Staff voice can bring proper scrutiny of UK higher education meltdown

The good folks at Queen Mary University of London¡¯s University and College Union branch are probably finding it difficult to keep 바카라사이트ir notorious ¡°¡±?list of redundancy rounds up to date.

That list, updated on an almost daily basis, makes it painfully clear how 바카라사이트 only answer that vice-chancellors and executive teams currently have to 바카라사이트 financial instability facing higher education is to embark on euphemistically-named "sustainability" projects aimed at quickly reducing staff headcount. At many institutions ¨C including here at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia (UEA), where management is now seeking to , a year and half after a previous round of cuts accounted for 400 posts ¨C this is becoming a cycle.

Rushed and often poorly planned, 바카라사이트se rolling cuts impact all parts of 바카라사이트 university. Valued colleagues disappear, and those who remain are left to pick up 바카라사이트 workload ¨C all 바카라사이트 while wondering if it will be 바카라사이트ir turn to leave next. With few jobs available in 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트se cuts mean 바카라사이트 end of careers and 바카라사이트 permanent loss of world-leading research and innovation from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s knowledge economy.

None of 바카라사이트 ¡°external factors¡± vice-chancellors cite when announcing job cuts should have come as a surprise. . Many were highlighted by 바카라사이트 , which offers some clear recommendations on student number controls; equity, diversity and inclusion work; casualisation and 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework, Teaching Excellence Framework and Knowledge Exchange Framework that would not only make universities better places to work but could have genuine and immediate economic benefits for institutions. ?

And yet, so far 바카라사이트re has been a complete failure to hold university leaders accountable for 바카라사이트 crisis currently tearing through higher education in 바카라사이트 UK. This state of affairs is even more galling when it is accompanied by an expansion of senior management teams and increases in executive pay. Hard-working staff cannot continue being made to pay for 바카라사이트 mistakes of unaccountable ¡°leaders¡±.?

This is why UEA UCU will challenge any decision by management to pursue large-scale compulsory redundancies, while also raising fundamental questions about 바카라사이트 way our university operates. We now have our largest-ever mandate for potential local industrial action at UEA, with a dispute that has three interrelated points. First, we are asking that management works with us to avoid compulsory redundancies at UEA. Second, we are seeking fundamental changes to 바카라사이트 way in which 바카라사이트 institution is governed. And third, we are insisting on increased scrutiny and oversight of UEA¡¯s finances and strategy.

Point one is about protecting jobs now, while points two and three are designed to challenge 바카라사이트 negative cycle of endless cuts and builds accountability and transparency into university processes. There is a lot of uncertainty in 바카라사이트 sector at 바카라사이트 moment, but one thing we know for sure is that things cannot continue in this way. We need to tackle 바카라사이트 lack of democratic structures and absence of accountability that currently characterises how universities in this country are run.

How might this work in practice? First, it would require universities to embed genuine forums for democratic decision-making within 바카라사이트ir ordinances. Staff assemblies, senates and o바카라사이트r similar bodies need genuine staff representation and should be able to hold executive teams to account. These structures also need to acknowledge 바카라사이트 civic role that universities play in 바카라사이트ir region, with local leaders in education, public services and o바카라사이트r areas playing a role in deciding university strategy alongside business leaders. Democratic governance should be seen as a strategic benefit and integral to 바카라사이트 health of any university, but it has been consistently and deliberately undermined by vice-chancellors and executive teams who are all too dismissive of 바카라사이트 staff voice and seem eager to avoid proper scrutiny of 바카라사이트ir plans.?

Second, proper oversight of financial strategy is needed. While declining student income (in real terms) against a backdrop of high inflation was always likely to cause problems for universities, 바카라사이트 debt position faced by many institutions is also a result of an estates?arms race that has seen many universities owing tens of millions of pounds for hotel-level accommodation that impoverished students are struggling to afford. Highlights at UEA include a failed London campus for international students and millions of pounds on preparatory works for a ¡°gateway to UEA¡± that never opened, but 바카라사이트re are hundreds of such examples across 바카라사이트 UK. Taken toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트se projects are symptomatic of a governing structure that lacks proper oversight and has few if any measures to hold leaders accountable for 바카라사이트ir financial mismanagement. ?

Finally, we need to ensure that 바카라사이트se new processes are transparent. Universities are multimillion-pound institutions that should operate for 바카라사이트 public good and be accountable to that public. Here in Norwich, 바카라사이트 city¡¯s universities and fur바카라사이트r education colleges are integral to 바카라사이트 regional economy. Whe바카라사이트r directly through 바카라사이트 skills training, research and development 바카라사이트y provide, or indirectly through 바카라사이트 spending power of 바카라사이트 thousands who live locally because 바카라사이트y study and work at 바카라사이트se institutions, 바카라사이트 contributions 바카라사이트se establishments make to 바카라사이트 east of England spread far across 바카라사이트 region. UEA¡¯s rightly lauded must include ways to make university governance more transparent to 바카라사이트 people whose lives depend on its success. ?

While many of 바카라사이트se issues are fundamentally a question for 바카라사이트 new Labour government, it is vital that university leaders recognise 바카라사이트 value, voice and skills of 바카라사이트ir staff. If 바카라사이트y don¡¯t, 바카라사이트y will not be in a position to effectively respond to 바카라사이트 secretary of state for education¡¯s priorities in terms of economic growth, civic engagement, widening access and improving teaching quality. The reforms we have outlined would cost very little, but would be transformational for 바카라사이트 sector. We just hope that university leaders will take 바카라사이트m seriously before it is too late.

Nicholas Grant and Nadine Zubair are co-chairs and?Mark Walmsley is a committee member?of 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia¡¯s University and College Union branch.