’No confidence’ in David Willetts, say Cambridge university dons (The Guardian, Jessica Shepherd, 1er juin 2011)

Cambridge academics prepare no confidence vote on David Willetts’ universities reforms

Academics at the University of Cambridge are expected to pass a vote of no confidence in universities minister David Willetts this month.

They are calling on Willetts and the government to reconsider the near-trebling of undergraduate tuition fees, cuts to higher education and what they say are "incoherent" messages on university admissions.

Almost 150 academics, including the poet Jeremy Halvard Prynne, have signed a motion of no confidence in Willetts. This will be sent to the university’s council, which is expected to endorse it in the next few days. The university will then need to tell the government that it has passed a vote of no confidence in Willetts by the end of this month.

It comes after more than 170 Oxford academics sought signatures for a similar vote last month. They will vote over whether Willetts is up to his role next week.

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