Exeter musicians fight to keep department

Musicians at Exeter University are fighting to save their department. They are working on an emergency action plan to tackle a £22,000 deficit and improve practice and performance facilities, which an internal report said are so poor that the quality of provision is suffering.

The report, from the university's business-plan review group, calls for the music department to be closed as soon as possible. But academics dispute the figures and argue that the review group's recommendations are in danger of becoming a "self-fulfilling prophecy" with some key staff and students already transferring to other universities.

Chris McCulloch, head of the school of drama and music, said that closure of music was an option, but others would be considered in a paper to be presented to the university's academic policy committee on February 13.