Cambridge University Reporter


reports

Report of the General Board on a Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and International Studies (PPSIS)

The GENERAL BOARD beg leave to report to the University as follows:

1. Five years ago the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences was reconstituted as three separate Departments of Politics, of Sociology, and of Social and Developmental Psychology, and the Centre for Family Research (see the Report of the General Board on the reorganization of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Reporter, 2002-03, p. 1217).

2. This has proved to be a very satisfactory development from the point of view of research, graduate training, and the recently renamed Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos. The quality of the degree is reflected in exceptionally high ratings nationally. Although these disciplines are among the most popular university subject choices of British sixth-form students, Cambridge is unable to meet the potential demand from high quality candidates. These subjects are particularly popular with students from state-funded schools. Cambridge also now has a significant opportunity to heighten its research profile in the social sciences

3. An important step in meeting this potential involves the Centre of International Studies, which has operated as an independent unit within the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences, providing successful graduate training, for many years. In order to broaden the range of their joint disciplines, and to meet widespread student interest in international studies, the Department of Politics and the Centre of International Studies are now proposing jointly to form the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) within a reconstituted Faculty, retitled the Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and International Studies (PPSIS). This set of new structures will provide a basis on which to develop as an internationally outstanding centre for research, as well as for teaching and learning at both graduate and undergraduate levels, to benefit the individual disciplines and multi-disciplinary studies.

4. The objectives of the proposed reforms are to enhance the cohesion of the disciplines of politics and international studies, to build on the enhanced disciplinary identity that has been fostered through the departmentalization of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences since 2004, and to secure economies of scale where appropriate in the conduct of the business of the various Departments involved.

5. The proposal follows extensive consultation with the Council of the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, the Management Committee of the Centre of International Studies, and the staff of the Faculty and the Centre.

6. The Cambridge pattern of developing the social sciences has been to have a series of separate units which partially map onto disciplines. The existence of distinct units has not prevented some very productive collaborations in both teaching and research. The broad co-ordination lies with the School.

7. It is envisaged that the new Department of Politics and International Studies would maintain and extend the international reputation of the existing institutions in teaching and research, and that it would enhance its capacity for raising external funds. The new Department would continue to teach the M.Phil. courses in Politics and International Relations currently offered and would develop further the range of undergraduate courses in its fields of study. It will contain a research centre for International Studies and other research centres may be created in due course.

8. It is proposed that the current Head of the Department of Politics would be made Head of the new Department of Politics and International Studies, while the current Director of the Centre of International Studies would be made a Deputy Head of the new Department.

9. The existing separate Management Committee responsible for the Centre of International Studies would be abolished. The Degree Committee for the Centre of International Studies and the Centre of Latin-American Studies would be merged with the Degree Committee for the new Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and International Studies.

10. Proposals for the reassignment of existing Professorships and Readerships in the current Department of Politics and Centre of International Studies to the new Department of Politics and International Studies are set out in Recommendation III. Subject to the approval of this Report, the General Board would reassign other offices in the Department of Politics and the Centre of International Studies, with the concurrence of the present holders, to the new Department. The reassignment of such offices, and their current holders, has been discussed with the individuals concerned and agreed in principle. All other staff in the Department of Politics and the Centre of International Studies would become members of the new Faculty. Staff and trade unions have been consulted about plans for a merger and kept informed of progress. There will be no compulsory job losses as a direct consequence of this merger. Professors and Readers and other staff who are currently assigned to the Department of Sociology and the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology will remain assigned to these Departments within the Faculty. The opportunity has been taken to formally reassign the Professorship of Family Research to the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology for the tenure of the current holder.

11. The General Board consider that the establishment of a new Faculty which would contain the Department of Politics and International Studies, the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, the Department of Sociology, and the Centre for Family Research would facilitate significant developments in research, further promote excellence in teaching quality, and provide a strategic opportunity to rationalize and improve the accommodation and facilities of the existing units in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences and the Centre of International Studies.

12. The General Board have, accordingly, accepted the proposals and commend them to the University for approval.

13. The General Board recommend:

I. That, with effect from 1 January 2009, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences be replaced by the Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and International Studies.

II. That, with effect from the same date, the Centre of International Studies be incorporated into a new Department of Politics and International Studies within the Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and International Studies and that the regulations for the Centre (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 611) be rescinded.

III. That, with effect from the same date, the following Professorships and Readerships be reassigned to the Department of Politics and International Studies:

the Professorship of the History of European International Relations1
the Professorship of the History of International Relations
the Patrick Sheehy Professorship of International Relations
the Professorship of Politics (2007)
the Readership in European Studies
the Readership in International Law and International Relations
the Readership in International Relations (1999)
the Readership in International Relations (2002)

IV. That, with effect from the same date, the Professorship of Family Research be reassigned to the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology.

V. That, with effect from the same date, certain regulations be amended as follows:

A. By replacing all references to the Faculty and Faculty Board of Social and Political Sciences by reference to the Faculty or Faculty Board of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and International Studies; and all references to the Department of Politics by reference to the Department of Politics and International Studies.

B. Regulations for the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 544)

Regulation 1.

By removing from this regulation the reference to the Centre of International Studies.

C. Regulations for Degree Committees (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 555)

By deleting from the Schedule to these regulations the reference to the Centres of International Studies and Latin-American Studies.

9 July 2008 ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor TOM BLUNDELL RICHARD HUNTER
 ANTHONY BAGSHAW WILLIAM BORTRICK D. W. B. MACDONALD
 NICK BAMPOS WILLIAM BROWN MELVEENA MCKENDRICK
 GRAEME BARKER PHILIP FORD PATRICK SISSONS
 JOHN BELL RICHARD FRIEND I. H. WHITE

1 Established from 1 October 2008 by Grace 3 of 18 June 2008.