Branch policy: university values and finances

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

The following motion was carried at the branch extraordinary general meeting 25 February 2025 so is agreed collective policy (unless a more recent motion has superseded it). The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting and the approved minutes will be the correct version.

This branch notes that:

  • Our university values are compassion, inclusion, integrity and collaboration.
  • We are a multicultural campus with almost 15 000 international students
  • From 2014/15 until 2022/23 the number of Leeds students from the Gulf has been raising and was about 10% of all International students yearly
  • We are one of only 10 of the UK universities on the Gulf Coalition Against Normalisation (Gulf CAN) boycott list, in part due to repression observed on campus

This branch believes that:

  • The Gulf CAN boycott could have a significant negative impact on the University finances
  • The university should act in accordance to its values, including taking concerns expressed by unions and students seriously

This branch resolves to:

  • Ask university to provide current and past admissions data for comparison
  • Insist on university carrying out an equality impact assessment ahead of any ‘size and shape’ related changes, with UCU consulted during the assessment process
  • Insist on university protecting staff and students rights to freedom of expression and the academic freedom of staff as a part of conversation about the university financial situation

(179 words.) Proposed by Anja Komatar. Moved by Anja Komatar, seconded by Sinéad D’Silva. The motion was carried.

Branch policy: defend the HE sector at a time of crisis and ‘internationalisation’

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

The following motion was carried at the branch extraordinary general meeting 25 February 2025 so is agreed collective policy (unless a more recent motion has superseded it). The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting and the approved minutes will be the correct version.

This branch notes:

  • the HE sector is in a funding crisis
  • that 1,000 job cuts have been announced across the sector, with announcements from 87 institutions
  • universities have become overly dependent on international student fees
  • the large gap between corporate-level pay for VCs and colleagues on low grades
  • the hostile environment for international students and their families makes the UK a less attractive destination
  • while UoL is currently not planning redundancies many colleagues on insecure contracts are already risking or losing their jobs

The branch believes that

  • the marketized model of HE weakens the sector threatening the value of education
  • the university should be truly open to international students as well widen participation from local disadvantage communities
  • an ‘extractivist’ approach towards applicants from developing countries is neither ethical nor sustainable
  • that the commoditisation of education has detrimental impact on worker conditions

The branch resolves to

  • contribute to UCU’s “Reclaim HE” campaign and demand a clear lobbying strategy to increase public funding for universities
  • demand ongoing consultation and transparent reporting on the University’s financial situation.
  • pressurise management to prioritise job saving and to cut inefficiencies
  • increase scholarship and opportunities for both local and international students
  • show active solidarity (donations/demonstrations) to other universities already affected by redundancies
  • campaign against the hostile environment, which is having a detrimental impact on our sector and worsen migrant students and migrant workers’ conditions

(227 words.) Proposed by Gabriella Alberti and Jane Holgate. Moved by Gabriella Alberti, seconded by Jenny Rivas Perez. The motion was carried.

Branch policy: members contact local MPs regarding the HE Crisis

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

The following motion was carried at the branch extraordinary general meeting 25 February 2025 so is agreed collective policy (unless a more recent motion has superseded it). The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting and the approved minutes will be the correct version.

This branch notes the catastrophic crisis in UK Higher Education (UKHE), characterised by severe underfunding, unsustainable workloads, precarity and ongoing redundancies and course closures across the country. It also notes the Labour government’s wholly inadequate response to this crisis, need for decisive political action and detrimental impact on local communities.

This branch believes that urgent, concerted political action is required to address the gravity of this situation and pressure the government to take action. This must show the human cost of the cuts while highlighting the political, social and economic consequences. It must also highlight how the crisis to disproportionately affects vulnerable groups and creates long-term problems for this country’s global reputation.

This branch resolves to urge all members to write to their local MPs demanding:

  • Immediate and sustained government investment in UKHE to address the current funding crisis and prevent further job losses.
  • Government action to address unsustainable workloads and precarity, recognising that institutions may exploit these existing conditions to make unnecessary cuts.
  • Commitment to equitable access to HE for students of all backgrounds, acknowledging that cuts disproportionately harm educationally disadvantaged groups (e.g., especially through the closure of regional and post-92 universities, and arts and humanities subjects).

This action demonstrates members’ strength of feeling over the UKHE crisis, and sends a united message that the Labour government has failed to act sufficiently and must do so now to safeguard our profession and the future of education.

