Northumbria University is undergoing a restructuring process very few academics buy into. We’ve seen eight schools merged into four faculties, new departments formed and support services decimated. The Department of Geography (formerly Geography and Environment – a name we were told we couldn’t keep despite unanimous support from staff) is now in the Faculty of Engineering and Environment. Last year we were in the School of Build and Natural Environment, and three years ago we were in the School of Applied Sciences.
As part of this process the Faculty’s new Executive Dean has undertaken a review of research centres and come to conclusion the Sustainable Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Disaster and Development Centre (DDC), and Participatory Evaluation
and Appraisal Newcastle upon Tyne (Peanut – established by the late Duncan Fuller) will close. This has put seven people’s jobs at risk.
The decision is shortsighted, unfair, and potentially illegal. The Northumbria UCU passed a motion against this action based on a number of concerns:
1 – these centres are doing useful work, provide essential research capacity and given their remits it is shortsighted to close them. Who needs to research cities or disasters, it isn’t like they are important. And participatory methods,
what do they bring to research!?
2 – the review methodology was flawed. It ignored the fact the research associates involved do significant amounts of teaching, instead concentrating on the research income they have brought in and the profitability of the centres.
3 – the methodology was rejected by the staff involved as it did not reflect the realities of their work. They produced a detailed account of what they actually do; an account more detailed than the review undertaken by Faculty management.
This was rejected out of hand and the original decisionstood.
4 – previous School management provided little or no guidance on the future of the centres, and at least one of the seven hasn’t had an appraisal for three years.
5 – after negotiations with the UCU, the Faculty created one research fellow post which the seven people in question could apply for on a competitive basis. Essentially the most ‘REFable’ person wins. Peanut was offered the chance to make
a business case to remain.
6 – no severance package was offered until threats of industrial action were raised. At 16.36 on Friday 22nd March, all staff concerned were send a letter offering voluntary severance if they left by 31st March (effectively
28th March given UK bank holidays) – yep, that is 6 days. If they don’t take voluntary severance they have the option to take a lesser package of voluntary redundancy by the end of April, or wait until the end of July and be given an even lower
package of compulsory redundancy.
The way these valued colleagues have been treated is appalling, and reflects the Vice Chancellor’s ‘Vision 2025’. His neo-liberal vision for the University is divisive and regressive. We’re being asked to increase the amount and quality of
research we do, maintain or increase teaching quality, all with fewer staff and less support.
We’ve set up a petition for anyone who wants to show their support: http://tinyurl.com/csafr6l
You can also contact the Executive Dean directly: [log in to unmask]
Please circulate to others who may be interested.
Thanks
Jon, on behalf of colleagues at Northumbria University.