A Decade of Crisis – Dave Hitchcock
This longer read will chime with many working in academia. It outlines how we have got here and how it feels to have worked in academia for the past decade.
It is also a useful insight for those outside it into why so many universities are in trouble right now and why, dear reader, you should care.
Dave Hitchcock is a Senior Lecturer in early modern British history at Canterbury Christ Church University and wrote this for History Workshop.
Solidarity to branches fighting for jobs
Thousands of staff at campuses across the country are either in dispute and taking industrial action already or balloting to do so as a result of major cuts announced to staffing across the higher education sector over the last three or four months.
The Welsh and Scottish governments have announced modest support measures in recent weeks, but fundamentally the model for funding the training needs and research of the UK is broken. Government needs to act to Stop the Cuts.
Members can sign the UCU petition and find out more about the Stop the Cuts campaign here .
HE in Crisis
Aberystwyth UCU Branch notes with dismay, but not surprise, the recent news from Bangor University and the University of South Wales regarding proposed redundancies. This follows news of course closures and job cuts at Cardiff University, the closure of the Lampeter campus of UWTSD, and job cuts to Swansea University and Cardiff Metropolitan announced last year.
There is a crisis in higher education funding in Wales and the UK more widely. Everyone recognises the funding model is simply broken, and has been for a long time. Yet a sector that generates billions of pounds in value to Wales (through research, direct spend locally, and the higher average salaries of graduate students) also has institution after institution announcing financial deficits, job cuts and need for making savings. Each institution is different but all are embedded in a system that is just not working as it should. … …
Click here to read the full statement
@ucuaber.bsky.social – come on over
“This account doesn’t exist“. That’s what you will find if you go to our Twitter page.
It’s a pain, but we could not in good conscience continue to provide revenue support for the owners and abusers of the social media platform.
We are merrily locatable on BlueSky – @ucuaber.bsky.social – which is smaller but actually seems to have greater reach amongst the academic community, just without the extreme levels of racist, misogynist, homophobic, transphobic and generally shouty rhetoric that has come to characterise Twitter in its billionaire playground phase.
UCU UK elections 2024-25
The annual round of UCU UK Elections is underway, including for Vice President, Hon Treasurer, Trustees, regional and a number UK elected seats. Many will sit on Higher Education Committee which determines the decisions and actions taken by the union.
You will have had ballots through your post-boxes, along with election statements by each candidate.
More info >> here <<
Hustings event for Vice President* and Treasurer is on Wednesday 5th February – online – 4.30pm – 6pm.
* serves as chair of the Higher Education Committee and sector conference for two years, then becomes the union President and chair of the NEC.
The ballot closes on 3rd March, but why wait?
Cuts, cuts, cuts. Action needed urgently.
Aberystwyth UCU are shocked at the news of major cuts at Cardiff University and the impact on staff and students in Cardiff and more widely in Wales.
Marc Welsh, Acting President of Aberystwyth UCU said:
“Our branch sends full solidarity with colleagues and students affected by this decision by Cardiff University.
Universities are facing unprecedented financial challenges, with Cardiff the most recent example of what is happening across the country. Government intervention across the sector is urgently needed.
This is not just about the jobs of UCU members, the closure of courses (such as nursing) and the restriction of student opportunities, it is part of a bigger concern about the future of education, research and the skills that sustain Wales.”
/ends
The times they are a-changing’
For us
Gwaetha’r modd, mae ein Llywydd, John Gough, yn rhoi’r gorau i’r swydd honno, gan ildio’r awenau ar unwaith. Y newyddion da yw ei fod yn gwneud hynny am resymau personol cadarnhaol, ac fe ddymunwn bob hwyl iddo wrth iddo gychwyn ar ei rôl newydd. John Gough, has stepped down with immediate effect. The good news is John is stepping down as President for positive personal reasons and we wish him well as he navigates his new role.
Gyda John wrth y llyw, mae’r gangen a’i gweithgareddau wedi ffynnu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac mae ef wedi ein hebrwng drwy’r Cofid a thrwy gyfnod estynedig o weithredu diwydiannol. Mae hefyd wedi hwyluso cytundeb partneriaeth gymdeithasol llwyddiannus â’r rheolwyr.
Fel unigolyn, mae John hefyd wedi cefnogi (ac fe fydd yn dal i gefnogi) aelodau niferus fel gweithiwr achos, gan gynrychioli buddiannau aelodau mewn sawl fforwm, drwy’r Cynllun Cynaliadwyedd, achosion cwynion cyflogaeth, a’r tu hwnt. Mae bob amser wedi bod yn barod i sefyll yn ddi-ofn a di-dderbyn-wyneb wrth wasanaethu’r gangen.
Hoffem gymryd amser i ddiolch i John am ei gyfraniad enfawr i gangen Aberystwyth dros flynyddoedd lawer..
Er y bydd yn gollwng rhai o’r elfennau beunyddiol, fe fydd yn dal ati i wneud cyfraniad hanfodol a gwerthfawr i’r gangen yn y dyfodol.
Ar gyfer staff y brifysgol
Gwnaeth y neges ddiweddar i’r staff oddi wrth yr Is-Ganghellor amlinellu sefyllfa ariannol heriol o hyd yn y Brifysgol, lle bydd ‘newidiadau’ pellach i staffio, strwythurau a buddsoddi yn cael eu cyhoeddi ac yn destun ymgynghori yn y misoedd nesaf.
Fydd hynny ddim yn synnu’r rhan fwyaf o staff, ond bydd llawer ohonom yn teimlo’n ansicr ac yn poeni am:
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• eu cydweithwyr
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• rheoli eu llwyth gwaith a chadw cydbwysedd iach rhwng gwaith a bywyd drwy gyfnod cyfnewidiol
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• sicrhau bod pawb yn cael eu trin yn gyfartal a theg.
Mae negodwyr UCU yn parhau â’u trafodaethau â’r uwch reolwyr ac ar y cyfan maent yn cydnabod bod y berthynas honno’n dangos awydd – ac ymdrech – i fod yn agored ac i weithio mewn partneriaeth. Ond efallai y bydd y flwyddyn nesaf yn fwy heriol.
Wrth i ni wynebu 2025 fe fydd angen cefnogaeth a chyfraniadau ein haelodau er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gofyn y cwestiynau iawn, yn gweld y problemau iawn, yn gwneud y tybiaethau iawn, ac yn cymryd y camau iawn.
Os nad oes gan eich adran gynrychiolydd, meddyliwch am wirfoddoli! use your departmental reps as a conduit for doing this. If your department does not have one – consider volunteering!
Marc Welsh
Aberystwyth UCU Vice President