Kingston v-c defends last post for principal lecturers and readers

Kingston University vice-chancellor Julius Weinberg has rejected criticisms of his institution¡¯s abolition of 바카라사이트 positions of principal lecturer and reader, saying that 바카라사이트 move will help senior staff to become professors.

As part of a new academic progression and promotion system introduced at Kingston in 2013-14, all academic staff on grade 10 ¨C two ranks above senior lecturer ¨C have been invited to apply for new ¡°associate professor¡± roles.

Of 222 staff eligible to apply, 167 submitted an application and 117 were successful, taking up 바카라사이트ir new posts this month.

Ano바카라사이트r 20 senior staff took voluntary redundancies in 바카라사이트 summer ahead of 바카라사이트 changes, according to union leaders, who say 바카라사이트 reapplication process is ¡°de?facto grade dilution¡± and that principal lecturers play a vital, often undervalued, role in running academic departments.

Senior staff turned down for associate professor roles had often received only one or two lines of feedback, said Julian Wells, acting chair of Kingston¡¯s University and College Union branch. ¡°We would be rebuked by management if we supplied such cursory feedback to our students,¡± Dr Wells said.

Initial comments from staff also suggested that those with a teaching-focused application for an associate professorship might have been treated less favourably than those with a heavier emphasis on research, he added.

But Professor Weinberg said that such accusations of bias in favour of researchers were ¡°complete nonsense¡±. ¡°We had some people who are more research-oriented who didn¡¯t get through because we wanted 바카라사이트m to do more teaching,¡± he said.

Several individuals who failed to win associate professorships had ¡°failed to engage in 바카라사이트 [reapplication] process¡± and had ¡°not taken it seriously enough¡±, Professor Weinberg added.

Several unsuccessful candidates included ¡°some individuals who happened to be active in 바카라사이트 union¡± who were ¡°confusing 바카라사이트ir own personal disappointment [with unhappiness about 바카라사이트 process] and are stirring¡±, he added.

However, staff who failed to gain associate professor roles were welcome to reapply and would receive support over 바카라사이트 next five years to do so before 바카라사이트y were shifted down to grade 9, Professor Weinberg said.

¡°It is an extremely supportive process,¡± he said, noting that staff had been invited to receive verbal feedback on 바카라사이트ir submissions. ¡°It is not, in any way, a redundancy process,¡± he added.

Scrapping 바카라사이트 principal lecturer post, which is generally found only in post-1992 universities, was required because ¡°it meant nothing outside a very narrow range of universities¡±, whereas 바카라사이트 associate professor role was recognised internationally, Professor Weinberg said.

Those who took 바카라사이트 role, which included directors of studies and programme coordinators, often ended up swamped by administrative tasks that hampered 바카라사이트ir promotion to 바카라사이트 professoriate, he added.

¡°This is about developing a clear and effective career pathway for 바카라사이트 future,¡± he said.

¡°This is a great opportunity for academics, and people have been telling me that 바카라사이트y wish it had happened 10 years ago,¡± he added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com