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Dear all, As a soon-to-be-made-redundant lecturer at London Metropolitan University, I'm glad to see that I can now keep myself financially afloat by legally moving into the arena of running an essay mill for students! More seriously, can I slightly abuse this list (to which I occasionally contribute) to draw to colleagues attention the fact that London Met is making redundant people with excellent teaching records and, indeed, teaching awards from their students. The UCU Branch Secretary (me) and Chair both fall into this category and are being made redundant. Their teaching is NOT being cut and will be carried on by existing staff and casualised staff. This is all despite the fact that management state - in their Annual Report no less - that excellent teaching is the institution's number one priority. The UCU Secretary, Sally Hunt, and the President, Liz Lawrence, have both put their names to this petition <https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/no-to-job-cuts-and-trade-union-victimisation-at-london-met/> and I invite you to do so too. Regards, David Dr David Hardman School of Psychology Course Leader: Psychology for Graduates (by Distance Learning) Fire Warden (School of Psychology) Secretary, London Met UCU / Health & Safety Officer On 3 May 2016 at 10:43, Janette Myers <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Just to let everyone know that the Advertising Standards Authority have > said that they can do nothing as providing this service is not illegal. If > the ad has not been removed I will contact TfL, and copy in the PM > programme, many thanks for the info and link > > Regards > > Janette > > > > *I work at SGUL Tues-Thurs* > > > > Dr Janette Myers SFHEA > > Senior Lecturer in Student Learning and Support, > > Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, > > 6th floor Hunter Wing, > > St George's, University of London > > Cranmer Terrace > > London > > SW17 0RE > > > > 020 8725 0616 > > > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [mailto: > [log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Marieke Guy > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 13:55 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > > > A link to the PM programme on Essay Mills for those interested: > > http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0770qv9 > > > > Marieke > > > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>] *On Behalf Of *Tim > Burton > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 12:29 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > > > Colleagues > > > > It may be helpful to say that QAA is currently exploring the issue of > these web sites, including whether they are subject to any regulation. > We’re also talking to UUK and NUS about the implications, especially in > terms of how students can be better protected. We are aiming to report next > month having looked at a range of sites and talked to stakeholders. > > > > In the case of the one cited – OKEssays – TfL received complaints about > this and they informed the BBC that they would be removing the adverts and > reviewing their policy. Listen to last Thursday’s PM programme for more on > this (item starts at about 40 mins into the programme) > > > > Another angle from the student perspective is if they are undertaking a > professionally accredited programme, especially one which leads to or > requires fitness to practise certification. The dishonesty element may > result in them being deemed unfit to practise. > > > > I hope this is useful > > > > Tim > > > > > > Dr Tim P Burton > > *Head of Standards, Quality and Enhancement* > > > > *Direct line* | +44 1452 55 7159 > > Email | [log in to unmask] > > > > > > The UK Quality Code for Higher Education is available at: > > www.qaa.ac.uk/qualitycode > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>] *On Behalf Of *Kim > Shahabudin > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 12:19 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > > > My suspicion is that using the essay would not necessarily count as fraud > (universities having their own laws) but any advantage gained by it outside > the university might (e.g. getting a place on a graduate training scheme, > acquiring professional status etc). Either way, it's the student rather > than the essay provider who is at fault. > > Like offshore tax schemes, immoral but not illegal... > > Kim > > > ------------------------------ > > Dr Kim Shahabudin, SFHEA, Study Adviser, Study Advice & Maths Support > > 1st Floor, University of Reading Library, Whiteknights, PO Box 223, > Reading, RG6 6AE > > ( 0118 378 4242/4614 : *MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt > from "www.owamail.reading.ac.uk" claiming to be* > www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice > <https://www.owamail.reading.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=35c5030ec6c94da8a7ae4b6785319761&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.reading.ac.uk%2fstudyadvice> > twitter: @unirdg_study > > Please note that I now work part-time and am not usually on campus on > Mondays. > ------------------------------ > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > [log in to unmask]] on behalf of LENT Neil [[log in to unmask]] > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 12:01 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > I guess it actually depends on what he law says and what would happen if a > case were carried forward. Having had a quick look at the interweb I wonder > if someone commissioned and used an essay from one of these services > whether it would count as fraud by misrepresentation (Fraud Act 2006)? > > > > Cheers, > > > > Neil > > > > Dr Neil Lent SFHEA > > Lecturer in University Learning and Teaching > > Institute for Academic Development University of Edinburgh > > 1 Morgan Lane > > Edinburgh > > EH8 8FP > > > > Tel: 0131 651 7199 > > Email: *[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>* > > > > www.ed.ac.uk/iad > > > > To join the IAD's learning and teaching mailing list: > > http://edin.ac/16Wtf6s > > > > Check out the learning and teaching team blog at: > > http://iad4learnteach.wordpress.com/ > > > > Or follow us on twitter @iad4learnteach > > > > The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, > with registration number SC005336. > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > > *From:* Louise Livesey [mailto:[log in to unmask] > <[log in to unmask]>] > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 11:28 > *To:* LENT Neil <[log in to unmask]>; [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* RE: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > > > It all depends on whether you think plagiarism is illegal or not – I would > guess there are few plagiarising students who have been accused of a crime > leading to arrest, and it *is* students we are considering here as > opposed to academic staff having their work ‘stolen’? If student plagiarism > is not a crime, ie