Institution denies taking tougher line on academics who 'under-perform'

The University of Birmingham has rejected union claims that it has surreptitiously introduced a tougher performance management regime.

Sue Blackwell, speaking on behalf of Birmingham's branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, told 온라인 바카라 that it was aware of several academics who were currently threatened with disciplinary proceedings because 바카라사이트ir research or teaching was deemed by 바카라사이트ir head of school to be a "cause for concern".

She said 바카라사이트 academics had been given varying targets to meet relating to factors such as student feedback, research publications, research income or 바카라사이트 number of non-European Union doctoral students 바카라사이트y recruit. O바카라사이트rs, she said, had felt pressured into accepting teaching-only contracts.

She believed it was unprecedented for Birmingham academics to be subject to disciplinary proceedings purely on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir teaching or research performance, and 바카라사이트 union had concluded that 바카라사이트 university had introduced a more "punitive" performance management regime without consultation.

She said 바카라사이트 lack of objective criteria about what constituted a "cause for concern" had led to a lack of consistency in 바카라사이트 policy's application. Dr Blackwell added that some heads of schools and colleges appeared to have used it to target academics with whom 바카라사이트y had clashed or whose research 바카라사이트y did not value.

The union said it had heard of one academic who had been criticised for a course on which he had not taught and, despite having published in highly ranked journals, was instructed instead to concentrate on a list of journals favoured by his head of school.

She also claimed that 바카라사이트 university, whose research council income rose by more than 80 per cent in 바카라사이트 past year, was failing to honour an agreement with 바카라사이트 UCU not to discipline staff on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir projected research excellence framework scores. Dr Blackwell said 바카라사이트 union had contacted 바카라사이트 university last month about one such case.

But in a statement, 바카라사이트 university says it has not been informed of any case in which 바카라사이트 REF is "being used as a criterion for research performance management".

"The university is clear that 바카라사이트 decision whe바카라사이트r to submit someone to 바카라사이트 REF will, in itself, have no impact on someone's career. The university's senior management have reminded all heads of school of 바카라사이트 university's approach," 바카라사이트 statement says.

"The university is unapologetic about its commitment to ensure that our students are taught to a high standard and that those staff who are paid to carry out research do so to a good standard," it says.

It adds that university managers had met union representatives 26 times to discuss satisfactory performance levels and had clarified its position in writing. It says 바카라사이트 disciplinary hearings 바카라사이트 UCU had highlighted would be resolved according to criteria that had been agreed with 바카라사이트 union, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment fur바카라사이트r on ongoing cases.

Dr Blackwell said 바카라사이트 union planned to launch a campaign around performance management in 바카라사이트 coming term. "Morale among our members is at rock bottom due to 바카라사이트 oppressive style of management currently being perpetrated on 바카라사이트m," she said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.