In the Dark

My former colleague at Nottingham University, Philip Moriarty, alerted me to a piece in the latest Private Eye (No. 1686) about the parlous state of affairs there. The teaser on the left shows a bit more than Philip did in his post, but if you want to read the rest you should buy a copy of the Eye. Next to the story about Nottingham University, you will find one about Edinburgh University, which you will want to read if you work there…

The video that appeared in a previous post about Nottingham University has been taken down. I’m not really surprised, because it shows the University Management in a very poor light and we can’t have that, can we?

I have heard stories about how bad the situation is at Nottingham University. Apparently some members of staff are being told that they have to reapply for the jobs they currently hold and will have to do the same every year for the next three years. This is a disgraceful way to treat academic staff, but remember that this crisis was entirely caused by University Management, not the academic or other staff who are bearing the brunt of the cuts.

There may be massive job cuts among ordinary staff at the University of Nottingham, but there’s still money for three new Pro-Vice-Chancellor positions there. The purpose of these positions is “explained” in the following blurb that consists of the sort of vacuous nonsense such advertisements:

Our proposed transition from five faculties to three colleges will strengthen collaboration, support academic excellence and position Nottingham for long-term success. We are recruiting a Pro-Vice-Chancellor for each of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Health, and College of Science and Engineering. Each will bring together complementary disciplines, creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary education and research, knowledge exchange and external partnerships. Joining at this formative stage, you will shape your college’s strategy, identity and culture, building on established strengths while opening new possibilities for its staff and students.

As a member of the University Executive Board, you will contribute to institutional strategy and decision-making, working collaboratively with your fellow College Pro-Vice-Chancellors to advance the success of the whole university while taking executive responsibility for your college’s performance and development. You will lead excellence in education and student experience, research and knowledge exchange, supported by a coherent and sustainable academic portfolio and effective stewardship of resources. You will shape student growth, recruitment priorities and the long-term academic direction of the college. You will foster a culture of accountability and be responsible for delivering measurable improvements in academic and financial performance against institutional priorities and key performance indicators. Working closely with academic and professional services colleagues across our global campuses, you will lead change, strengthen financial sustainability and build partnerships that enhance Nottingham’s reputation and impact locally, nationally and internationally.

We are looking for accomplished senior leaders who combine strategic vision with a record of delivering change and improving performance. You will bring the communication and interpersonal skills to build trust, navigate difficult conversations and inspire colleagues through change, alongside a demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Above all, you will be committed to creating an environment in which colleagues and students can succeed, and to advancing the university’s ambitions through partnership, innovation and shared purpose. If you share our values of inclusivity, ambition, openness, fairness and respect, we invite you to help shape the future of Nottingham

I laughed out loud when I read “foster a culture of accountability”. I suppose that phrase does represent an admission that they don’t have one at the moment.

I wonder why they need a Senior Management team at all. The Eye story confirms the fact that all Nottingham University’s “strategic” decisions are made – at great expense – by management consultants.

Of course they are looking to a recruitment agency to fill these posts, so they’ll be fishing in the same pool that supplied such quality material for their previous management team – the one that bankrupted the University. Based on the above blurb, it looks like the three new College PVCs will replace five existing Faculty PVCs. Why could that not have been done through an internal process, which would have spared the considerable expense of resorting to a recruitment agency?

This sums up everything that it wrong with modern university “governance” – a jamboree for self-serving careerist types and austerity for everyone else. It has to stop.