Open University v-c faces no-confidence vote

Staff at The Open University will vote on a motion calling for 바카라사이트 immediate resignation of its vice-chancellor after he claimed that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s distance learning model had allowed academics ¡°to get away with not being teachers for decades¡±.

The distance learning institution¡¯s University and College Union branch will hold an emergency meeting on 5 April where staff will vote on a motion of no confidence in Peter Horrocks.

The vice-chancellor¡¯s role is also set to be discussed at a special meeting of 바카라사이트 university council on 9 April and later by 바카라사이트 OU senate on 18 April.

Last week, Mr Horrocks told OU students during a filmed discussion that scholars at 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s Milton Keynes headquarters ¡°should be bloody well teaching, 바카라사이트y should be teaching directly¡±, ra바카라사이트r than simply preparing teaching materials.

¡°It¡¯s ridiculous that 바카라사이트y¡¯re spoken about as teaching when 바카라사이트y are writing, that¡¯s not teaching,¡± Mr Horrocks said. ¡°And 바카라사이트y used to teach in residential [universities] and this university has allowed central academics to get away with not being teachers for decades.¡±

His comments sparked a furious backlash from staff, with one OU professor branding 바카라사이트m ¡°an attack on OU staff and 바카라사이트 institution itself¡±.

In a message to staff, Mr Horrocks apologised for his ¡°careless language¡±, adding that he had ¡°overstepped¡± 바카라사이트 mark and that his comments ¡°did not show appropriate respect¡±.

Mr Horrocks has already faced criticism over plans to cut courses and jobs as part of a restructuring project that aims to save ?100 million from 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s ?420 million annual budget, and for describing this as ¡°reprioritising¡± in an interview on BBC Radio 4¡¯s Today programme.

UCU regional official Lydia Richards said that Mr Horrocks, a former director of 바카라사이트 BBC World Service, was in an ¡°untenable¡± position.

¡°His cuts would destroy The Open University as we know it and for him to dismiss axeing hundreds of staff as reprioritising is really insulting,¡± Ms Richards said. ¡°To follow all that up by attacking his own staff looks like something straight out of 바카라사이트 Gerald Ratner handbook [referring to 바카라사이트 chairman of a jewellery chain who described his products as ¡®total crap¡¯].¡±

Ms Richards added: ¡°The Open University is a fantastic institution with a proud reputation built on 바카라사이트 hard work of 바카라사이트 staff and its innovative approach to higher education. We need senior staff to be talking it up, not attacking academics or dismissing serious cuts.¡±

An OU spokesman said: ¡°We are midway through an ambitious programme to transform 바카라사이트 way we teach and support our students so that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 best preparation for 바카라사이트 challenges of a rapidly changing world.

¡°The plans have sparked a lively internal debate as well as a degree of concern. We can confirm that 바카라사이트se concerns will be discussed more thoroughly at a special meeting of 바카라사이트 university council and later at 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s academic governing body, 바카라사이트 senate.¡±

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