University protest gets underway at Gloucester campus
Staff and students at the University of Gloucestershire will lobby its council today in a row over restructuring plans.The University and College Union (UCU) is demanding education bosses come clean over plans to axe jobs and merge faculties.
The demonstration at Oxtsalls campus in Gloucester got underway at 8.30am.
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Worried staff say they are being kept in the dark after senior management announced plans to restructure.
The restructuring proposals come on top of university plans to close campuses in Cheltenham and London and to cut up to 16 jobs at its Francis Close Hall site.
The Pittville campus in Cheltenham - currently home to the university's Faculty of Media, Art and Communications - will shut by the end of 2011 and the university is selling its London campus.
Gwen Chaney, UCU chair at the university, said: "The lobby has been organised to ensure that the University of Gloucestershire comes cleans with its restructuring plans. Staff have suffered enough recently with the campus closures and job losses. Both staff and students have a right to know exactly what is going on at their university.
"Rumours over job losses and faculty restructures do nothing for the university's reputation, the staff or the students.
"We fully understand some institutions are facing difficult times and that's why we're always available to work through any problems.The process needs to be open and transparent."
Paul Drake, executive director of external relations at the university, said: "We are consulting all members of staff, which includes UCU members, on plans to review the faculty structure.
"The continued UCU scaremongering is destructive, and represents the views of a small number of staff who seem intent on damaging the positive future we are mapping out."
9 Comments
by DemonBlueDays, Gloucester
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 2:37PM
“Well well well....what did we expect? Drake spins a web contradicts Prof Broadfoot and STILL wont smell what he's shovelling! Typical!
I'd extend an offer to meet, but that'll be spun around too...”
by Another anon Lecturer, Glos
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 1:47PM
“This article made me smile, especially on Paul Drakes comments. He comes across as though he is positive and looking after the welfare of all. If you have ever worked with Paul, very quickly, you will see that this isnt the case. One person commented about his "spin". I think Paul can teach NuLabour a thing or two about spin - almost to the stage of lying!”
by John, Glos City
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 11:54AM
“Here we go again.... cos they keep spreading like the walls keep spinning,
and they keep watching while the windows tinted, and they keep talking but we just don¿t listen to the rumours, rumours, ru rumours. No No I just heard what Mandelson said and that was no rumour so get a living sorted out because the university is pulling back. No more money in that there pot. I gave you the message weeks ago but you all called it Rubbish and Rumours. Oooor Arrrrrr - I Did.”
by Severn Bore, Gloucester
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 11:45AM
“Consult, consult, consult - there's too much jaw-flapping and not enough noses to the grindstone in this country. Why don't we let the bosses get on and do what they're paid to do which is make the decisions and we do what we're paid to do which is obey their instructions.
If you don't like your job or your employer, you know where the door is!”
by Anonymous like the rest of you!, In work where I should be
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 11:43AM
“As a member of staff NOT at this morning's protest I find all this high-grounded postulating from anonymous people amazing.”
by Concerned, Glos.
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 11:42AM
“Drake's comments are totally disrespectful towards the committed staff and students who are trying to protect a positive learning experience at the university, by asking to university to rethink the course it is taking, and to work together to prevent the disaster that will surely befall any educational institution which so compromises what lies at the very heart of its mission.”
by Offended lecturer, Cheltenham
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 11:23AM
“As a member of staff present at this morning's protest I find Paul Drakes comments defamatory and offensive.
I am not intent on damaging or destroying the good works of the University.
Personally, I am doing my best to help preserve the quality of teaching and the student experience.
I ask that Paul Drake retract his statement.”
by Healthy employment relations (former student&staff, Cheltenham
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 11:14AM
“It¿s so sad to witness the apparent deterioration of employment relations at the University through the management side working outside the spirit and letter of its formal agreements with its recognized trades unions, and its rather important ¿Avoidance of Redundancy¿ procedure brokered through ACAS. A previous ¿regime¿ understood the importance of not excluding the trades unions from its ¿plans¿, not only in respect of statutory requirements, but to honour partnership commitments made with the Governing Body some time ago. That commitment followed a rather turbulent period of reconfigurations, restructuring, course closures and redundancies. Is this history repeating itself ¿first as tragedy then as farce¿?”
by Anon Lecturer, Gloucester
Wednesday, January 27 2010, 10:00AM
“What Paul Drake doesn't mention is that there were no apparent plans to consult with staff about the faculty restructuring plan, until the plans were leaked and only then did management send out a letter asking for staff views. This letter gives less than a week for responses to be submitted.
More spin as usual from Paul Drake.
Staff don't necessarily want to be obstructive about these plans, but management need to consult properly and early.
Their plans for an "academic efficiency review" are still not transparent.”