(240 words.) Proposed by Miriam Kent. Moved by Miriam Kent, seconded by Jenny Rivas Perez. Amended to remove editing error. The motion was carried.

Branch policy: improving student recruitment and conversion rate

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

The following motion was carried at the branch extraordinary general meeting 25 February 2025 so is agreed collective policy (unless a more recent motion has superseded it). The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting and the approved minutes will be the correct version.

The 2024/25 postgraduate intake has fallen over 40%. Coupled with a decline in applicants’ conversion, this represents an unprecedented, major crisis of student recruitment. The University has lost its dominant position in all major. In the Business School alone, the conversion rate of last recruitment went down from 15% to 9%.

A steep increase in tuition fees have put the University of Leeds in a disadvantaged position. Centralisation of professional services has gradually removed the agency away from academics and currently prevents us from effectively promoting our programmes at a time when the University’s key competitors demonstrate greater flexibility and take swift, decisive measures.

The branch is worried about these developments and their potential impact on the University’s financial sustainability, academic and professional services staff.

This branch resolves to request from management three measures to take immediate action to improve international student intake for the next academic year.

First, we request to introduce conditional offers for international students as many other Russell Group Universities did and benefited from.

Second, we request to significantly extend the University’s scholarship provision to make Leeds more attractive for international students. The branch believes that scholarships are the most effective immediate measure that, if adopted promptly, could materially improve international students’ conversion to this recruitment cycle.

Third, we request to reconsider a heavily centralised approach to student recruitment and ensure active engagement of faculties with ad hoc faculty-based marketing professionals leading and assisting academic programmes leads in the design, management and implementation of recruitment activities.

Initial motion proposed by Vera Trappmann and Alex Seehaus. Moved by Vera Trappmann, seconded by Alex Seehaus. The motion was amended as proposed by Valeria Tolis, moved by Valeria Tolis, seconded by Jenny Rivas Perez. The motion above is as amended. The motion (as amended) was carried.

Branch policy: funding crisis

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

The following motion was carried at the branch extraordinary general meeting 25 February 2025 so is agreed collective policy (unless a more recent motion has superseded it). The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting and the approved minutes will be the correct version.

This branch notes:

There is a developing crisis in higher education funding largely due to a drop in the number of international students.

There are cuts and threats to jobs at a number of universities and ballots for industrial action with strikes planned in the next couple of months.

There is a lack of a joined approach by UCU nationally treating each dispute in isolation and not linking action on the ground to national campaigning on HE funding.

This branch believes:

The funding model in higher education is broken and needs a radical overhaul.

Increasing student fees is not the answer; fees should be scrapped and there should be a return to government funding of higher education as a social good.

We need a national campaign against redundancies in higher education and for a sustainable funding model that doesn’t bankrupt students.

This branch resolves to call on the UCU leadership to:

contact the National Union of Students with the aim of organising a national demonstration for the full funding of higher education and the scrapping of tuition fees in England;

classify all disputes in universities in the current period involving cuts and compulsory redundancies as disputes of national significance;

organise a conference against cuts and redundancies in higher education with the branches currently fighting cuts and redundancies, inviting delegates from all HE branches to raise solidarity and form a national campaign.

(231 words) Proposed by Simon Hewitt, seconded by Tasia Scrutton. Moved by Simon Hewitt, seconded by Jenny Rivas Perez. The motion was carried.

Branch casework officer elected

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

At the general meeting 29 January 2025 members voted to create a new role of branch casework officer.

Jane Holgate has been elected unopposed as the first member to hold this new role.

The branch casework officer role is about co-ordination of casework, identify trends and supporting the many UCU reps who support colleagues with casework.

If you need individual support from the branch please email ucu@leeds.ac.uk, or, if email is not accessible to you, leave a message on 0113 343 5904.

LeedsUCU podcast: branch news 14 February 2025

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

In today’s episode, recorded Wednesday 12 February 2025:, extraordinary general meeting on university finances and student numbers, short-notice IT system changes, annual leave policy changes, time for caseworkers, Salma al-Shehab released from prison, elections for vacant committee roles, annual meeting of academic -related professional staff.

With Jenny Rivas Perez, Rachel Walls and Alan Smith.

