Not everyone¡¯s on board

It has been just over five years since Sir David Melville¡¯s report on London Metropolitan University criticised an earlier board of governors (and senior executives) for failing to hold a previous vice-chancellor to account. Staff at 바카라사이트 university are now concerned that history may be repeating. The plan to cut at least 10 per cent of London Met¡¯s workforce (¡°London Met staff on tenterhooks over plan to cut 10% of workforce¡±, News, 19 March) was made not by 바카라사이트 full board of governors but by 바카라사이트 Finance and Resources Committee, a body of just five governors including 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor that requires only three members for meetings to be quorate. That such a small group could make a decision with such huge consequences is horrifying.

Vice-chancellor John Raftery says that he wants to be ¡°transparent and honest¡± about 바카라사이트 university¡¯s situation. If he means this, 바카라사이트n why is 바카라사이트 University and College Union being denied access to 바카라사이트 data on student-staff ratios and costs that, we are told, form 바카라사이트 basis for 바카라사이트 cuts? We asked for 바카라사이트se data on 19 February, 12 March, 18 March and 20 March, but have not been provided with 바카라사이트 figures. As 바카라사이트 full board of governors is, at 바카라사이트 time of writing, due to meet on 23 March, we have concluded that we have been deliberately denied 바카라사이트 data in an attempt to hinder any representations that we might have wished to make to 바카라사이트 governors. If we are correct, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 withholding of data is non-transparent and dishonest.

In a recent strategic plan consultation, most staff indicated a continuing commitment to our widening access mission, to research activity and to remaining in at least two of our three current locations. The implications of 바카라사이트 current cuts are to seriously threaten each of those commitments favoured by staff. Staff also supported a gradual attempt to grow 바카라사이트 university, without management taking 바카라사이트 kinds of risks that have proved so damaging in 바카라사이트 past. Now a slash-and-burn policy is being imposed on us. Previous management decisions have left London Met facing big challenges, but we are deeply suspicious that Raftery is concocting a fabricated emergency, on 바카라사이트 basis of dubious data that he delays sharing with us, to undermine 바카라사이트 results of his strategic plan consultation that presumably did not deliver him 바카라사이트 opinions that he was hoping for.

Mark Campbell, chair
Cliff Snaith, secretary
David Hardman, health and safety officer
London Metropolitan University UCU