Editing University of Reading (section)

==History==
[[File:University of Reading War Memorial.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[University of Reading War Memorial]] [[clock tower]], designed by [[Herbert Maryon]], on the London Road Campus]]
[[File:A Picture of a Southern Town- Life in Wartime Reading, Berkshire, England, UK, 1945 D25225.jpg|thumbnail|right|Students take notes at the museum in the Faculty of Science at Reading University in 1945]]
[[File:The ICMA Centre.jpg|thumb|right|The [[ICMA Centre]]]]
[[File:Sir David Bell.jpg|thumb|right|Sir David Bell faces student protests]]

===University College, Reading===
The university owes its first origins to the Schools of Art and Science established in Reading in 1860 and 1870. In 1892, the ''College at Reading'' was founded as an extension college by [[Christ Church, Oxford|Christ Church]], a college of the [[University of Oxford]]. It opened in September of that year under the name of ''The University Extension College in Conjunction with the Schools of Science and Art, Reading'', which was soon shortened the following spring to ''The University Extension College, Reading''.<ref name="Parliamentary Report">{{cite book|title=Reports for the year 1909-10 from those Universities and University Colleges in Great Britain which participate in the Parliamentary Grant for University Colleges|date=1911|page=553|publisher=HMSO|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFBMWTkP66AC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA553&hl=en&source=gb_mobile_entity#v=onepage&q&f=false|chapter=University College, Reading}}</ref> The first president was the geographer [[Sir Halford John Mackinder]], and the college's first home was the old [[Hospitium of St John the Baptist|hospitium building]] behind [[Reading Town Hall]]. The Schools of Art and Science were transferred to the new college by Reading Town Council in 1892.<ref name=uorhist>{{cite web |url=http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-history.asp |title=The University's History |publisher=University of Reading |access-date=30 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302203516/http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-history.aspx |archive-date=2 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=tui86>{{cite web |url=http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/staffportal/news/articles/spsn-357935.aspx |title=The University of Reading is 85 years old |publisher=University of Reading |date=16 March 2011 |access-date=21 March 2011 |archive-date=25 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125180507/http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/staffportal/news/articles/spsn-357935.aspx}}</ref><ref name=odonbwc>{{cite ODNB | url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32402 | title = Childs, William Macbride (1869–1939), educationist | first = T.A.B. | last = Corley | year = 2004 | doi = 10.1093/ref:odnb/32402 | access-date =8 February 2010}}</ref><ref name=aqhosp>{{cite web |url=https://www.readingabbeyquarter.org.uk/hospitium |title=Hospitium |work=readingabbeyquarter.org.uk |date=15 February 2018 |publisher=Reading Borough Council |access-date=6 February 2020 |archive-date=6 February 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206130450/https://www.readingabbeyquarter.org.uk/hospitium}}</ref>

The new college was incorporated in 1896 and was approved to participate in the Parliamentary grant to university colleges by the Commissioners of the Treasury in 1901, resulting in it changing its name to ''University College, Reading'' in 1902.<ref name="Parliamentary Report"/> Three years later it was given a site, now the university's [[London Road Campus]], by the Palmer family (connected with the firm of [[Huntley & Palmers]]). The same family supported the opening of [[Wantage Hall]] in 1908 and of the Research Institute in Dairying in 1912.<ref name=uorhist/>

===University status{{anchor|University of Reading Act 1926}}===
The college first applied for a [[royal charter]] in 1920 but was unsuccessful at that time. However a second petition, in 1925, was successful, and the charter was officially granted on 17 March 1926. With the charter, the college became the University of Reading, the only new university to be created in the United Kingdom between the two world wars.<ref name=uorhist/> It was added to the [[Combined English Universities (UK Parliament constituency)|Combined English Universities]] constituency in 1928 in time for the 1929 general election.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

In 1947, the university purchased [[Whiteknights Park]], which was to become its principal campus. In 1984, the university started a merger with Bulmershe College of Higher Education, which was completed in 1989.<ref name=uorhist/><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/about-architecture.asp|title = Campus Architecture|access-date =24 July 2007|publisher = University of Reading}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19890408_en_1.htm |title=Statutory Instrument 1989 no. 408 |publisher=Opsi.gov.uk |access-date=28 May 2010}}</ref>

===2006–present===
In October 2006, the Senior Management Board proposed<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/news/details.asp?ID=712|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120525121403/http://www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/news/details.asp?ID=712|url-status=dead|title=Official statement about the Physics Department on the University website|archivedate=25 May 2012}}</ref> the closure of its Physics Department to future undergraduate application. This was ascribed to financial reasons and lack of alternative ideas and caused considerable controversy, not least a debate in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.martinsalter.com/diary.asp?storyID=235&storyType=parliament |title=Information page of Labour MP for Reading West, Martin Salter |access-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621111619/http://www.martinsalter.com/diary.asp?storyID=235&storyType=parliament |archive-date=21 June 2008 }}</ref> over the closure which prompted heated discussion of higher education issues in general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/news/details.asp?ID=719|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120525121403/http://www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/news/details.asp?ID=719|url-status=dead|title=Official Statement about University Senate vote from University website|archivedate=25 May 2012}}</ref> On 10 October, the Senate voted to close the Department of Physics, a move confirmed by the council on 20 November.<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6159106.stm |title=article concerning the confirmed closure of the Physics department |publisher=BBC News |date=21 November 2006 |access-date=28 May 2010}}</ref> Other departments closed in recent years include Music, Sociology, Geology, and Mechanical Engineering. The university council decided in March 2009 to close the School of Health and Social Care, a school whose courses have consistently been oversubscribed.<ref name=the1>[[Melanie Newman]], [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=405430&c=1 "Institutions draw up plans for closures and job losses"], ''Times Higher Education'', 19 February 2009</ref><ref name=the2>[[Melanie Newman]], [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=405929&c=1 "Alarm grows as jobs to go at four more institutions"], ''Times Higher Education'', 26 March 2009</ref>

