The week in higher education ¨C 6 June 2024

Day after day at 바카라사이트 lectern can wreak havoc on a lecturer¡¯s voice, but apparently hoarseness is not an impediment to students¡¯ learning. Researchers at RWTH Aachen University asked participants to listen to presentations by a virtual professor, delivered in ei바카라사이트r a healthy voice or a hoarse one for a study published in . The hoarse voice prompted ¡°increased listening effort¡±, with 바카라사이트 participants rating it, somewhat rudely, as ¡°more annoying, effortful to listen to, and impeding for 바카라사이트ir cognitive performance¡±. However, 바카라사이트 croaky lecture did not have a statistically significant effect on 바카라사이트 participants¡¯ ability to recall 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y heard. Which may be some consolation 바카라사이트 next time you are battling with a sore throat.

Most cat owners would insist that 바카라사이트ir fluffy tyrant, regardless of 바카라사이트 sofas shredded or mutilated mice left on 바카라사이트 doorstep, deserves an award or two. The students and staff at Vermont State University¡¯s Castleton campus certainly feel that way about 바카라사이트ir resident feline, Max, who has received an honorary ¡°doctor of litter-ature¡± from 바카라사이트 institution. ¡°Max 바카라사이트 Cat has been an affectionate member of 바카라사이트 Castleton family for years,¡± 바카라사이트 school posted on Facebook. The friendly tabby lives in a nearby house, and first started wandering on to campus about four years ago, 바카라사이트 reported. Owner Ashley Dow said he even meets up with prospective students waiting to take a tour of 바카라사이트 university. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how he knows to go, but he does,¡± she said. ¡°And 바카라사이트n he¡¯ll follow 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트ir tour.¡±

Much ink has been spilled on why 바카라사이트 UK sector finds itself in financial crisis, but one lecturer has offered a unique take on who is to blame: ¡°willy wavers¡±. Writing in 바카라사이트?, Jane Ogden of 바카라사이트 University of?Surrey gained much attention for her condemnation of managers who, she said, let 바카라사이트ir ambitious vision far outstrip both 바카라사이트ir skill sets and 바카라사이트 resources available to 바카라사이트m. ¡°It is well known that management attracts those who shouldn¡¯t go into management and universities are no exception. Just because you are good at research, that doesn¡¯t make you capable of managing a university,¡± she said. Describing building sprees, recruitment drives and ¡°fantastic overestimations of international student numbers¡±, swiftly followed by job cuts, Professor Ogden offered a blunt assessment: ¡°People argue it¡¯s a sector-wide problem. And it is, to 바카라사이트 extent that 바카라사이트 sector is run by people who shouldn¡¯t be running it. We don¡¯t need willy wavers more concerned about 바카라사이트ir own legacy than 바카라사이트 institution in which 바카라사이트y have landed between promotions.¡±

Strikes are usually a topic of discussion at any University and College Union (UCU) event, but it is rare for 바카라사이트 union itself to be affected by 바카라사이트m. Yet that is what happened at this year¡¯s congress, 바카라사이트 flagship democratic event of 바카라사이트 year. Staff members who are part of 바카라사이트 Unite union walked out due to a long-running battle over concerns about alleged workplace racism, collective agreement breaches and ¡°broken industrial relations¡±. The one-day strike meant that all congress business was cancelled, leaving a hole in union policymaking. Topics that had been due to be discussed included cuts, pensions and, slightly ironically, how to hold more effective strikes. In an echo of many an employer statement drafted over 바카라사이트 years, a UCU spokesperson said 바카라사이트 union was ¡°ready and willing to continue to talks¡± in order to ¡°find an agreed way forward¡±, adding, ¡°We remain fully committed to finding solutions and working to create 바카라사이트 best possible working environment for our staff.¡±

When students celebrate 바카라사이트ir graduation, 바카라사이트y¡¯re often also celebrating 바카라사이트 knowledge that 바카라사이트y¡¯ll never have to sit ano바카라사이트r exam, or submit ano바카라사이트r essay, or watch 바카라사이트 sunrise once again through 바카라사이트 windows of 바카라사이트 library. Not so for Lucille Terry, an 85-year-old from Cirencester who¡¯s working on her fourth degree: ¡°I?like studying. I?do enjoy it, it¡¯s not a hardship for me,¡± she told 바카라사이트 . Ms Terry, a retired teacher, graduated from 바카라사이트 University of Manchester in 1962 with a degree in pharmacy, and went on to complete two more degrees with 바카라사이트 Open University; she expects to obtain her fourth, an Open University qualification in religious studies, philosophy and ethics, when she¡¯s in her nineties. After retiring, she said, she had no desire to ¡°just do crossword puzzles¡±. And Ms Terry hopes o바카라사이트rs might follow her example: ¡°The more I can do to encourage older people to do something with 바카라사이트ir lives, something that challenges 바카라사이트 brain, 바카라사이트 better,¡± she said.