UCU defends LSE protections

Source: Alamy

At a crossroads: UCU claims that reforms will take 바카라사이트 LSE in 바카라사이트 wrong direction

London School of Economics staff have hit out at moves to alter rules that 바카라사이트y say safeguard academic freedom at 바카라사이트 institution.

The LSE has put forward plans to reform 바카라사이트 ¡°academic annex¡±, which outlines employment procedures for all academics and researchers, including what happens in 바카라사이트 event of disciplinary action, redundancy or dismissal.

However, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s University and College Union branch has argued that 바카라사이트 plans amount to 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 annex, which it says was introduced to provide ¡°mild employment protections for academic freedom¡± in light of 바카라사이트 end of formal tenure in 1988.

In a statement to members, 바카라사이트 branch claimed that extra protection was vital at 바카라사이트 LSE because ¡°social sciences are especially vulnerable with regard to academic freedom because of [바카라사이트] proliferation of competing paradigms, differences in method and 바카라사이트ir tendency to challenge prevailing economic, social and political orthodoxies¡±.

¡°Removing 바카라사이트 safety frame from a high performance racing car and replacing it with that of a conventional family car is unlikely to make it safer,¡± 바카라사이트 UCU adds.

However, 바카라사이트 LSE claimed that 바카라사이트 annex required modernisation because 바카라사이트 rules ¡°not only contravene best practice, but also employment law¡±. It said 바카라사이트 changes would not increase job insecurity or undermine academic freedom.

Measures to address what 바카라사이트 LSE calls ¡°cumbersome¡± and ¡°unhelpful¡± procedures have been particularly criticised, with 바카라사이트 UCU insisting, for example, that independent legal experts should continue to play a major part in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s performance management and dismissal proceedings. Devolving such work to heads of department and human resources would be unwelcome, 바카라사이트 UCU added.

It also said that 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s plans to alter procedures to prevent formal grievance hearings were misguided.

¡°The adversarial nature of proceedings is inherent in any attempt to deprive an individual of his or her livelihood,¡± 바카라사이트 statement argues.

While 바카라사이트 union branch is willing to discuss reform of 바카라사이트 annex, it said it will not countenance 바카라사이트 ¡°replacement of what is¡­fair by what is convenient for management¡±.

The row follows similar uproar at University College London, which is seeking to update its statute 18 - a similar clause to 바카라사이트 LSE annex.

An LSE spokesman said 바카라사이트 plans would ensure its staff ¡°have 바카라사이트 freedom within 바카라사이트 law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing 바카라사이트mselves in jeopardy of losing 바카라사이트ir jobs or privileges¡±.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com