Queens UCU: probation petition

This is an appalling way to pressure young academics at an early stage in their careers.

This is not conducive to recruiting and retaining exceptional talent in HE

I fully support Academic staff

Put a gun to my head, and I will struggle to write a line. The VC was Dean of Medicine at QUB before taking up his new position, and he is now applying the same tactics across the Faculties. Did he work? Check it here, on page 1... bottom of the page... yes, bottom of the page... https://www.timeshighereducation.com/sites/default/files/Attachments/2014/12/17/k/a/s/over-14-01.pdf

The pressure to 'generate income' would be a direct bar to academic freedom, and place limits on intellectual ambition as researchers would be compelled to chase money over pursuing equally valuable ideas that might not happen to be in keeping with agendas of funding bodies or academic fashions.

Targets which are retrospectively applied, impossible to meet or dependent on the lottery of funding schemes swamped with worthy applicants are not only damaging to individual researchers but dangerous for QUB as an institution. The logical result is less opportunity to pursue good research and teaching and more frightened staff drawn from a pool of those with fewer choices. Belfast is not the easiest place to recruit to as it is. Who would choose to spend their working life being treated like this? QUB's Russell Group posturing looks particularly empty alongside such blatant and counterproductive disdain for its own staff.

These are clearly unfair requirements and a manoeuvre that should induce anxiety for those of us who care deeply about the way in which universities are corporately run.

I believe this is a most important petition. Important to remember that the whole idea of comparator institution logic regarding income generation targets falls at the first hurdle. with more academics chasing increasingly reduced or constrained pots of funding there will necessarily be a reduction in the amounts one can bring in - funding is finite no matter where we seek it from! Therefore, it strikes me that setting increasingly 'impossible' (which they seem to be) targets is an excellent way for universities to lose excellent staff and leading to course or even university closures as some of the best 'assets' - or people - are driven to other universities.

I think this is unacceptable. Income generation is not easy. If it was that easy surely academics would be self-employed.

Given recent posts on the many many problems with EU funding scheme selection this requirement becomes even more egregious.

This idea is a combination of a lottery with subjectiveness and nepotism. Many will not make it, but will still be needed to do the teaching, others will be put on proposals as favours. Bad idea.

UCU Chair Bournemouth University. Senior management at Queen's should consider how their institution is now perceived by academics across the sector in the UK and beyond, this is no way to recruit and keep academics.

What a terrifying and unjust way to deal with early-career and newly-arrived staff.

It's no surprise that there is a mass exodus of staff from Queen's - short-sighted, draconian management is no way to run a university.

Retrospective application of these criteria is unjust, while the critieria themselves are counter-productive. It's a shame, but I would not recommend anyone apply to Queens in such circumstances.

UCL UCU VP and NEC, Senior Research Fellow (of 26 years' standing) - this requirement is wholly inconsistent with the law on capability and performance in many ways and of course contrary to the Research Concordat and UCU policy.

What an appalling step.

warwick?

bullying is entrenched, sectarianism is endemic - more of the same i'm afraid (best just try to leave as I did)

I thought Ulster was bad, but Queens is just as bad