Dear colleague, UCU’s education committee has been undertaking research into the current status of, and protection for, academic freedom in UK higher education, with a view to making a report to the UCU congress in 2017. We have been working with Professor Terence Karran (University of Lincoln) on this issue, including a survey of members’ personal experience regarding the protection
[continue reading…]
Like UCU, NUS has a long standing policy of raising concerns about the NSS both in terms of its positioning of students as passive customers and in its use for internal performance management. UCU and NUS have agreed that our branches and local unions should seek to reach a joint position on the campaign locally
[continue reading…]
The University of Stirling is part of the first tranche of universities to adopt the Scholarly Copyright Licence. This licence will allow researchers to use and distribute his or her publications even when these works remain under publishers’ embargo. The UCU Executive has been briefed on the details of this scheme and has no objection
[continue reading…]
Dear colleague, This is your final chance to sign up for the Cradle to Grave conference on 11 February between 10:00am and 3:00pm in central London. Tickets are free to members but the deadline for applications is tomorrow, 16 December. You can apply for your ticket here. Following the vote to leave the European Union
[continue reading…]
Glasgow Campaign for Refugees Please see the link below for a festive crowdfund appeal to buy toys and gifts for refugee children: https://www.youcaring.com/glasgowcampaigntowelcomerefugees-691858
MMU’s board of governors has said the university’s site in Crewe is not financially sustainable and staff and students now fear management plan to close the campus. Please sign our petition calling on the university to work with unions to secure a sustainable future for the site.
If you require assistance with a matter concerning your ability to continue to live and work in the UK please contact legalservices@ucu.org.uk or see our guide for EEA and non-EEA nationals here.
The government’s controversial proposals for higher education went to the House of Lords recently and you can read our briefing outlining the union’s concerns on privatisation and deregulation here. Many peers have a relationship with universities and you can help scrap the HE Bill by writing to them and linking to our briefing. Dear colleague
[continue reading…]
If you have read about the new leave arrangements on the University website, http://www.stir.ac.uk/hr-od/workingatstirling/annualleave/ and felt unsure how to interpret the rather complex information, the following is the response from our UCU Stirling Branch Secretary, Joe Smith: “The answer as far as I can understand is that full time permanent staff will experience no change
[continue reading…]
At its meeting on 14 October, the union’s higher education committee (HEC) discussed UCEA’s imposed 1.1% pay award and the final offer of future joint work on casualisation and the gender pay gap. The HEC heard a report summarising the feedback from the consultation with branches and discussed the union’s response. After discussion and debate,
[continue reading…]