Botany vs Biological Sciences

[Jeremy Bruhl]

Hi!

We, in our Department of Botany, are faced (not for the first time in its 50
or so year history) with some preference from our Vice-Chancellor to merge
with another Department (say Zoology), in the name of efficiency and cost
cutting. Here, I suspect the driving force is to reduce overall technical
and administrative support for all parties that merge.

This is not to say we don't collaborate with Zoology. We do. We also
collaborated with a dozen (sorry 12, many) other departments across the campus.

I have studied and worked in a number of institutions including Departments
and Schools of Botany, and Schools of Biological Sciences. In principle, I
see the sense in having Biological Science entities; broader range of
perspectives, skills, cross/multi-discipline approaches, etc. But, in
practise, I am aware of too many cases where the merger has not been
equitable for the discipline of Botany (especially so for whole plant
biology and systematics).

Have you avoided amalgamations (why)?
Have you welcomed mergers (why)?
Have you suffered from a merger (how)?
Have you de-amalgamated (why)?

I would welcome and value your comments on:     'jbruhl at metz.une.edu.au'

I will post the comments later.

Thanks
Jeremy

=========================================
Dr Jeremy J. Bruhl
Department of Botany and New England Herbarium (NE)
University of New England
Armidale, NSW 2351
AUSTRALIA

Telephone: +61 67 73 2429
Fax:          +61 67 73 3283
Internet:      jbruhl at metz.une.edu.au