Employment

Union passes motion of no confidence in University of Northampton’s restructuring exercise

Six hundred sign letter calling for return to negotiations

A Tweet sent by a University of New Mexico psychologist, which suggested that obese people do not have the willpower to complete a PhD, was not, as its author had claimed, “part of a research project”, the institution has concluded.

Applicant takes Kent to tribunal over doctorate criterion

Christopher Bigsby loved Aberystwyth, despite the respiratory hazards

UCU criticises ‘gun to head’ of 2,800 non-academic staff

Dame Julia King explains how her institution is tackling gender inequality

Staff at the University of Liverpool will ballot for strike action over plans to alter employees’ terms and conditions.

The University of Liverpool has been accused of “putting a gun to the head” of almost 3,000 staff who a union says face losing their jobs unless they accept altered working terms and conditions

Founder Michael Bulman digs in as academics expound on offering’s weaknesses

When toddler-wrangling there’s no time to procrastinate, John Kaag discovers

Just one in 10 at the grade is female at some institutions, Hesa shows

Cuts to admin staff will harm brand, say Cass Business School academics

Scholars go hungry as a result of casualisation, congress hears

Academics and others discuss a typical working week

The University of Salford has confirmed plans to close virtually all courses in modern languages, politics and contemporary history and shut down an entire school “to secure the future of the university” after seeing falling student demand.

In the US, the Rate My Professors website has been used by students to dish out a “public scolding” to their lecturers – and now the UK has its own equivalent, possibly bringing a shiver of dread to academics and universities.

Lecturers in the University and College Union have moved a step closer to taking industrial action after the union decided to urge members to reject a 1 per cent pay offer

G. R. Evans’ rallying cry: scholars, do the spadework to defend the sector

Call to put differences aside, ahead of UCU Congress in Brighton

Decisions based on gossip and favouritism make the scholarly job market unmeritocratic

Staff in higher education are being urged to reject a “disappointing” 1 per cent final pay offer by universities.

Cut on cards as union looks to live within its means

Glass ceiling remains in place for female academics. Jack Grove reports

The latest round of job cuts at the University of Salford could see up to 87 professional service staff made redundant, with the institution blaming a fall in student numbers under the new system.

Numbers treble after change in funding requirements

Union takes on management over ‘academic annex’ reforms

University staff have been offered a 0.5 per cent pay increase for the next academic year – far below unions’ claims for a salary rise in excess of 3 per cent.

Academic opposition to outsourcing at the University of Sussex is building, with staff from ten schools, departments and research centres publishing statements supporting protests at the institution.

Black and ethnic minority academics still suffer racism, study finds. Elizabeth Gibney reports

Unions fear job losses will fund institution’s lofty research ambitions

Strikers are fighting ‘charter for managerial radicalism’, says academic

‘Race law’ cited in imposition of reductions

Salaries for full-time faculty members at US colleges and universities are slowly recovering after years of below-inflation rises, although higher education institutions are increasingly reliant on part-time staff, a report has revealed.

Australian academics should not be contractually bound always to split their time equally between teaching and research, the vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide has said.

Three unions at the University of Sussex have begun the process that could lead to strikes over outsourcing plans at the university.

Scholars downplay regional accents to avoid prejudice, Newcastle University study shows

Jonathan Hart was in two positions at the same time - literally

With a few exceptions, vice-chancellors’ remuneration did not rise vertiginously in 2011-12 - a good thing politically. But are they still paid too much compared with their peers?

REF factor may explain growing wage differential

A Jewish academic who claimed the UCU’s policy on Palestine constituted harassment has been rebuked by an employment tribunal for misusing the legal process

Unions representing higher education staff are asking for a pay rise in 2013-14 that is likely to be worth more than 3 per cent.

All threatened strike action at the University of Birmingham has been called off after the University and College Union reached an agreement with the institution’s management over compulsory redundancies and performance management.

Campaigners at the University of Sussex plan to host a national demonstration against privatisation in higher education.

Nancy Hopkins identifies remaining obstacles to gender equality

Sian Lawson extols the virtues of independence from the academy

A university research manager suspended over his prior conviction for the bombing of the Israeli Embassy has been told he can return to work.

A document that aims to bridge the gender leadership gap in higher education worldwide has been officially launched at an international conference.

Academics at post-1992 universities are less happy about levels of management control than staff at older institutions, a study has found.

Union says changes will lead to demotion and pay cuts. Jack Grove reports

London Met’s Steve Jefferys says he did nothing wrong in employing Jawad Botmeh

Department head Jenny Saul tells Paul Jump what she is doing to combat the bias against women

Management pledges to tackle ‘stress-inducing’ culture. By Elizabeth Gibney

Two planned strikes over compulsory redundancies and performance management at the University of Birmingham have been called off.

But registrar insists management is on the right track

NUS finds ‘illegal’ pay conditions in some universities. Elizabeth Gibney reports

Campaign fights West of England proposal to scrap courses. Elizabeth Gibney reports

Unionised academics at the University of Birmingham have voted to strike over threatened compulsory redundancies and “aggressive” management tactics.

Unison promises to counter any attempt to dismiss duo

Image consultant: ‘jumble sale’ dress code does not an intellectual make. Matthew Reisz writes