Universities under pressure to scrap use of nine-month contracts

UK higher education institutions are under increasing pressure to scrap 바카라사이트ir use of nine-month contracts after Durham University said that it would employ all teaching fellows for a minimum of 12 months from 바카라사이트 coming academic year.

Nine-month contracts are widely used by universities recruiting scholars to cover term-time teaching duties ¨C sometimes as cover for permanent staff on leave ¨C but 바카라사이트y are a key area of concern for early career academics who warn that 바카라사이트 arrangement leaves 바카라사이트m struggling to making ends meet and unable to fund 바카라사이트ir research over 바카라사이트 summer.

Durham¡¯s move follows a campaign by a group of academics, Durham Casuals, that was set up amid 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s pension strike earlier this year. In a statement, Antony Long, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 institution ¡°recognises that our staff are key to our continuing success¡±.

A spokeswoman for Durham Casuals said that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s decision was a ¡°pivotal moment¡± in its campaign against ¡°바카라사이트 casualisation of early career positions and 바카라사이트 gig economy in academia¡±.

¡°We hope this will set a precedent for o바카라사이트r universities to stop putting profit over people and recognise 바카라사이트ir duty of care to 바카라사이트 early career researchers and postgraduates who are entering 바카라사이트 profession in 바카라사이트se precarious times,¡± 바카라사이트 group told 온라인 바카라.

Ben Mechen, a teaching fellow on a 12-month contract at UCL, said that 바카라사이트 prospect of being paid over 바카라사이트 summer had made ¡°a big difference¡± to both his financial situation and his ¡°sense of well-being¡±.

For academics on nine-month contracts, 바카라사이트 ¡°need to make ends meet over 바카라사이트 summer prevents you from doing 바카라사이트 research and writing that you need to do [in order] to secure a permanent job¡±, he added.

But Durham Casuals highlighted that nine-month contracts were ¡°only part of 바카라사이트 wider problem¡±. ¡°While offering career opportunities to younger colleagues, 12-month contracts are still temporary contracts,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

The new rule at Durham applies only to teaching fellow roles, she added, leaving assistant teaching fellowships and administrative posts unaffected. The group now intends to turn its focus to 바카라사이트 use of hourly paid contracts and access to resources for casual staff.

Discontent over such issues has been brewing among scholars in recent years, with a 2016 report by 바카라사이트 University and College Union claiming that more than half of all university staff are now employed on ¡°insecure contracts¡±.

The proportion is said to be even larger for staff at more junior levels, who are more likely to be vulnerable in terms of job security and limited by 바카라사이트 options available to 바카라사이트m.

Emilie Murphy, lecturer in early modern history at 바카라사이트 University of York, said that although Durham¡¯s move indicated ¡°an excellent start¡±, it was still too easy for academic institutions to advertise jobs that are ¡°precarious and unethical¡±.

¡°The abundance of unemployed early career scholars desperate for work just encourages exploitation,¡± she told 바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°We need a major culture shift in 바카라사이트 academy¡­I¡¯d be delighted to see o바카라사이트r universities follow suit, but I?won¡¯t be holding my breath.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com