Chers membres de la SMAI,

Je vous fais suivre le message ci-dessous d'un collègue, professeur à l'université de Leicester, que m'a fait suivre un collègue français. Ce message décrit la grave situation au département de mathématiques de l'université de Leicester. Il donne aussi un lien vers une pétition : " The Leicester UCU petition", pour soutenir nos collègues travaillant au sein de cette université.

En résumé : la direction de l'université de Leicester a planifié une transformation du département de mathématiques qui met vingt-quatre membres du département en position de perdre leur emploi : ils doivent re-candidater et six au moins parmi eux, perdront leur emploi, d'autres pourraient passer de postes d'enseignants-chercheurs à des postes d'enseignants.

La pétition a déjà reçu 3214 signatures avec pour plusieurs signatures des soutiens exprimés, des situations similaires décrites dans d'autres pays.

Bien amicalement,

Fatiha Alabau

Présidente de la SMAI

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Colleagues and friends,

I apologise but this time I would like to ask you for support.

You may have heard already about the recent bad developments concerning the current situation and future of mathematics at the University of Leicester. On Wednesday September 7 all academic members of the Department of Mathematics at Leicester were informed by the HoD at a formal meeting which included also representatives of HR and the provost that as part of a general transformation of the University of Leicester a proposal is put forward to restructure the Department of Mathematics. As a main part of this proposal the university has placed 24 academics in the Department of Mathematics in a "redundancy pool" and asked them to re-apply for their positions by the end of September. The plan is to cut at least 6 positions across the department and possibly convert others from teaching and research positions to teaching only positions.

It is quite clear that the outcome of this 'restructuring' will have dire consequences for mathematics in Leicester and will basically destroy beyond repair the great mathematical environment and centre built up over years. It is a very depressing situation especially as the financial aspects and reasoning of the university management are ill-conceived and not reflecting the actual situation of our department. I would supply any additional information, if it is needed.

Interesting number: Mathematics needs to save £495,000 per year. At the same time, the administration has spent recently £479,000 for refurbishment of FJB (admin building) reception and exec corridor. We have therefore a clear hint why our savings are needed.

One immediate form of support would be for members of the IMA to sign the online petition organised by the UCU stating, in particular, their support for the Mathematics Department:

http://speakout.web.ucu.org.uk/no-cuts-no-confidence-at-university-of-leicester

If you will find a couple of words about Leicester Math, it will be great.

If you can deliver this message through professional networks, scientific societies, personal contacts, … it would be also very helpful.

With warmest regards and great apologies,

[Liste Smai] Licenciements économiques ou migration poste EC vers E seul en mathématiques à l'université de Leicester