¡®No confidence¡¯ vote over UCL provost¡¯s NHS role

A motion passed at a UCL Union ¡°emergency members¡¯ meeting¡± on 1 December says that ¡°in taking up 바카라사이트 position of NHS commissioning board chair, Malcolm Grant is complicit in 바카라사이트 carving up of 바카라사이트 NHS as a public service¡±.

The motion had previously been passed by 바카라사이트 union¡¯s council, which sent it on for wider approval at a members¡¯ meeting.

It argues that Professor Grant has ¡°a track record of actively undermining public services and public funding ¨C including education ¨C and has actively encouraged [tuition] fee rises behind closed doors¡±.

The no confidence motion, titled ¡°Hands off 바카라사이트 NHS, hands off our education: Malcolm Grant has got to go¡±, is now UCL Union¡¯s official policy.

Luke Durigan, UCL Union¡¯s education and campaigns officer, said it was 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 union had passed a motion of no confidence in a provost.

But 바카라사이트 motion will now go to an online ¡°referendum¡± of students, as some were shut out of 바카라사이트 meeting owing to limited capacity at 바카라사이트 venue.

The union¡¯s no confidence position could be overturned if a majority of students support Professor Grant in 바카라사이트 referendum.

A UCL spokesman said 바카라사이트 institution ¡°encourages vigorous debate¡±.

¡°We don¡¯t believe that this vote necessarily reflects majority opinion among 바카라사이트 student body at UCL ¨C many students were unable to get into 바카라사이트 meeting, and UCL Union¡­is now in 바카라사이트 process of organising a vote that will enable all students to express a view.¡±

In 바카라사이트 vote, 160 students voted no confidence in Professor Grant, 86 confidence and 28 abstained.

Professor Grant will work as NHS commissioning board chair for two days a week and give 바카라사이트 ?63,000 annual salary to UCL, while remaining in his UCL post on a full salary.

His UCL salary, benefits and pension contributions came to ?337,655 in 2010-11, according to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s accounts, down from ?365,131 바카라사이트 previous year.

The UCL Union motion says it is ¡°inappropriate for Grant to hold 바카라사이트 position of provost and 바카라사이트 position of NHS commissioning board chair, and that this is inconsistent with a full-time commitment to our university¡±.

The college¡¯s spokesman said that as ¡°an institution at 바카라사이트 forefront of UK medicine¡±, UCL must ¡°lead 바카라사이트 development and implementation of national healthcare policy¡±.

He added that Professor Grant¡¯s NHS role ¡°is part of our institution¡¯s national commitment and warmly supported by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s senior management team¡±.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com