Uni policies and procedures are such that students are > disciplined or expelled but not arrested, then this company’s services are > not illegal either. That doesn’t make it right, but isn’t it up to the > student, after being properly informed through induction, tutoring, etc, to > decide if they want to take the risk? We expect students to be independent > – let’s educate them as to the potential issues with such a company and > service, and leave them to it. > > > > Don’t get me wrong – I don’t like it either, but there’s lots of ads and > company practices I consider immoral without them being illegal – business > is business. > > Louise > > > > > > Louise Livesey > > HE Academy Associate Fellow > > Steering Group Member ALDinHE > > Academic Skills Adviser > > Academic Skills Advice > > University of Bradford > > BD7 1DP > > Phone: 01274 233692 > > Email: [log in to unmask] > > Web: www.bradford.ac.uk/academic-skills > > > > > > > > > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>] *On Behalf Of *LENT > Neil > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 11:14 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > > > I too have just looked at their site. I presume the blatant nature of > their advertising indicates that this practice is lawful? > > > > Cheers, > > > > Neil > > > > Dr Neil Lent SFHEA > > Lecturer in University Learning and Teaching > > Institute for Academic Development University of Edinburgh > > 1 Morgan Lane > > Edinburgh > > EH8 8FP > > > > Tel: 0131 651 7199 > > Email: *[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>* > > > > www.ed.ac.uk/iad > > > > To join the IAD's learning and teaching mailing list: > > http://edin.ac/16Wtf6s > > > > Check out the learning and teaching team blog at: > > http://iad4learnteach.wordpress.com/ > > > > Or follow us on twitter @iad4learnteach > > > > The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, > with registration number SC005336. > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>] *On Behalf Of *Kim > Shahabudin > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 11:09 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > > > Wow. Just looked at OKEssay's website. I was going to say that it's quite > difficult to get a complaint to stick against these people because they > usually claim that they're just providing models for students to learn from > and they expressly say that students should not submit other people's work > as their own. But OKEssay are quite astonishingly blatant about their > purpose. > > Scary stuff. > > Kim > > > ------------------------------ > > Dr Kim Shahabudin, SFHEA, Study Adviser, Study Advice & Maths Support > > 1st Floor, University of Reading Library, Whiteknights, PO Box 223, > Reading, RG6 6AE > > ( 0118 378 4242/4614 : *MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt > from "www.owamail.reading.ac.uk" claiming to be* > www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice > <https://www.owamail.reading.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=35c5030ec6c94da8a7ae4b6785319761&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.reading.ac.uk%2fstudyadvice> > twitter: @unirdg_study > > Please note that I now work part-time and am not usually on campus on > Mondays. > ------------------------------ > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > [log in to unmask]] on behalf of Heather Campbell [ > [log in to unmask]] > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 10:02 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: essay mills officially advertising on the London > Underground > > Hi Janette, > > > > There is an advert for OKessay at Stepney Green tube station and I know > that there has been talk on twitter among QMUL colleagues about putting in > a complaint to ASA. Seems like OKessay are targeting stations near > universities. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Heather > > > > Dr Heather Campbell > > Learning Development Assistant > > Learning Development, Student Services Directorate > > Mile End Library > > Queen Mary, University of London > > Mile End Road, London > > E1 4NS > > > > Tel: 020 7882 3778 > > Email: [log in to unmask] | [log in to unmask] > > > > www.learningdevelopment.qmul.ac.uk | www.thinkingwriting.qmul.ac.uk > > > > [image: twitter-2]@QMULLD <https://twitter.com/QMULLD> [image: > facebook] qmul.learning.development > <https://www.facebook.com/qmul.learning.development/> > > > > > > *From:* learning development in higher education network [ > mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>] *On Behalf Of *Janette > Myers > *Sent:* 27 April 2016 09:52 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* essay mills officially advertising on the London Underground > > > > Dear All > > I’ve been really shocked to see an essay mill, OKessay.co.uk officially > advertising on posters on the London Underground. We all know it happens > and have seen fly posters, but this seems to say it’s an acceptable thing > to do. I got a photo of one today at South Kensington and intend to report > it to the Advertising Standards Authority, they are near universities, > there’s one at Euston, so if you work at a London HEI have a look at your > nearest station. I know they measure the number of complaints, so wondered > if anyone else wanted to make a separate one, citing the one at South > Kensington, this is the link > https://www.asa.org.uk/Consumers/How-to-complain.aspx and whether ALDinHE > could complain as an association which would carry more weight? > > Regards > > Janette > > > > *I work at SGUL Tues-Thurs* > > > > Dr Janette Myers SFHEA > > Senior Lecturer in Student Learning and Support, > > Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, > > 6th floor Hunter Wing, > > St George's, University of London > > Cranmer Terrace > > London > > SW17 0RE > > > > 020 8725 0616 > > > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > > > ********** > Keep up to date with the work of QAA: > Read the latest news from QAA: www.qaa.ac.uk/newsroom > Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/qaatweets > Connect with us on LinkedIn: > www.linkedin.com/company/the-quality-assurance-agency-for-higher-education > Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/qaatube > See our photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/78322307@N08/ > > ********** > If you receive this message in error, please inform the sender and delete > the message. > All contents have been scanned by QAA, although this is not a guarantee > that they are virus free. > > The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education is a company limited by > guarantee. > Registered in England and Wales (No.3344784) > Registered office Southgate House, Southgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1UB. > Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786 > -- London Metropolitan University is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 974438 and VAT registered number GB 447 2190 51. 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