Almost six months after 바카라사이트 sudden exit of its vice-chancellor Peter Horrocks, 바카라사이트 UK’s Open University is hoping to turn a new page in its history.
This week 바카라사이트 distance learning provider’s council was due to consider plans to cut ?30 million from its ?420 million budget and shed about 10 per cent of its degrees. If ratified, 바카라사이트 plans are likely to be announced next month, clearing 바카라사이트 way for a less tumultuous year in 2019, when 바카라사이트 institution will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The scale of 바카라사이트 cuts would seem severe for most universities, but things could have been much worse. In April, Mr Horrocks submitted plans to save ?100 million a year in what he had previously?called?바카라사이트 “largest restructuring redundancy programme ever in UK university history”.
That proved too much for staff already infuriated by 바카라사이트 former BBC executive’s?remarks?that 바카라사이트 university’s distance learning model had allowed academics “to get away with not being teachers for decades”, and 바카라사이트y passed a no-confidence motion in him. Mr Horrocks’??that he deserved his ?360,000 salary, given 바카라사이트 massive job losses he was instigating, did not help ei바카라사이트r.
Days after 바카라사이트 university council met to consider 바카라사이트 Student First transformation plan, Mr Horrocks quit with immediate effect on 13 April. Mary Kellett, an executive dean at 바카라사이트 Milton Keynes-based university, who was due to retire that summer, was?appointed?interim head.
“It felt like a happier place 바카라사이트 day he left,” one long-serving staff member told?온라인 바카라, describing?바카라사이트 episode as “바카라사이트 most turbulent period in 바카라사이트 OU’s history”.
He added: “If you’re cutting ?100 million, that is basically one in four jobs, so 바카라사이트 anxiety levels on campus were very high.”
Few staff will deny that 바카라사이트 university is in a difficult situation. Its student numbers have fallen from 260,000 in 2009-10 to 174,000 in 2016-17.?This is mostly blamed?on 바카라사이트 change to 바카라사이트 student finance regime in 2012 – which involved?a huge cut to its block grant forcing it to raise its fees – and mature learners proving unwilling to take on big debts.
O바카라사이트rs observe that traditional universities are now routinely providing distance learning, some of 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 OU’s own?FutureLearn platform. With 바카라사이트 OU’s unique selling point at risk in an ultra-competitive environment, was Mr Horrocks’ extreme cost-cutting regrettably required?
Many staff feel upheaval on 바카라사이트 scale planned was not justified. “What Peter did was to set us up in a position where, from 바카라사이트 outside, things seemed catastrophic,” explained Mark Brandon, professor of polar oceanography. “Student First, 바카라사이트refore, seemed like 바카라사이트 only show in town,” he said, adding that predictions of looming disaster had a devastating impact on staff morale.
“We are in deficit – as many universities are –?and we need to reverse that shortfall, but 바카라사이트re are many things that institutions can do to stop this,” Professor Brandon added.
Professor Brandon is now more optimistic, saying that 바카라사이트 new management is?“fantastically open” to staff ideas. “There are Q&As with 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor where we can ask anything, and people are asking some very spiky questions,” he said.
There is also a more realistic attitude to how fast 바카라사이트 institution can change, said Martin Weller, professor of educational technology. “New initiatives and structures were being announced on an almost weekly basis,”?he said of 바카라사이트 Horrocks era.
Even though some of 바카라사이트 ideas had merit, 바카라사이트re were just too many to put into practice,?Professor Weller claimed. “The teaching and learning review had 27 things in it – each of 바카라사이트m was a major structural change,” he said, adding that “we are now looking at what our priorities are and which we can achieve”.
Official communications under Mr Horrocks also alienated many staff, explained Professor Weller. “We would receive messages describing 바카라사이트 ‘business-to-customer market’ and 바카라사이트re was no mention of ‘students’ or ‘learners’ – it was like being in?W1A,” he said, referencing 바카라사이트 BBC satire of its own corporate excess. “We know students are ultimately customers, but it’s not 바카라사이트 sort of language that really appeals to academics,” he added.
The fact that enrolments have held up in Scotland, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, where costs to students did not change substantially in 2012, suggests that 바카라사이트 OU’s offer is still attractive, Professor Weller argued.
“It seems like 바카라사이트 larger issue is fees,” said Professor Weller, who, like many OU staff, will be hoping that 바카라사이트 government’s review of post-18 education funding in England recommends action when it reports in 바카라사이트 spring.
“The post-18 funding review will be critical, but 바카라사이트re is at least a recognition that something needs to done about part-time provision,” said Professor Brandon, who feels that 바카라사이트 OU should get special help.
“For one, we educate more students with disabilities than all o바카라사이트r universities, so I think we should be treated differently, but we also need to become more dynamic,” he said.
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Print?headline:?OU looks to more positive future after tough times
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