So the Health & Safety manager came to talk to us about workplace stress.
The suggestions about prioritising work, time blocking etc were pretty offensive.
But the suggestion that we couldn’t have an excessive workload because we could only work our contracted hours was breathtaking #UCU #UKHE
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
The @houseofcommons.parliament.uk returns from the summer recess tomorrow and what a time to be alive for constitution anoraks:
Monday - general debate on Scottish #devolution
Tuesday - 2nd Reading of English devolution Bill
Thursday - consideration of Lords amendments to the Hereditary Peers Bill
Although that does go both ways. I spent my years as a councillor pushing for greater engagement with our local unis & certainly when Prof Lady Sue Black was PVC Community Engagement at Lancaster I had a willing partner.
#UKHE
"New accusations from lecturers’ union in Lancaster University job cuts row" share.google/PbQ6AxmLCnip...
This has always been one of the arguments for the #CivicUniversity. We need every university to bring it’s community with it. We should have the support of every MP with a campus in their constituency & if we don’t our VC’s have been doing something wrong.
#UKHE #HigherEd
At Cumbria the aim is for those taking voluntary severance to leave in week 6 of semester. The deadline for expressions of interest is Welcome Week.
I don't see how that doesn't have a negative impact on students in classrooms where folk leave on very short timelines.
Solidarity @annadixonmp.bsky.social I'm not sure it brings any comfort, but they do this because they don't think they can win the argument another way.
“Children have a human right to a quality education that equips them for effective participation in a strong democracy — not one that simply shapes them into cogs for the economic machine.” — Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn.
Just for perspective, a few weeks ago roughly 100,000 turned up for the London Trans+ Pride march. By contrast fewer than 3,000 ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTRY, have turned up to anti-asylum "protests". Yet we are meant to take the latter as "the voice of the people" and the former as "the minority".
As we mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, we honour those who endured unimaginable suffering.
Our city’s streets must tell the full story of our history so that we can all learn from it.
Solidarity @annadixonmp.bsky.social. No one should be subject to threats of violence for doing their job.
Threats of violence against women do not happen within a vacuum. They happen within a system of oppression that continues to try and control women.
#EndThePatriarchy.
#EVAW #WomenLeaders
young girl reading at the library
The LGA is seeking evidence on the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF). Local authorities are invited to submit case studies or join a focus group on the programme’s future.
Submit before 15/09⏳⬇️
www.local.gov.uk/topics/child...
This is a snapshot of a Google search return. The question shown is 'Who are the current members of the Shadow Cabinet?" The AI Overview says, "The Conservative Party's interim shadow cabinet has not yet been fully formed or made public" and goes on to say that a new leader following Rishi Sunak's election defeat has not been chosen. Under the heading of "Key Personnel", it then goes on to say that "Current Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has not yet announced a complete shadow cabinet".
Remember, when they told you AI sometimes struggles with rapidly changing information - ta dah! #AIfails
This image will be great for discussions on #AI use with my students. It's a reasonable question to ask the internet & the info returned should make you look for a better source.
#UKHE
Today is gender pension gap day - marking the point in the year when women would stop receiving any form of pension if it was paid out at the same rate as men.
According to @tuc.org.uk the income gap between men & women in retirement was 36.5%, equivalent to a shortfall of £7,600 a year on average.
The idea that we should see this as 'business as usual' really hurts. Should we expect to see fewer and fewer permanent contracts because they really want to be able to review staffing every year.
A white symbol for gender equality sits on a red background. Text at the bottom of the image reads "Devolving Equality. Egad 1: When does a police operation board of no arrests?"
New on my substack - Egads! When does a police operation boast of no arrests? For the answer - read on substack.com/@drericalewis
Adopt a party strategy at the local, national, regional and international levels and corresponding national action plans on parity in all spheres and at all levels of decision-making.....
General recommendation No. 40 (2024) from the #CEDAW committee on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems may be my new favourite thing.
www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bo...
#DevolvingEquality #WomensLeadership
The text highlighted is from the FAQ - what is the rationale for the staffing changes - "these changes comes as part of your institue's business planning process", "we have to balance financial pressures (felt across the sector) with our requirements to ensure that we can deliver long term financial sustainability" and "adjust our staffing costs in line with changes to student demands".
The University of Cumbria has joined the list of universities shedding staff. But, Cumbria isn't saying it's about a budget blackhole but
"part of your institute's business planning processes, to align resources with strategic priorities"
So this might be an annual thing? #UCU #UKHE
A with an image and text. Text is in the caption. The image shows people delivering letters to 10 Downing Street.
📢 Could you be our new chief executive?
We are seeking a permanent Chief Executive to join JRCT. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a long-established social justice funder, and to directly support those working for a more just and equitable future.
micro.green-park.co.uk/jrct/
Interesting @theguardian.com story about the govt trying to replicate the success of Blair's London Challenge to raise school standards outside London www.theguardian.com/education/20...
What were they doing printing in the hotel on a public printer? How hard is it these days to BYO or do your printing on base or I don’t know, go digital!
And if Facebook is serving ads for me to do an undergrad degree at various places - it seems not very well targeted. I already have three, plus a masters & a PhD.
I believe that every UK university has some strange quirk, building or asset that is entirely unique. In today's evidence I present the cold war nuclear bunker on the University of Reading campus. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Region_...
I recently spent some time looking for the 'equalities team' in a large upper-tier council. I couldn't find it. So what happens after devolution - could we discover that some strategic authorities have no equalities analysis capacity? #DevolvingEquality
New blog: As trust in government wanes, devolution must empower citizens & their neighbourhoods. Without tackling deep-rooted inequalities with real local powers & investment, initiatives like the Plan for Neighbourhoods may fall short.
www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/making-...
The English devolution bill marks a major shift in how England is governed, with more powers for mayors & local areas—but concerns remain over accountability & local voice.
@alwalker.bsky.social explores this big moment for the governance of England.
www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/english...
if that frees up central government local government funding for areas that can't levy a tourist tax and need a more funding to meet community needs, that would be an interesting discussion.
