Just starting to hear about this one … the Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity at the University of Birmingham is the latest department to be threatened by beancounters who just don’t get it. There’s a blog to follow developments at:
… and a petition here … we’ll keep an eye on this one as not a lot of info about it seems to have been released; in case you’re wondering, Classics and Ancient History are under their umbrella … visit the IAA’s website here …
rogueclassicism 
As I am starting PhD here in Spetember, this concerned me greatly, however, I have just spoken directly to the director of the Institute and he has reassured me that it is a restructure, removing the umbrella of the Institute, NOT the departments – this is actually how it was at Birmingham when I did my undergraduate degree there. I am now breathing a rather large sigh of relief!
I wouldn’t be too relieved as the Director of the Institute is one of the instigators of the ‘restructure’ and is jumping ship to become head of the Theology and Religion department! Currently 19 staff stand to lose their jobs across the Archaeology, Ancient History and Classics department. It may be a ‘restructure’ but it is a cut throat one in which many areas of expertise will be lost.
We can only hope the publicity from the save iaa campaign can help to keep staff positions in place.
There are a lot of claims and counter claims – but if 14 out of 18 archaeology staff are to be axed, it’s astonishing they are selling this as a ‘restructure’
Also this video makes me laugh