We are very pleased to welcome Sarah Mills as our new Department Rep for Geography in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Sarah takes over from Sophie Cranston, who has recently stepped down from the role. We extend our sincere thanks to Sophie for her time and commitment in representing members in Geography.
We would also like to thank Magnus Hamann, who has stepped down as Department Rep for Communication and Media, for his valuable contributions to the Reps Team and the branch.
Alongside our regular Department and School Reps, we are delighted to introduce a new branch initiative: the creation of Workload Reps. These roles focus specifically on monitoring and addressing workload issues within departments—supporting colleagues, gathering evidence, and contributing to branch-wide efforts to promote fair and sustainable working practices.
Our first Workload Rep is Nikos Argyris, based in Loughborough Business School.
Nikos Argyris, LUCU Workload Rep for Loughborough Business School
“My name is Nikos Argyris and I am a Senior Lecturer in Operational Research at Loughborough Business School, which I joined in 2015. My research is broadly in the area of Decision Analysis with a particular interest in accounting for the social good and incorporating distributional fairness in both public and private sector decision making. Although I have been a member of UCU since my first academic post, this is my first union role. I have volunteered to be a workload rep to help promote fair and sustainable workload practices in my school and to contribute to the union’s broader efforts across the university. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues to support positive change and strengthen our collective voice.”
We are now encouraging members across all Schools and Professional Services areas to consider becoming a Workload Rep. If you are interested in taking on this role or would like to find out more, please contact our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal discussion.
Reps are at the heart of how our branch supports members. They play a vital role in helping to resolve local issues, build community, and ensure that members’ voices are heard across the University. Whether representing a department or focusing on specific issues like workload, Reps strengthen our collective ability to make Loughborough a fairer and more supportive workplace.
We currently have vacancies for Department Reps in:
- Chemistry (School of Science)
- Communication and Media (School of Social Sciences and Humanities)
- Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
- Loughborough Sport
In addition, Student Services and Estates and Facilities Management are currently covered by a temporary Rep while we seek volunteers from within those areas to take on the role permanently.
Members in any of these areas who are interested in becoming a Department Rep—or would like to find out more about what’s involved—are also encouraged to contact Callum Salfield for an informal chat.