Wow. Simultaneously being put at risk of redundancy and my new modules being abolished, while also being asked to put forward those same modules for TEF and Accessibility case studies. The sheer nerve.

So, @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social did a survey: www.ucu-unn.org.uk/news/335-str... @ucu.org.uk @uculeft.bsky.social @ucucommons.org @tuc.org.uk @tucneyh.bsky.social @hsegovuk.bsky.social @timeshighered.bsky.social @21group.bsky.social @ukhenews.bsky.social @ucea.bsky.social @wonkhe.bsky.social

The VC is responsible for SHU’s strategic vision and finances: profiles.shu.ac.uk/9998-liz-mos... Our members have questions about that vision: ucuhallam.org/sheffield-ha... #SaveSheffieldHallam @timeshighered.bsky.social sky.social @ukhenews.bsky.social sky.social @thestar.co.uk k @ucu.org.uk

The moment Smith was put in charge of HE, you knew the wind down of the sector was inevitable.

If your average VC were either (1) completely incompetent, but meant well and believed in the purpose of universities, or (2) they were completely corrupt but very clever at navigating economic and political realities, UK HE would probably still be doing ok. Sadly neither is the case.

Classic UK HE understatement.

WANTED -- those who brought Nottingham University to its present sad state Financial problems arose from decisions under previous VC Shearer West Those responsible have moved on, leaving current staff to deal with consequences of mismanagement 21percent.org?p=3647

The modern UK university is a witches brew of catering, events, accommodation and property, with a small side serving of education and research. Oh, and AI for everyone. I'm sure that'll all work out fine in the long term 😱

If your average VC were either (1) completely incompetent, but meant well and believed in the purpose of universities, or (2) they were completely corrupt but very clever at navigating economic and political realities, UK HE would probably still be doing ok. Sadly neither is the case.

Don't worry everyone, UUK has a plan: what if we marketed universities as places to get skills for employability!?

UUK was corrupt in the way they used international recruitment as a cynical cash grab. But they were incompetent in the way they did absolutely nothing to prepare for the inevitable political backlash.

Correct. From that day forward UK academics had as much "academic freedom" as anyone in any role. That probably wasn't so bad until the unis became cash-chasing jokes that judged academics on how many customers they could recruit.

Yeah, pretty much.

it's shocking that wealthy alumni do not want to fun the further destruction of their universities.

The latest WonkHE propaganda, decrypted: The Essex VC and cronies looted and pillaged a university for personal gain for over a decade, compulsively lying the entire time to council members like this one. Then he retired a multimillionaire. t.co/7ENKQvktQE

The latest WonkHE propaganda, decrypted: The Essex VC and cronies looted and pillaged a university for personal gain for over a decade, compulsively lying the entire time to council members like this one. Then he retired a multimillionaire. t.co/7ENKQvktQE

Genuinely hard to say who’s done more damage to UK universities Russell Group or UniversitiesUK Impressive work, either way😉 www.ft.com/content/bc2d...

Vice Chancellors

Mother of God. We've reached peak UK HE.

The same system that WonkHE had worked to uphold, you mean.

Comment: Research funding cuts threaten a whole generation of scientists UK will suffer lasting consequences from disrupted talent pipeline, say Mike Lockwood and James Wild, president and president-elect of @royalastrosoc.bsky.social www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

I have a 'History Department in UKHE' joke but it's been reduced from 250 characters to 50 and is now merged with jokes from across ten other largely-unrelated disciplines while still being expected to be Just As Funny.

Besides some superficial "free speech" stuff; there will be a doubling down on employability, which will of course further reduce employability. Meanwhile Reform will try to shut down most unis regardless, speed running the same "university isn't worth it, learn a trade" trend already taking hold.

Goodwin always loses, but never goes away.

Populists want to destroy universities, so one could argue UK HE management is in fact doing this preemptively.

Compulsory redundancies, 400 job losses, a campus closed. The justification has always been: we have 2612 staff. This is the number the VC has used repeatedly to justify this unprecedented attack on our jobs. But the latest financial figures from the uni say that we actually only have 2273...?

