Dear All, I am sure the subject matter is news to you all, and I am now asking for help. I am sure you would want to know before the axe falls. Details of the problem are below, but any email or fax expressing support for maths research work at Bangor, and dismay at the proposed threat to the international research reputation of the University of Wales, Bangor, would be welcomed by all of us in maths. It could also say that information on the threat comes from me, since I have no contract with the University, and it should ask for this view to be presented to Council at its meeting on Friday, Oct 4, at 1015 am. The crucial variable is the number of messages received. These would also be helpful as evidence for future plans. Any email or fax should go by tomorrow (Thursday, December 4) at the latest to Professor Roy Evans, Vice Chancellor, University of Wales, Bangor fax: +44 1248 383 296 email: roy.evans@bangor.ac.uk Details: Maths has a declining recruitment over the last few years, and it is in this session under 10. The financial system in place is that maths get less credit for service teaching than for teaching of students registered for a maths degree, and the current situation is worse in that classes of 60 are taught by maths staff with financial credit going wholly to the School of Informatics, and not to the maths group, which is somehow accounted separately. In any case, no recruitment budget for maths has been assigned over the last few years. Also attacked at Senate was the research reputation of Mathematics at Bangor, so this is where you can all really help. I was there as an observer, so did not speak, and am now in a position to argue that Senate had inadequate information in this respect. So if you have contrary views, please ask the VC to present these to Council on Friday morning. I have proposed that Council should reject the Senate motion, and ask that adequate funds should be assigned to recruitment in maths with clear and achievable goals. The Senate motion is actually to sack some staff and then to ask for certain milestones, to be achieved, with apparently zero resources. Ronnie r.brown@bangor.ac.uk http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~mas010