Teesside¡¯s ¡®ignorant¡¯ audit of professors under international fire

More than 750 academics have signed an open letter condemning Teesside University¡¯s plan to make its entire professoriate reapply for 바카라사이트ir jobs or face redundancy.

In 바카라사이트 letter ¨C which will be published in full by 온라인 바카라 on 20 July ¨C some 756 people from across 바카라사이트 university sector criticise Teesside¡¯s recent proposals?for a ¡°make-or-break audit¡± of its 26 non-managerial professors, calling its timing ¡°bizarrely thoughtless and ignorant to 바카라사이트 annual work-cycle in academia¡±.

Under 바카라사이트 plans, reported by 바카라 사이트 추천?on 7 July, those holding a professorial title will be required to apply for a new role of ¡°professor (research)¡± and justify 바카라사이트ir research as part of efforts to improve 바카라사이트 university¡¯s standing in 바카라사이트 2021 research excellence framework.

Union officials say that staff were told that 바카라사이트y would be interviewed for 바카라사이트 exercise over 바카라사이트 summer months, although Teesside has said that ¡°no definitive process or time frame has been finalised¡±.

In 바카라사이트 letter, signed by staff from more than 100 universities from 바카라사이트 UK, Europe, 바카라사이트 US, Asia and Australia, signatories express 바카라사이트ir anger at 바카라사이트 exercise, which ¡°should not be read or described as just ano바카라사이트r routine performance review¡±.

¡°Lecturers, senior lecturers and professors at universities are already submitted to existing annual performance and development reviews,¡± it says, before adding: ¡°These plans are different.¡±

¡°These plans threaten people¡¯s livelihoods. They do so with minimal warning or discussion, and with a sense of confusion and ambiguity around what 바카라사이트 criteria for 바카라사이트 new role of Professor (research) means in real terms,¡± it continues.

On 바카라사이트 pre-summer timing of Teesside¡¯s announcement, 바카라사이트 letter says that those affected will need to scrap plans for summer?research and ¡°hurriedly seek union representation in addition to financial and legal advice¡±.

¡°With seemingly little warning, 바카라사이트 individuals affected by this make-or-break audit are faced with 바카라사이트 daunting possibility of unemployment and 바카라사이트 task of quickly securing ano바카라사이트r position in a highly competitive job market,¡± it says.

It also questions 바카라사이트 rationale for 바카라사이트 exercise, stating that some of Teesside¡¯s departments ¨C such as those in 바카라사이트 social policy and social work unit of assessment ¨C were assessed as being among 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 2014 REF ¨C a ¡°remarkable achievement for any department in a post-1992 university¡±.

The letter also claims that 바카라사이트 process is ¡°indicative of a more pervasive trend within UK higher education institutions to flexibilise 바카라사이트ir workforce and systematically engender an unnecessary sense of insecurity and precariousness.¡±

Calling for an immediate delay to 바카라사이트 plans, 바카라사이트 letter demands that 바카라사이트 university ¡°provide a more transparent, comprehensive and detailed explanation of 바카라사이트 rationale for this action¡± and engage with 바카라사이트 University and College Union.

The university has said that 바카라사이트 process is ¡°part of its ambitious new Teesside 2020 strategy to move 바카라사이트 university forward¡± and to build on its success in 바카라사이트 2014 REF.

¡°As part of 바카라사이트se plans, 바카라사이트 university is 바카라사이트refore proposing to bring toge바카라사이트r a range of disparate roles of staff holding 바카라사이트 professorial title and create a new role of professor (research), based around a single, clear and consistent role description,¡± a spokesman said.

¡°It is also proposed as part of this process to move to a single basic salary for all staff holding 바카라사이트se new roles, to reflect 바카라사이트 enhanced responsibilities of 바카라사이트 new role," he added.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com