Loughborough University Branch of University and College Union
Members are encouraged to complete this survey. Your responses will help the UCU working group to understand from members’ perspective the uses, benefits and threats of AI-driven education technologies. We hope that the responses to this survey will help UCU to provide the appropriate support to members and branches, and to develop the appropriate policy for UCU on Artificial Intelligence.
Some colleagues may be interested in applying to serve as REF 2029 Main Panel Chairs. The call for applications is as follows:
“Focusing on improving diversity in REF 2029 and encouraging people from underrepresented groups to apply. Evaluation from REF 2021 provides information on diversity in the exercise. Similarly, disciplinary specific inequalities might inform your approach. Please consider the full range of protected characteristics.
The Main Panel Chairs will hold overall responsibility for the REF 2029 main panels and play a key role in recruiting and developing the REF main panels and sub-panels. They will work and advise on the development and delivery of the exercise with the other main panel chairs, providing advice to the REF team and Steering Group. They will provide visible leadership for the REF panels and undertake an ambassadorial role for REF 2029 in the sector.”
You can find more information on the roles on the REF website. The application deadline is noon on Thursday 26 September 2024.
Loughborough University Organisational Development have shared details of a new ‘Planning for Retirement’ Workshop session which will run on 19th December (9:30 – 12:30) via Microsoft Teams.
Workshop overview:
To encourage a positive and realistic approach to a financially secure retirement and help employees make informed choices about retirement. Employees, regardless of grade considering retirement or for those who have just started thinking about retirement plans.
During the course you’ll learn how to:
You can book onto this training via the My.HR website under the Learning Section. If you can’t attend this date but still would like to attend a session at some point, please select ‘Add to Waiting list’ on the bottom of that page and you should receive a notification if more sessions are added.
LUCU stands in solidarity with Muslim, racially minoritized, immigrant and refugee colleagues and students against the racist, fascistic and Islamophobic violence by the far-right that has unfolded in the UK over the past week.
We recognise this violence as a form of terrorism, enacted by individuals but encouraged over years by messaging from UK media, government policies, and influential individuals. It is also enabled by the actions and complicity of other institutions, including higher education and research bodies, through the reproduction of institutional white supremacy, alongside the suppression and demonization of anti-racist and decolonial thinking and practice. The result is a sustained anti-migrant and anti-Muslim sentiment that has become normalised in UK society.
We also acknowledge the intersectional aspects of this issue that have led to visibly Muslim women being frequently targeted and extend particular solidarity and support to them.
UCU National has released this statement condemning the violence as fascist, and importantly, returning our attention to the senseless killings of three girls in Southport, whose losses we mourn in solidarity with their families and community. We agree that their deaths, and the injuries of others attacked, have been exploited by the far-right to incite further Islamophobic, anti-Asian and anti-Black hatred, which is unacceptable at any time. Although the attacks were horrific, this is no justification for racism and further violence.
We are especially grateful for all those staff and students who are working tirelessly to offer mechanisms for listening and support to the University’s affected communities. Please contact the committee at ucu@lboro.ac.uk if specific additional support is needed.
We are also extremely grateful for, and proud of, all the people, of all ages and from all walks of life, who poured onto the streets on Wednesday in direct and peaceful challenge to the terror the far-right seeks to create. We hope to see this show of solidarity continue over the coming months, both in public and interpersonally, to change the culture that has grown and sheltered this racism, and drive home the belief of the vast majority in our communities: that white supremacy is not welcome in the UK.
In solidarity
LUCU Committee
We are very happy to announce a new committee member has joined our ranks. Welcome to Denise Coles who has been co-opted onto the committee as an “ordinary committee member” for the remainder of this term of office. Denise will bring a wealth of experience to the committee, particularly through her EDI experience, and we are very excited to have her onboard.
Denise Coles (LUCU Committee Member)
My Name is Denise Coles and I’m the university’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Manager. I joined the university nearly two years ago. My role sits within the newly established EDI Service. A significant part of my job involves challenging oppressive system and offering support and advice on how to make policies, processes and practice more equitable for our University Community. I was delighted to be asked to join the branch committee and offering EDI advice where I can.
We continue to work on increasing branch committee membership. If you have an interest in getting involved in the work of the branch, please get in touch with our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal chat.
We are very pleased to announce two new department reps and welcome back a former department rep to the branch team. Mark Leaper has taken on the role of department rep for Chemical Engineering and Materials in the School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering.
In the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Siân Adiseshiah has returned to her previous role of department rep for English on a temporary basis, and we welcome members to come forward as a permanent rep for English from the start of August. Many thanks go to Barbara Cooke for her work in the role over the last year.