The only real difference between a cynical immoral VC and a 'good' one is whether they feel bad about the consequences of their actions. They both face the same overwhelming structural incentives, which create a trajectory toward financial instability and academic mediocrity.

What is a 'number' anyway? If you think abour it... 🤔 Point is we're firing a bunch of you and forcing the rest to seriously consider resigning in disgust over our corruption and incompetence.

'The surging number of redundancies in UK higher education could undermine entire research fields as networks of collaborators disappear, according to an academic whose project fell through when a colleague’s job at another institution was put at risk.' 1/2

Jesus. We knew we weren't exactly sending our best when our Faculty Dean moved to become your VC, but even we are astonished at the levels of incompetence.

How universities are increasingly viewed in a country that still has a substantial graduate premium. www.facebook.com/share/r/1B84...

"consultation" has become void of meaning in #UKHE. If you're not actually engaging with the content it isn't really input, it's just a number in an inbox. Like this slide exactly shows. Absurd how @universityofessex.bsky.social thinks this is justifying not damning.

Strathclyde University has a ~£35m deficit Over 100 staff earn > £100k. Vice Chancellor gets package > £400k 6-figure salary group alone represents ~ 40% of deficit Strathclyde's answer isn’t trimming at the top, it’s cutting jobs lower down news.stv.tv/west-central...

We've heard from @bayoalaba.bsky.social that VC Frances Bowen is *still* not communicating with the Southend MPs or Southend Council. We continue to be incredibly disappointed by this - especially as she seems to be able to find time to speak to the BBC to justify the cuts!

In yet more shocking news: the University forgot to give us our pay uplift for this year (which they had already unilaterally deferred to February). Hundreds of staff have applied for voluntary redundancy, and had their redundancy pay confirmed based on their salary. What does this mean for them?

There needs to be a review of UUK

UniversitiesUK is lobbying group for Vice-Chancellors, not staff or students It's consistently lobbied for higher tuition fees & marketisation It's supported bureaucratic corporatisation & excessive VC pay -- but never staff It's grown fat on University money universitiesuk.ac.uk/about-us/peo...

HE contractors are corrupt across the board, just like HE senior managers. Their 'shadow economy' is rapidly falling apart but they all are walking away with vast amounts of Ill-gotten wealth and zero consequences.

Oh they are concerned about the research talent pipeline?

@georgeclarke.bsky.social @andylong6.bsky.social @timeshighered.bsky.social @theguardian.com @danhollandnews.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk @moneyontheleft.bsky.social @financialtimes.com @ukhenews.bsky.social @tuc.org.uk @unison.org.uk

The budget always has room for private contractors.

Wow, Essex is getting some big news coverage! Promote that marketing team!

Oh goody!

a university manager who actually resigns after staff & students make clear they have no confidence in them. What a notion. (how many #UKHE Votes of No Confidence have we got by now? And how much have those VCs & the trustees shown a complete disinterest in staff & student experience?)

The REF, in every aspect, is a joke. It will only get more so as the research reputation of UK HE crashes.

Transparency in decision making isn't just a buzzword. It is needed to stave off arbitrariness and all the harmful decisions that come from that. The bare minimum step @qmul.bsky.social could do is to be less belligerent in its FOI responses.

The 'Freedom of Information' releases by #UKHE institutions really are the most fascinating pieces of abstract art. Here's @qmul.bsky.social's about a Deputy Principal we may or may not have (not knowing how deputisation is agreed feels like a big deal? 🤷) www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/docu...

A UK university has addressed a staff complaint on senior misconduct by gagging complainant & prohibiting communication with large sections of university community This is a violation of freedom of speech Matter has been referred to MPs and Office for Students

Senior University administration recruits mainly from two populations Those who did not succeed in academia Those who made it all the way to professor, found nothing left to think about & sought fulfilment in meetings & money This explains present condition of UK universities

The managerial career path in UK HE is a factory of corruption and incompetence.