Monday 10 March 2008

The Full Monty effect


It's always sad to say goodbye to people, and last Friday was no exception - Malcolm has worked here for 30 years and will be sadly missed. I think we gave him a good send off - I had a hangover on Saturday morning so we must have done. There's many people in the department who've been here 30 years or more - several reach their 30 years this year. We were debating why this is so - why do so many people choose to stay in Sheffield, and stay at the the University? I can only speak for myself. I came here many years ago to be a student, and I've never left - I'll clock up my 30 years working at the University in 2 years time. I've never been anywhere where I've wanted to live more than Sheffield - I like the City, the people and the Peak District on the doorstep. The University has been good to me as my employer, and my family, friends and social life are all here. We have one of the highest retention rates of students in the country after graduation, so they must think the same way. The Full Monty was on Film4 last night, and I stayed up to watch it - instead of the early night I'd promised myself. I love the film, but some research shows that it was partially responsible for a downturn in the perception of Sheffield - The Full Monty Effect as it's become known - portraying Sheffield as a dirty, run down City inhabited by unemployed steelworkers. Market research on prospective student applicants, has shown that this is still the view that some people have - especially the further south you go!

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