 18 - just as long as there are manual courses (e.g. brick laying, plumbing etc) as well as the normal bog standard of classes!!
Sun,
so you would have moaned when they raised the leaving age from 15 to 16, then - using the same exact reasons!!!!
Did it do you any harm???
I actually agree with raising the leaving age to 18 - just as long as there are manual courses (e.g. brick laying, plumbing etc) as well as the normal bog standard of classes!!
Posted by: Bolton Blogger, Bolt on 11:45am Sun 27 Apr 08
Talking of education - can someone at the B(E)N please use a spell-checker before posting reports online!!!! The number of spelling mistakes, just today, is huge!
Talking of education - can someone at the B(E)N please use a spell-checker before posting reports online!!!! The number of spelling mistakes, just today, is huge!
Posted by: Sun Tzu on 12:01pm Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]Bolton Blogger[/bold] wrote:
Sun,
so you would have moaned when they raised the leaving age from 15 to 16, then - using the same exact reasons!!!!
Did it do you any harm???
I actually agree with raising the leaving age to 18 - just as long as there are manual courses (e.g. brick laying, plumbing etc) as well as the normal bog standard of classes!![/quote] Bricklaying and plumbing are trades they used to be subject to apprenticeships. - Typically lasting 3-4 years - Attempting to teach these trades at school with botched together courses will not produce skilled tradesmen. It allows greedy employers to sidestep their responsibility in training the workforce of tomorrow.
You need to develop a healthy scepticism and stop swallowing all this govmt guff.
Bolton Blogger wrote:
Sun,
so you would have moaned when they raised the leaving age from 15 to 16, then - using the same exact reasons!!!!
Did it do you any harm???
I actually agree with raising the leaving age to 18 - just as long as there are manual courses (e.g. brick laying, plumbing etc) as well as the normal bog standard of classes!!
Bricklaying and plumbing are trades they used to be subject to apprenticeships. - Typically lasting 3-4 years - Attempting to teach these trades at school with botched together courses will not produce skilled tradesmen. It allows greedy employers to sidestep their responsibility in training the workforce of tomorrow.
You need to develop a healthy scepticism and stop swallowing all this govmt guff.
Posted by: emma, bolton on 1:11pm Sun 27 Apr 08
International Baccalaureate.
The way forward.
International Baccalaureate.
The way forward.
Posted by: Sun Tzu on 1:47pm Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]emma[/bold] wrote:
International Baccalaureate.
The way forward. [/quote] No. Enough tinkering already. Changing the name of the qualification doesn't make the education any better. It's just a way for government to say "Hey look, were doing something to improve education."
emma wrote:
International Baccalaureate.
The way forward.
No. Enough tinkering already. Changing the name of the qualification doesn't make the education any better. It's just a way for government to say "Hey look, were doing something to improve education."
Posted by: emma, bolton on 2:05pm Sun 27 Apr 08
There are 5 Primary Schools in Bolton already using the IB.
There are 5 Primary Schools in Bolton already using the IB.
Posted by: Sun Tzu on 2:44pm Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]emma[/bold] wrote:
There are 5 Primary Schools in Bolton already using the IB. [/quote] It won't matter what it's called because tomorrows people won't need any qualifications to pick spuds when we return to a subsistence agrian economy.
The carnival is over. Here comes the sh1t cart.
emma wrote:
There are 5 Primary Schools in Bolton already using the IB.
It won't matter what it's called because tomorrows people won't need any qualifications to pick spuds when we return to a subsistence agrian economy.
The carnival is over. Here comes the sh1t cart.
Posted by: ajkiwi88, Bolton on 5:25pm Mon 28 Apr 08
To be honest I’m a student at the university and think that it was and is one of the best in the northwest as far as friendliness of teachers and also facilities go. If anybody is a student then do no hesitate to call in at the students union and tells us what is wrong. Other than that I take it that people are just hearing it along the grapevine. If anybody wishes to come into the university to look around I am sure that myself or another member of the Executive Committee or university staff will be more than willing to show you around that is of course if you can get an hour out of your dead end no hoping job.
Many thanks
Andy (ajkiwi88@gmail.com)
To be honest I’m a student at the university and think that it was and is one of the best in the northwest as far as friendliness of teachers and also facilities go. If anybody is a student then do no hesitate to call in at the students union and tells us what is wrong. Other than that I take it that people are just hearing it along the grapevine. If anybody wishes to come into the university to look around I am sure that myself or another member of the Executive Committee or university staff will be more than willing to show you around that is of course if you can get an hour out of your dead end no hoping job.
Many thanks
Andy (ajkiwi88@gmail.com)
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