I am attaching a file of rather depressing news, but with some suggestions
for action. Please cross-post this message on any linguistics-related
lists you belong to.
Thanks,
Sue Blackwell
School of English,
The University of Birmingham,
Edgbaston,
BIRMINGHAM B15 2TT
Phone: +44 - 0121-414-3219
Fax: +44 - 0121-414-5668
e-mail: S.A.Blackwell@bham.ac.uk *** please note change of address! ***
DRASTIC CUTS AT COBUILD! *** please circulate ***
We and our colleagues at Birmingham were shocked to learn that
HarperCollins is reducing its Cobuild staff from 18 to 4, thereby
making 14 people redundant.
Cobuild was set up in 1980 as a joint project between
HarperCollins and the University of Birmingham under the
leadership of Professor John Sinclair. Since then it has
established an international reputation for excellence and
innovation in the field of computational lexicography and the
young academic discipline of corpus linguistics.
Cobuild has published a wide range of award-winning ELT
dictionaries, reference books and CD-ROMS, including the
bestselling Cobuild English Dictionary, which have given
invaluable assistance to millions of teachers and learners of
English all over the world.
Cobuild's impact in the field of lexicography is reflected in the
adoption of its corpus-based methodology, not only by other EFL
publishers but also by the makers of native-speaker and bilingual
dictionaries. Cobuild has created a unique language resource in
its Bank of English, which is distributed on-line to its
subscribers.
Cobuild's impact on the academic world is evidenced by the
numbers of distinguished researchers, teachers and
educationalists who have visited its Birmingham centre and made
use of its data and methodology in their research, publications
and pedagogic practice. Cobuild is also noted for its
participation in several national and international projects,
its representation at academic and professional conferences and
its contributions to scholarly journals.
On Tuesday 8th July 1997 HarperCollins announced to its Cobuild
staff that in order to "streamline its operation at the
University of Birmingham", 14 of the 18 full-time staff were
being made redundant on one month's notice. As well as the
distress and hardship caused to the individuals affected, this
must place a question mark over the future viability of the
project and jeopardise its potential contribution to the
lexicographic and academic community.
If you share our shock and dismay at this regrettable turn of
events, please send messages of protest to:
1. Eddie Bell,
Executive Chairman and Publisher,
HarperCollins Publishers (UK) Ltd.,
77-85 Fulham Palace Road,
Hammersmith,
LONDON W6 8JB Fax +44 (0)181-307-4440
As far as we know, Eddie Bell is the individual responsible for
the decision to axe 14 staff. Please urge him to reconsider.
You are also welcome to protest to Anthea Disney (Chief Executive
of HarperCollins) and Rupert Murdoch (NewsCorp Chief Executive)
if you can find their addresses!
2. Prof. Maxwell Irvine,
Vice-Chancellor and Principal,
The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston,
BIRMINGHAM B15 2TT
Fax +44 (0)121-414-4534
The Vice-Chancellor has a seat on the Board of Cobuild, and as such has
some influence with HarperCollins. Please urge him to do whatever he can
to save jobs at Cobuild.
Thank you for your support.
Sue Blackwell and Willem Meijs (personal capacity),
School of English,
The University of Birmingham