Dean Esche and Board of Governors
Middlesex University
The Burroughs
London NW4 4BT

25 May 2010

Dear Dean Esche and Board of Governors,

We write to express our shock and dismay at the suspension of students and Professor Hallward, Professor Osborne, and Dr Kerslake from Middlesex University. They stand accused of defending the practice of excellence in research and teaching against the academic vandalism of the closure of Philosophy at Middlesex. Do you see how this conveys a message that Middlesex has complete disregard for the proper academic and pedagogic values of a university?

These bullying and vindictive suspensions violate a long-standing convention of non-recrimination in university politics. By this move Middlesex University risks making itself an outcast in the international academic community. We urge you to rescind these suspensions and pull back from the disastrous decision to close this highly respected and influential institution.

Yours sincerely,

Members of the Sociology Discipline, University of Manchester:

Dr Bridget Byrne

Professor Nick Crossley, Head of Sociology Discipline

Dr Gemma Edwards

Dr Lucy Gibson

Dr Kevin Gillan

Dr Christian Greiffenhagen

Dr Brian Heaphy

Dr Virinder Kalra

Dr Paul Kelemen

Dr Graeme Kirkpatrick

Dr Vanessa May

Dr Peter McMylor

Dr Richie Nimmo

Dr Navtej Purewal

Professor Sheila Rowbotham

Professor Mike Savage, Director of the ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change

Dr Dale Southerton

Dr Nicholas Thoburn

Professor Alan Warde

Dr Sophie Woodward