A picture of the book cover. It is green with white writing
Look what came in the post! Really happy to see @hilarypotterphd.bsky.social's book in the flesh! Hilary gave me some great advice when I was turning my thesis into a book so it's wonderful that others will be able to benefit from her expertise!
There's something really freeing about returning all the library books I've been hoarding at the end of a project (or when I've decided not to continue with something). I'll probably need to go and get most of them back in 6 months but I'm free for now!
'The petition, launched by the University and College Union (UCU) branch at Heriot-Watt University, is in response to plans to cut a third of staff from the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies (LINCS).'
11 staff and both German and Chinese language would go. 1/2
Today's think piece seems designed to pit ECRs against mid-career colleagues but really, as Dr Davies points out, the sector is in freefall. All of us are in danger!
ON STRIKE again this week - the university administration wants to take £100,000 out of my pension because they're bad at math and undercosted their construction plans -I stand with my colleagues in @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social, not asking for more just to keep what we've been promised.
Big strike week ahead. Imagine if we win!
Raises some important issues but also ignores the fact that many Humanities staff outside the magic circle are facing redundancy. They are naturally willing, indeed desperate, to apply for entry-level Oxbridge posts. The situation is grim. 1/2
good morning, happy monday! later this week, we will be escalating strike action. since the last wave, management has not shown that alternatives to CR are taken seriously or provided a clear rationale for current cuts (aside from: ‘we need to save’ — which we all agree on, the question is HOW?)
The VC has planned to cut 400 jobs, close the Southend campus, demolish the Essex Pathways (foundation year) department, and decimate other departments like language & linguistics, maths & stats and business.
She met us for an all-staff meeting on Thursday. It was... fascinating! Let's fact-check.
'Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at the University of Edinburgh are to begin strike action following management's plans for £140 million in cuts and up to 1,800 job losses.' 1/2
Oh no, please sign. My PhD was within the same school and so many talented people in this group. We're losing too much in this crisis and need governments to step up.
🚨 FIFTH consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨
🔥 Two week ballot window
🔥 75% turnout
🔥 73% YES to strike action
🔥 81% YES to ASOS
Our members will not tolerate victimisation and won’t be intimidated.
UCU staff are not the enemy. It’s beyond time for the GS to talk to us.
#HandsOffMarie
A screenshot of an article from ResearchProfessional News with the headline "Nottingham cuts 'theatre status as research-intensive university'"
A screenshot of an article from the BBC with the headline "Unions pass no confidence vote in university bosses'"
A screenshot of an article from NottinghamshireLive with the headline "'Breakdown of trust' at University of Nottingham as Vice Chancellor told to quit'"
Hey! We're in the news again! And if the University believes that all press is good press, they're nailing it.
In February 1941, there was a general strike across Holland as Dutch people stood up in protest against a series of Nazi pogroms and arrests of Dutch Jews in Amsterdam.
The strike was organised by the banned Communist Party and approximately 300,000 people joined the strike...
Job losses at UK research-intensive universities double in two years.
Exclusive: Scale of redundancies branded a “disaster”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
9,600 redundancies at just 24 universities. Imagine what the picture is for the sector as a whole. This is the other half of the student loan scandal picture, which has been national news lately. Nothing at all from the government on a key sector effectively in freefall…
In an unprecedented move, one reflective of the deeply unprecedented times at our university, UoN branches of three different unions (@UCU.org.uk, @unisonorg.uk, and Unite) have all successfully passed motions of no confidence in the Vice Chancellor and the entire executive board.
The European Social Science History Conference CfP is now live. Anyone thinking of going/putting together a panel? It's in Lyon! esshc.iisg.amsterdam/en
Bild von einem Polizeiaufgebot bei einem SA-Aufmarsch zur "Horst-Wessel-Feier" der NSDAP im Januar 1933 vor dem Karl-Liebknecht-Haus mit leninistischen Bannern. Die Polizisten haben Gewehre aneinander gelehnt im Schnee aufgestellt und stehen vor ihren Wagen. Im Hintergrund das Karl-Liebknecht-Haus. Nachweis von Wiki commons folgt.
Am 23. Februar 1933 wurde das Karl-Liebknecht-Haus endgültig von der Polizei besetzt.
Bald darauf wurde die ehemalige KPD-Zentrale nach Horst Wessel benannt und über mehrere Monate von der SA genutzt: Oppositionelle wurden verhört und gefoltert.
Polizeiaufgebot bei einem SA-Aufmarsch, Januar 1933.
"Provincialising Weimar Culture" is out! @nwbaer.bsky.social, Britta Schilling and I edited a special issue for German Life and Letters on "local and global perspectives on interwar Germany": onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14680483....
The problem at its heart is "an oversupply of graduates relative to the numbers of well-paid professional jobs in the economy. Elsewhere in the world, robust increases in the population of graduates have been matched by skilled job creation."
Jo Grady’s first election manifesto where she says she wants the GS to be more accountable to members
Staff aren’t allowed to say they’re on strike.
UCU members aren’t allowed to mention it to strike-breaking staff.
Regional committees can’t talk about it.
The NEC can’t talk about it.
Congress can talk about it but motions are declared out of order.
Is this the accountability Jo was meaning?
The students 'win' £14 million because the law firm is pocketing 35%. There were 6500 students in this case, so that's about £2,000 each. Worth it for kicking #UKHE even further in crisis?
Abominable law firm. Frustrating UCL didn't resist as WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ALTERNATIVE COVID TEACHING?
Jointly with the Chair of W+IGS and the President of the GLA, the President of the AGS, @pdavies.bsky.social, has sent a letter to the Principal of Heriot-Watt University opposing proposed staff cuts to the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies and threats to close German and Chinese.
Smiles and sunny dispositions at the @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social picket lines despite the freezing cold, and the threat of a pay freeze from @northumbriauni.bsky.social management...
'In an emergency briefing sent to all members, the University and College Union (UCU) branch at Oxford has warned that the university’s college-based system and use of emeritus professorships may be putting female colleagues at risk.' 1/2
@ucunorthumbria.bsky.social SAY (to students and staff alike!): DON'T LET BOSSES #TAKEYOURTOMORROW
have to say im enjoying the university messaging that im not allowed to tell students that seminars are cancelled due to strikes because theyve got them covered but also if i dont make them up on demand ill be in breach of contract! makes sense eh @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social
Yes and my peer reviewers complain every time
This is a thread about UCU & what it has become over the last few years. But the first thing I want to say is I didn’t join a union to stay silent or turn my back on a single parent of three facing dismissal on the basis of their trade union activities. Marie Monaghan is the Unite UCU 1/12
