UCU University of Gloucestershire Branch

Have chatbots killed the student essay? This year’s marking season has confirmed for many academics that, less than three years since the launch of ChatGPT, AI use by students has become so rife that their submitted writing is no longer a r...

“If an expert is somebody who knows a lot about very little, AI is the opposite, engaging with academic literature only superficially while falling over itself to show you the breadth of its knowledge. The result is 1,500 words of grammatically impeccable mediocrity”
#AcademicSky #EduSky #AI

UCU Commons a UCU Commons is a broad activist community working within and alongside the University and College Union (UCU)

UCU Commons
ucucommons.org

About the UCU Solidarity Movement The UCU Solidarity Movement, formed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on higher education, rallied members for actions against job and wage threats. The movement demanded more pro…

UCU Solidarity Movement
ucusolidaritymovement.org/about/

A purple trestle table with hot pink ucu bats, stickers and posters saying “on strike today”

We are out picketing this week to fight the threat of redundancies. Come find us on the picket line Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

UK HE shrinking This is a live page of all the redundancies, restructures, reorganisations, and closures taking place across the sector at the moment. Solidarity to all. This sector is vital to the country’s…

“Happy” anniversary to The List. A year of this webpage mapping, watching managers cut jobs & departments to meet local KPIs while transforming the shape of higher education & research across the country. And government enabling this.

Sign the Petition Prevent the destruction of the trees and green space of The Park Campus

Area of Park Campus to be sold for development. Sign petition:
www.change.org/p/prevent-th...

I’ve had quite a few conversations with colleagues from other UK universities recently, and they all start ‘how is the redundancy situation at your institution?’ without fail. We are all just waiting for the inevitable & everyone is anxious

A statement from Durham UCU on the University refusing to allow us to nominate an external expert to review (under appropriate non-disclosure guarantees) the financial circumstances which we are told necessitate twenty million pound's worth of cuts to staffing.

durhamucu.org.uk/durham-ucu-s...

A Decade of Crisis The UK's universities are in crisis. Dave Hitchcock on how the sector became 'broken' and why it must be understood as an interdependent system.

A Decade of Crisis
www.historyworkshop.org.uk/education/a-....

Spotted on campus this morning. Thanks to the person who posted this.

Incredible sights on the @newcastleucu.bsky.social picket line this morning.

We will fight tooth and nail to protect jobs. The whole union is behind you.

Solidarity ✊

A very helpful thread pulling together what the crisis in #UKHE looks like. Redundancies are the tip of the iceberg.
#SaveHE

Solidarity with our Brunel University members on strike today.

Brilliant to see everyone out in force fighting against job cuts ✊

The whole union is behind you.

Staff voice can bring proper scrutiny of UK higher education meltdown More transparent and democratic decision-making within UK universities could have helped institutions avoid the financial mistakes that are now resulting in mass redundancies, argue Nicholas Grant and...

University leaders have pushed the sector to the brink

Our members can help rebuild it but universities need to start making decisions democratically & transparently

Excellent piece from @uea-ucu.bsky.social who have won their largest ever mandate for strike action.

This afternoon, @ucu.org.uk informed the Vice Chancellor that we will be formally balloting for local industrial action at @sheffielduni.bsky.social in relation to proposed cuts to the staffing budget and the threats to staff jobs due to restructuring.

Motion to HEC: Focus on Defending Jobs and Reforming UK HE Two UCU Commons HEC members are bringing the following motion to the special HEC meeting on Wednesday 19th February. We are looking for UCU members in HE to add their names in support of the motion…

I've locked myself out of Commons Bsky, but in the meantime, here's an open letter for UCU members in HE to sign in support of a motion we're bringing to the meeting on Weds 19th which calls for a focus on defending jobs, reforming HE, & calling off a national ballot.

ucucommons.org/2025/02/13/m...

Newcastle University staff vote to strike Staff at Newcastle University overwhelmingly backed strike action in defence of jobs.

📢 @newcastleucu.bsky.social vote YES to strike action🚨

"Our members have overwhelmingly backed strike action because they refuse to allow their colleagues to pay the price for management's failure to budget effectively." 🗣️ @drjogrady.bsky.social ✊

UCU election hustings 2025 Watch the official UCU hustings with UCU vice-president (HE) and honorary treasurer candidates, which took place online on Wednesday 5 February 2025, 16:30-18:00.

A recording of Wednesday's hustings for UCU VP and Treasurer candidates are now up online. I'd recommend watching, especially if you are undecided:

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1389...

YouTube video by UCU - University and College Union Baroness Jacqui Smith Answers Your Questions | Education Minister Interview with Jo Grady | UCU

🚨 Our interview with Skills Minister, Jacqui Smith is now live 🚨

Don't miss hearing your questions answered ✊

Watch here 👇

Find out more about our campaign 👉 www.ucu.org.uk/ReclaimHE#JS

youtu.be/zLDL4YDE47M

Stakes are high if university funding crisis continues Disputes at Newcastle and Sunderland universities are a warning sign. It’s time to invest in higher education.

"A different approach is possible."

The lack of creativity & unwillingness to consider other ways of organising #UKHE in places like UUK has been as damaging as the 'Tory legacy' everything gets blamed on. Good to see @the-tuc.bsky.social call for better.

Strike ballot to open at Newcastle University over the impact of £35m cuts Over 1.000 UCU members will be balloted for strike action at Newcastle University later this month over £35m in cuts management is slashing from the university's budget.

Strike ballot at Newcastle University 🚨

£35m of cuts have left our members suffering.

Staff should not pay the price for management’s financial mismanagement.

Threat of 400 job cuts puts pressure on uni boss as strike action looms University staff could strike unless reassurances over job cuts are given by its vice-chancellor as pressure mounts on him and other senior managers.

New dispute at Canterbury Christ Church UCU 👇

"a ballot for strike action is an option we may reluctantly be forced to consider, if the employer is not prepared to resolve the current industrial dispute through collective consultation"

Keir Starmer must stop pandering to the hard-right on immigration.

Our statement 👇

16 days in 16 ways 16 days of activism against gender based violence is an international campaign that organises at all levels, including the United Nations, Governments, NGOs and trade unions.

We're supporting the 16 days in 16 ways campaign for 16 days of activism against gender based violence.

We will be using this period to focus on our priorities and suggest 16 ways in which branches and members can get involved.

Find our more 👇

By refusing to understand the gravity of the situation in UK Higher education, politicians are encouraging it to continue, at speed. Expect multiple big cuts and redundancy announcements per week in the run up to Christmas.

Risk of compulsory redundancies as 170 staff face axe at UEA Announcement follows the departure of 400 staff members last year as efforts to close budget black hole continue

😕 Here we go again. timeshighereducation.com/news/deeply-...
📢 Follow us for updates about the ongoing situation at UEA. #SaveUEA #UCU
🦋 Please share this post with followers, to let them we're now also on Bluesky.
💪 UEA UCU Branch Meeting this morning at 10am. Check your inboxes for full details.

It's time to have your say. Please vote in the consultative ballot opening 12th November

A new Substack post from us, encouraging all eligible UCU members to vote in the consultative ballot that opened on Tuesday. Have your say on the final offer from UCEA in respect of the 2024/25 HE pay negotiation round. Please share with your friends & colleagues!

open.substack.com/pub/ucucommo...