At NATCC textiles conference last week, two of
the senior lecturers at the Textile Conservation Centre, University of
Southampton described the
upcoming closure by the University of the graduate school in textile
conservation in 2009. The last class of textile conservators entered this
year; there will be an ‘intake’ of students for the M.A. in museum studies
next year. The University of Southampton’s decision is irreversible;
it is part of an education policy to reduce the number of smaller
departments.
Mary Brooks and Frances Lennard
suggested that, if you wish to help, to write on letterhead stationery in
favor of the TCC and speak
favorably of its contributions and its past work to the vice
chancellor of the university:
Professor Bill Wakeham
The Vice Chancellor of the
University of
Southampton
bab@xxxxxxxxxxx
.
Please send them a copy at the
Textile Conservation Centre, Email: tccuk@xxxxxxxxxxx . The website for
the TCC is www.textileconservationcentre.soton.ac.uk
.
There
is also a petition that you can sign, which can be found
on the No 10 Downing St
website:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/TCCClosure/
<http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/TCCClosure/
which colleagues outside the UK can
sign.
Mary W.
Ballard
Senior Textiles
Conservator,
Museum Conservation Institute,
Smithsonian Institution
4210
Silver Hill Road, Suitland MD 20746
U.S.A.
tel: 301-238-1210 fax:
301-238-3709
email ballardm@xxxxxx