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Dear Germanists, Many thanks for the numerous comments that reached me off-list on the topic of the problematic maternity leave regulations. Pól Ó Dochartaigh and I have compiled the comments in one document and sent it as joined letter of AGS and WIGS - hopefully to some avail. Please remember that the consultation period lasts until 5 October and take the opportunity to feed back comments to your institution. All the best, see you in Leeds! Henrike From: WIGS-FORUM [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marven, Lyn Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 9:44 PM Dear colleagues, as you will know, HEFCE is currently consulting on the latest REF document. Under the proposals, researchers who take less than 14 months maternity leave will still normally have to produce 4 items for submission (see: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/pubs/2011/03_11/03_11.pdf para. 49 onwards and specifically para. 61 onwards; table 3 sets out the 14 month period where reduction may not be made) or otherwise ask individually for 'complex circumstances' to be taken into account if applicable. This is out of line with standard allowances made elsewhere (see the LSE Impact blog's piece on http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2011/09/09/unclear-ref-punish-academics-maternity-leaves/) and, of course, a substantially longer period than most institutions allow as maternity leave (indeed even two periods of maternity leave within the REF period might still equate to less than 14 months of leave). WIGS will write a response to the consultation setting out our response to these proposals: if you have any comments that you would like to add, please send them directly to Henrike on [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> as soon as possible. Please do also take the opportunity to feed back any comments to your own institutions. The consultation period lasts until 5 October. To HEFCE re:REF 03.2011 Dear colleague, Please find attached a response to the consultation on draft panel criteria, particularly on point 2 (circumstances for reducing the number of pieces submitted). Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh Prof. Henrike Lähnemann President, Association for German Studies (AGS) President, Women in German Studies (WIGS) Prof. Henrike Lähnemann Chair of German Studies<http://ncl.ac.uk/sml/german> * President of Women in German Studies WIGS<http://www.wigs.ac.uk/> School of Modern Languages, Newcastle University, GB - NE1 7RU Newcastle upon Tyne Room: OLB 6.23, Tel.: 0044 191 2227513, email<mailto:[log in to unmask]>