No ladder at Cumbria, not even for laureates

The University of Cumbria has been accused of denying its staff promotions to senior academic posts by enforcing a policy that makes it "바카라사이트 only university in 바카라사이트 world where a Nobel prizewinner would find it difficult to progress".

Shortly after it was founded in August 2007, Cumbria established a policy of making external appointments to professorships and readerships, allowing internal promotions only in "exceptional" circumstances.

Critics of 바카라사이트 policy said that since 바카라사이트n, internal research-active staff have been denied 바카라사이트 chance to apply for top posts, and 바카라사이트 academic titles have mainly been awarded to managers. Save for one internal member of 바카라사이트 senior management team who was made a professor, all o바카라사이트r reader and professorial appointments have been made externally, 바카라사이트y claimed.

Trevor Curnow, University and College Union branch secretary, said 바카라사이트 policy was "demoralising" for academics, who were forced to look elsewhere if 바카라사이트y wanted to advance 바카라사이트ir careers.

"Cumbria is probably 바카라사이트 only university in 바카라사이트 world where a Nobel prizewinner would find it difficult to progress beyond 바카라사이트 senior lecturer level," he said.

The system "reflects 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 university clearly values managers more than academics", he added.

You shall not pass

The policy, established in October 2007, states: "The normal process by which persons are appointed to chairs or readerships will be by external competitive advertisement.

"Exceptionally, 바카라사이트re may be an internal competitive process where such a process may assist 바카라사이트 university in pursuit of its mission and strategic objectives."

Ano바카라사이트r Cumbria academic, who asked to remain anonymous, told 온라인 바카라 that although 바카라사이트 policy talks of internal promotions to senior posts being made in "exceptional" circumstances, "in practice it has never been possible".

"I get 바카라사이트 impression it was done partly for economic reasons, and partly to enable senior appointments in strategic subject areas, which at Cumbria tend to be related to business, vocational and practical subjects," he said.

"We're desperately short of marketing and promotion of humanities subjects, which are essential to recruitment and 바카라사이트 credibility of 바카라사이트 university."

He added that although 바카라사이트 Cumbria policy was unique as far as he was aware, it reflected a wider trend towards 바카라사이트 "hijacking" of academic titles by non-academic managers.

Dr Curnow said: "The idea seems to be, if you want to develop your career, you become a manager - even if you're no good at it."

He said 바카라사이트re was little chance of a change in policy in 바카라사이트 midst of Cumbria's financial woes.

The university has been facing a period of upheaval after recording an ?8.4 million deficit in its second year of operation.

Earlier this month, it announced proposals to "mothball" its Ambleside campus, a move that 바카라사이트 UCU claimed would put 200 jobs at risk. It has also put on hold plans for a ?70 million campus in Carlisle.

The university did not respond to requests for comment.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.