We are also delighted to welcome Hilary Robinson to the role of department rep in International Relations, Politics and History. Thanks go to Magnus Hamann for covering the role while the department was without a rep. We know these reps will do a great job in representing members in their departments.
Dr Mark Leaper (Rep for Chemical Engineering & Materials Departments in the School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering)
I’m Dr Mark Leaper and I’ve been a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering/AACME for 8 years at Loughborough, having seen quite a few changes to the University. I have been invited become the rep for Chemical Engineering and Materials for Loughborough UCU and hope that this will allow my colleagues to experience the full benefits of union membership.
Professor Hilary Robinson (Rep for International Relations, Politics and History in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities)
I joined Loughborough 2017 as Professor of Feminism, Art and History, in the old School of Arts, English and Drama; since its split, I’ve been in International Relations, Politics and History, in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. I and describe myself as a recovering Dean, positions I held at Carnegie Mellon (USA), and at Middlesex. Before those posts I worked at U. Ulster; and before that in a number of precarious positions at different places. I was first involved in Union work in the 1970s, helping set up a branch of the T&GW at a bookshop where I worked for 18 months before being the first in my family to go to university. I am interested in all forms of real, intersectional, access and equity; and hold that this does not mean trying to get people to assimilate into institutions, but shifting the structures of power that kept some people out in the first place.
A few vacancies remain in our reps’ team! At the time of writing and in addition to the role in English, our two other vacant roles are both in the School of Science, in the departments of Computer Science and Chemistry. If you have any interest in taking one of the vacant roles, please get in touch with our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal chat about what’s involved and how you can support members in your area. For an up-to-date list of our reps, please see this page of our website.
At the recent Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee (JNCC), the three unions raised the issue of Car Parking under the new parking scheme. Specific concerns were raised on behalf of members using Creative Arts and East Park car parks who were regularly unable to park close to their place of work. In recognition of the issues, management agreed to create staff only parking areas and install barriers to check for bona fide visitors in these areas. Monitoring of car parking more generally will continue, and we would welcome reports from members of any difficulties.
Our Branch General Meeting on 8th March was unfortunately just shy of being quorate; this meant that the submitted motions could not be heard or voted on. In these circumstances, our branch rules dictate that the motions will instead go to the next Branch Committee Meeting.
Rule change motion: The prioritisation of motions at Congress: As this could not be heard at the GM, we had missed the deadline for submission to UCU Congress 2024. This motion may be submitted to the next UCU Congress.
Support for International Scholars-at-Risk: This motion was passed.
LUCU to Support Palestinian Human Rights: This motion was not passed.
Uphold rights and freedoms for all Loughborough Staff and Students.
LUCU to support colleagues impacted by the conflict between Israel and Gaza and to play a constructive role in responding to the conflict.
Following member enquiries for an update on UCUs November 2023 call for all UCU members with voluntary positions with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to resign from these roles, the investigation has concluded, and the academics at the centre of unfounded attacks by Michelle Donelan have now been fully exonerated. UCU will continue to put pressure on UKRI and other organisations to resist ministerial interference and improve protections for academics supporting its work, but there is no ongoing call on UCU members to withdraw from voluntary roles at UKRI.
The UCU Superannuation Working Group (SWG) have been engaged with USS since January 2024 regarding proposed changes to the Early Retirement Factors from 01 April 2024. Early Retirement Factors are the percentage reduction applied to a member’s pension if they retire before their Normal Pension Age (NPA). The further you are from NPA, the larger the reduction.
However, changes proposed from 01 April 2024, if implemented, would have meant a significant difference in pension entitlement between members retiring on 31 March 2024 and from 01 April 2024 onwards. Along with UUK, the SWG Negotiators met USS on a number of occasions to seek a delay to the implementation date. As per this linked USS communication, this change has now been delayed to 01 October 2024.
This delay is very much welcome and will give members considering Early Retirement the time to look at the finances of such a decision, engage their families, engage employers, and take independent financial advice. But 6-months is not long.
Given this, UCU would advise any member who is considering seeking early retirement in the next 12/18 months to take steps immediately to assess their options. It may well be that remaining in employment is the best option, but members should seriously consider all options now.
Financial Information can be obtained from Annual Pension Statements and the MyUSS portal on the USS website. We would encourage members considering early retirement to speak with family and employers now. For those members who see Early Retirement as a real option before 01 October 2024, we would suggest that members engage USS for necessary financial information before seeking independent financial advice. Members should note that UCU has a partnership arrangement with Quilter Financial – UCU – Financial advice from Quilter Financial Advisers – who may be able to assist.
While SWG are unable to stop the changes to Early Retirement Factors, this delay is significant as it provides members the time needed to consider all options and take advice. And while they will be continuing to meet USS on Early Retirement Factors going forward, they urge members considering Early Retirement to use this time well.