In January 2008, the university announced its merger with the [[Henley Management College]] to create the university's new ''Henley Business School'', bringing together Henley College's expertise in MBAs with the university's existing Business School and [[ICMA Centre]]. The merger took formal effect on 1 August 2008, with the new business school split across the university's existing Whiteknights Campus and its new Greenlands Campus that formerly housed Henley Management College.<ref name=henmerge>{{cite web | url = http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/releases/PR11148.asp | title = World-class business school to be created as University of Reading merges with Henley Management College | publisher = University of Reading | date = 9 January 2008}}</ref><ref name=uofbrs8>{{cite news | title = Briefing News Update – Henley Business School | date = Summer 2008 | publisher = University of Reading}}</ref>

A restructuring of the university was announced in September 2009, which would bring together all the academic schools into three faculties, these being the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social sciences, and Henley Business School. The move was predicted to result in the loss of some jobs, especially in the film, theatre and television department, which has since moved into a brand new [[GBP|£]]11.5&nbsp;million building on Whiteknights Campus.<ref>{{cite news | first = Hannah | last = Fearn | url = http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=408112&c=2 | title = Reading plans restructuring | publisher = Times Higher Education | date = 11 September 2009}}</ref>

In late 2009 it was announced that the London Road Campus was to undergo a [[GBP|£]]30&nbsp;million renovation, preparatory to becoming the new home of the university's Institute of Education. The Institute moved to its new home in January 2012.<ref name="reading.ac.uk">{{cite web|title=Welcome to your new home – Institute of Education|url=https://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/staffportal/news/articles/spsn-432335.aspx|website=The University of Reading|access-date=16 June 2017|language=en-gb|date=10 February 2012}}</ref> The refurbishment was partially funded by the sale of the adjoining site of [[Mansfield Hall]], a former hall of residence, for demolition and replacement by private sector student accommodation.<ref name=ua30mr>{{cite web | url = http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/releases/PR258812.aspx | archive-url = https://archive.today/20121223123909/http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/releases/PR258812.aspx | url-status = dead | archive-date = 23 December 2012 | title = University announces £30&nbsp;million development of historic London Road campus | publisher = University of Reading | date = 10 December 2009 | access-date = 21 March 2011 }}</ref>

The university is a lead sponsor of [[UTC Reading]], a new [[university technical college]] which opened in September 2013.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.utcreading.co.uk/partners | title = Partners – UTC | publisher = Utcreading.co.uk | access-date = 17 July 2013 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130323011619/http://www.utcreading.co.uk/partners | archive-date = 23 March 2013 | df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/reading/articles/2013/09/17/93164-hightech-education-at-readings-first-technical-college/ | title = High-tech education at Reading's first technical college | work = Reading Chronicle | date = 17 September 2013 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20131211113029/http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/reading/articles/2013/09/17/93164-hightech-education-at-readings-first-technical-college/ | archive-date = 11 December 2013 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

In 2016, a move to reorganise the structure of Reading University provoked student protests.<ref name="Hyde">{{Cite web|url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/university-reading-student-slams-multi-10974928 |title=Cost-cutting review slammed by University of Reading student |last=Hyde |first=Nathan |website=getreading |access-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310184906/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/university-reading-student-slams-multi-10974928 |archive-date=10 March 2016 }}</ref> On 21 March 2016, staff announced a vote of no confidence in the vice chancellor [[David Bell (university administrator)|Sir David Bell]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/university-reading-vice-chancellor-faces-11070986|title=University of Reading vice chancellor faces vote of no confidence|last=Hyde|first=Nathan|website=getreading|date=22 March 2016|access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref> Eighty-eight per cent of those who voted backed the no confidence motion.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-36045536|title='No confidence' in University of Reading vice-chancellor|work=BBC News|date=14 April 2016|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref>

In 2019, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported the university was in "a financial and governance crisis" after recently reporting itself to regulators over a £121&nbsp;million loan. The university is sole trustee of the charitable [[National Institute for Research in Dairying]] trust, and after selling trust land had then borrowed the £121&nbsp;million proceeds from the trust, despite the potential conflict of interest in the decision making. Including this loan, the university has debts of £300&nbsp;million, as well as having an operating deficit of over £40&nbsp;million for the past two years.<ref name=guardian-20190209>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/feb/09/reading-university-in-crisis-amid-questions-over-121m-land-sales |title=Reading University in crisis amid questions over £121m land sales |author=Andrew McGettigan, Richard Adams |newspaper=The Guardian |date=9 February 2019 |access-date=9 February 2019}}</ref><ref name=readingchronicle-20190209>{{cite news |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/17420953.university-of-reading-expected-to-cut-jobs-due-to-challenging-financial-times/ |title=University of Reading expected to cut jobs due to challenging financial times |last=Adams |first=Luke |website=Reading Chronicle |date=9 February 2019 |access-date=9 February 2019}}</ref>

In 2021, the university declared, in a statement reply to the student's union, that it would not refund tuition fees for its students.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reading.ac.uk/essentials/-/media/essentials/files/university-executive-board-reply-to-rusu-open-letter--19-january-2021.pdf |title=UEB Response to RUSU Open Letter |publisher=University of Reading |date=19 January 2021 |access-date=19 July 2022}}</ref>