University of Essex UCU petition: guarantee our working conditions

University of Essex UCU petition: guarantee our working conditions

This petition was developed by members of academic departments and UCU local branch. It seeks support from all members of academic staff (whether permanent or fixed-term, senior or probationary, union members or not).

Dear Vice-Chancellor,

• In September 2017, approximately one-eighth of the research-active staff were sent letters warning that their positions might be in danger, including the invocation of Capability proceedings to remove them from their jobs. This represents an alarming increase in the use of Capability at Essex. It is evidence not of individual failure of academics but a system that creates failure. As the eminent sociologist C. Wright Mills argued, if there are 1-2 people unemployed in a city, we may look to their individual psychology for answers, but if it is 5-10% of the population, then it is a social not an individual problem.
• This development is linked to the invention at Essex of an internal REF process, requiring all researchers to achieve 4 publications which judges in our Depts. believe to be 3* – two of them accepted by September 2017 – even before national REF targets had been set. We now know only one is required. Linking this setting of internal publication targets to job security,is an unprecedented move, practically unique to Essex, and one that has led to a widely-perceived de-professionalisation of academics and job threats. It also represents mission creep: Capability procedures have never been systematically used for this before.
• Another extremely serious issue, again unique to Essex, is the declaration by senior management that academics with probationary status are not “academic staff”. This curious claim is not just a matter of semantics – it appears intended to deny probationers the protection of Ordinance 41 which covers procedures for capability, disciplinary, grievances, and redundancy that management cannot easily change, and guarantees academic freedom and “the principles of justice and fairness”. (Links below.)
• The national President of UCU, Joanna de Groot, when she visited Essex this month, expressed shock at this move and questioned the wisdom of the senior management failing to recognise probationary staff as “academic staff”, given the possible impact this may have on hiring the best new staff in future. She rightly insisted probationers are certainly not fixed-term staff and are entitled to the same protections as other academics.

We, the undersigned University of Essex staff:

• Believe that our working conditions are student learning conditions; a University which aims for the best student learning must guarantee the best working conditions for its staff.
• Insist that Capability procedures should not be invoked routinely on the basis of internal REF targets.
• Insist that senior management recognize that probationers are “academic staff” and are covered by Ordinance 41.
• Seek a commitment that ALL probationers University-wide are given adequate relief from teaching and administration, and independent routes by which they may confidentially raise any concerns about lack of support, unreasonable teaching loads, or pressure from Dept. leadership.
• Expect leadership in Depts (including HoDs and Research directors), Schools (including Executive Deans), and senior management across the University (including Human Resources) to take a primarily supportive, inclusive and positive stance towards colleagues who need assistance. There is no room for a negative or punitive approach to our colleagues.
• Expect leadership to consistently uphold the highest standards of openness, accountability, integrity, objectivity and indeed all of the Nolan principles; to operate under proper and effective oversight by the members of the University,e. transparency about where and how decisions are made, where responsibility lies and clarity about how decisions may be questioned and challenged; and to observe existing principles, policies and protections.

Documents relevant to probation

• Ordinance 34 reads as follows:
  “DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC STAFF
  ‘Academic Staff’ means all persons holding appointments as Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers, Senior Research Fellows, Lecturers, Research Fellows, Senior Research Officers or Research Officers of the University…”
• We note that probationers have letters of appointment.
• Recent procedures and guidance relevant to probation are available here.
• One document dated March 2017 is titled “Guidance for Probationary Academic Staff”.
• The first point after the VC’s own intro message reads: “As a new member of our academic staff you are required to serve a period of probation”
• Point 1.1 of the document “Probation – Academic and Research Staff Notes for Guidance for Heads of Departments and Probationary Supervisors”, dated Oct 2013 updated Mar 2017, reads:
• “The standard period of probation for Academic and Research staff appointed to a permanent contract at, or below, Grade 9 is three years”
• We note that all of these recent documents state, assume or imply that probationers are members of “academic staff”. The declaration by management that they are not appears to be at odds with the University’s own policies and procedures.
  
• The Nolan Principles may be found here.