Over the past few weeks, the leadership of the University of Sussex, in England, has faced a barrage of criticism from scientists, media and linkurl:politicians;http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/23404/ over plans to linkurl:reshape its chemistry department;http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/23404/ in favor of biological chemistry. The planned restructuring, widely seen as the brainchild of vice chancellor Alasdair Smith, was denigrated by a Nobel Laureate, protested against by students and ripped to shreds by members of the House of Commons. The good news for everyone, then, is that the university's council agreed today to support a plan that will see chemistry surviving--albeit as part of a departmental merger with biochemistry. The decision is not surprising in iteself, and had been linkurl:trailed;http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/23404/ by the University last week. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the whole thing is that Smith has turned into the plan's biggest supporter. In a press release on Friday, he said: "I have always made clear...
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