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Academic Freedom

WHO is doing WHAT to WHOM

Published: 12th May, 2021

Do you know any of the individuals below? Ask them what’s happening at University of Leicester. Ask them what their role is, ask them what they’re doing to defend the University! Are you a member of any of same organisations as any of the individuals below, whether a professional assocation, or voluntary or religious body?…

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VC’s email – with feedback

Published: 29th April, 2021

On 28 April, the Vice-Chancellor wrote to all employees of the University. His message is below, with our commentary.

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Pay deductions, ASOS and what it means to negotiate

Published: 28th April, 2021

Email sent to all members of Leicester UCU, 28 April 2021. On 26 April, we received a letter from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Edmund Burke outlining the Executive Board’s provisional approach to deducting pay from UCU members undertaking Action Short of a Strike (ASOS), due to commence on 4 May. His letter expresses disappointment that we did…

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Leicester UCU in 2 – April 16

Published: 16th April, 2021

At our AGM on 14 April, branch members overwhelming passed the following motion, calling for the greylisting of University of Leicester. In this week’s 2-minute video blog, Deirdre O’Sullivan, former vice-chair who has been supporting many at-risk members, reflects on the damage being inflicted on the University by the current redundancy processes, and explains why…

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Shaping for a Strike

Published: 1st April, 2021

Materials sent in printed form to all members of Leicester UCU eligible to vote, 30 March 2021. Executives plead COVID-related delays for failing to publish their strategic vision for the University. But COVID has not caused any delays in planning to make 145 people redundant and separate them from their livelihoods. If implemented, these badly…

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Leicester UCU in 2 – Mar 15

Published: 15th March, 2021

In this week’s 2-minute summary, we reflect on what it means, during the week of International Womens’ Day, for so many women at the University of Leicester to be at risk of redundancy.

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2021: the year of no research?

Published: 10th March, 2021

Is University of Leicester ‘one of the world’s leading research-intensive universities’. The executive board continues to claim it is. Is University of Leicester in a financial crisis? The executive board continues to deny this ­– or least to deny that the 145 redundancies it is seeking to force through have anything to do with money….

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Will you be a Citizen of Change?

Published: 5th March, 2021

The University of Leicester is highly indebted. Do you think it’s time for a change? Will you be an agent of change? Will you be a #CitizenOfChange?

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Redundancy Briefing

Published: 3rd March, 2021

On 18 January – the first day of second semester teaching and also ‘Blue Monday’ – 145 staff at the University of Leicester were informed they were at risk of redundancy. Staff are threatened in five academic departments – English; Business; Informatics; Mathematics & Actuarial Science; and Neuroscience, Psychology & Behaviour – and three professional…

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This is not normal! (Which side are you on?)

Published: 2nd March, 2021

[Updated: 4 March.] Nishan Canagarajah and his executive board have repeated claimed that the overwhelming opposition to their plans is ‘normal’. Judge for yourself whether this looks normal. If you’ve expressed a view which isn’t recorded here, please get in touch, as we’re constantly updating the graphic. We want to know, which side are you…

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