Simon Mills

My first thought is that this might discourage Universities making academics redundant if it might impact on students experience of teaching. My second thought is it will likely just lead to programmes and teams being cut if they’re perceived to be poorly taught or might be.

Universities Are Heading A Financial Crisis Like The 2008 Crash, Warns Union BossBoss The head of the University and College Union, Jo Grady, has warned that universities face a financial calamity similar to the 2008 banking crisis, ...

Vice-chancellors and successive governments have created a crisis in higher education.

We’re balloting to save it.

Our GS @drjogrady.bsky.social in @politicshome.bsky.social 👇

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Stewart Lee: The thugs have taken my flag. So I’ve taken theirs What do you do with a lot of cheap banners hanging from motorway bridges once you’ve torn them down?

🔗 Read the full piece

www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le...

Amazingly one sided perspective.

I found Polanski’s defence of Mothan Ali excruciating and unconvincing. He really is trying to ride two horses at once.

Not sure if I have this right but you’re finding it shocking Jews don’t want to be involved with a movement which has a significant proportion of anti-semites in its ranks.

Burnham will be in charge for the next election and that will be a different proposition.

And yet UCU are mainly focussed on deciding whether to strike for pay.

The common sense meaning should make this Elon Musk's "rivers of blood" moment

Though I think he goes further than Enoch Powell in a couple of important ways

Property prices due to plummet in Bexhill-on-sea.

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A photo of people at a rally with signs that say "UCU says NO compulsory redundancies"

Today was the last day at the University for so many of our colleagues taking voluntary redundancy, with even more leaving in October.

We appreciate all of you and will miss you dearly. We will continue to fight so that others aren't forced into making the same difficult choice

The absence of any coherent response can only mean that, in some way that is incomprehensible, the government has decided that it benefits most from saying nothing.

Everybody Left?

Universities in England at risk of long-term decline, says British Academy Outgoing president Dame Julia Black calls on ministers to overhaul their ‘confused’ approach to higher education

'She rejected the view that humanities and social sciences were less useful...than some other subjects, such as maths and science, describing them as “absolutely essential . . . both to living a full and prosperous life but also to addressing many of the challenges we face”.'

Only a day to wait before we find out if this happens!

Ok. I’ll have to read up on them. Thanks.

Is that the origin of Logan Ward in Harborough?

If universities sink, then so will Starmer Some Labour figures believe Britain has too many unis. But if they start failing, local economies – and Starmer’s re-election prospects – will go with them

“If universities start to fail, it will be disastrous for Labour MPs and their constituents. It would be the modern equivalent of the factory closure, or the end of the pit.

“And despite how some Labour MPs seem to imagine their voters, it would be Labour’s core supporters who were most affected.”

This is so wrong on so many levels.

First, it will restrict access for the working class kids that want to go to university. When the doors close, they close to their constituents first.

This is appalling coming from Labour. Where’s the promotion of social mobility in this? The way things are going they’ll soon get their wish. A post-92 I’m aware of is aiming to get into the apprenticeship market. Others are now very likely to shrink significantly. It’s a war on the working class.

Thanks for this is. As someone under threat of redundancy I recognise all of this. I would also add a general despair that the government knows this loss of professional jobs is happening and willingly ignoring it. Managerialism reigns supreme.

The Guardian view on campus cuts: academics pay a high price for Westminster’s mistakes | Editorial Editorial: The government should not stand aloof as a crisis unfolds in our universities. A new settlement is needed

Correct: “the dysfunctional marketisation of higher education [..]is at the root of today’s financial black hole”.

One change that should be introduced yesterday is to drastically cap the % universities are allowed to spend on private consultants who are draining the sector of money and skill

On the contrary. I think we’ve got wires crossed or I just misunderstood you. I’m seeing a lot of restructuring and hence lots of admin posts lost.

Are you in US? My context is UK academia, which is undoubtedly different.

Well a certain level of administrative staff are certainly being made redundant. Mainly those who do good work overseeing the daily running of programmes.

But the UK is busy making its own academics redundant.

Oh she’s back again is she? The grift that keeps on giving.

The crisis in Higher Education is biting hard. Thousands are at risk of losing their jobs across the sector. Please sign and share this open letter calling on the Secretary of State for Education to act.