If you prefer your union branch news direct to your ears, search for LeedsUCU wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe so you get notified about new episodes. 

See all the episodes and transcripts at https://www.leedsucu.org.uk/about-us/podcast/

To join UCU go to ⁠https://www.ucu.org.uk/join

Direct links to the LeedsUCU podcast 

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ht1Iks9WPR6qbmGXXOXfS

Amazon Podcasts https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/1f16de89-30ec-444a-83ac-54bcbe0bcac6/leedsucu-podcast

Pocket Casts https://pca.st/pacoaeqd

Also available on Apple Podcasts

Transcript

Intro

Rachel

Welcome to the LeedsUCU podcast for members of the University of Leeds branch of the University and College Union. I’m Rachel Walls, one of your podcast hosts. I’m also a UCU department rep for Lifelong Learning Centre, branch committee member and saxophone or clarinet player in our occasional picket line band Orchestrike!

Alan

And I’m Alan Smith, co-host for this podcast, and the branch’s administrator and organiser. We thought it would be useful for members of the branch to have an alternative channel for getting your local news because reading long emails or website posts is not everyone’s first choice.

Rachel

So we’re here to be a friendly voice from the UCU University of Leeds branch to keep you in better touch with what is going on, such as what the elected officers are working on and what opportunities there are for you to get involved in UCU discussions, socialising, activism and decision making.

[Brief music]

Rachel

Hi everyone! For today’s branch news, which we’re recording on the 12th of February 2025, we have Jenny Rivas Perez to give us an update on the branch news.

Jenny

Hi there.

Alan

Hi Jenny! So, members have been concerned about the Vice Chancellor’s blog post where they mentioned the size and shape of the university, and also will have their own concerns about international student recruitment and the impact that could have. Where are we with that issue?

Jenny

Yes. Well, we recently had a members meeting, a general meeting, just at the end of January, where many people wanted to discuss the university finances in the context of student recruitment, but also in the context of the wider things that are happening across HE and redundancies that are happening in very many different institutions up and down the country that have been announced. And there were calls at that meeting to have an extraordinary general meeting so that we could look at that issue in detail. So we’ve actually arranged to have one and that will be on the 25th of February. And Members should have had an e-mail that I sent out a few days ago, telling them all about it and inviting them to come to the meeting and also to put forward any motions that they would like to put on the university financial position, student recruitment. And yes, so please have a look for that that e-mail and put the date in your diary. And please do come along and participate because I’m sure it’s something that many, many people are concerned about. And I think it would be good to spend some time just thinking about that issue in this meeting.

Rachel

Yeah. So if you’re interested in submitting a motion, they can go to ucu@leeds.ac.uk. And if you need help writing one, if you’ve got an idea of something that you want to be voted on as branch policy, then just ask for help.

Jenny

Absolutely. I mean, if you if it’s something that you’ve not done before and you’re not quite sure about how to get it done, please just ask for some help. We’re more than happy to give you that.

Rachel

Great. So branch officers like yourself, Jenny regularly meet with other unions and management. What issues have been discussed since last time we met?

Jenny

Well. Today’s Wednesday. On Monday we had JCUU, which is our meeting only between UCU and management. The other unions aren’t involved in that. They have their own joint committee meetings. And at that meeting, we raised a number of different issues. One of the things that we raised there was the IT changes that have been cropping up over the – certainly over the last while – that have been coming up at short notice and causing great inconvenience to staff across the university, the latest one being Zoom. Previously there was a cap on emails that could be sent out in a day, to 250 I think it was, which most people, isn’t necessarily going to they’re going to notice anything about that, but for some people it has meant that they’ve had to change the way that they work in practise. And the thing that we were really trying to get across, is that people really do need much more consultation and notice about these changes, when these business processes are being changed. So, that was taken on board and management’s going to go away and discuss that with IT to see if we can get that that kind of thing improved in future. Other things that we’ve talked about have been the annual leave policy. Now, you might not necessarily have noticed, but the annual leave policy has changed. And those changes were brought in last October and we have been discussing it with HR for some time now and we did not agree with some of the changes that were in there. We’ve now been invited to suggest further changes following our discussion at JCUU. Previously, we’ve been discussing these at a non-negotiating meeting, at HR-TU, and we’ve felt that the new wording within the new policy has been ambiguous and could lead to misunderstandings between staff and their managers. And so we’re quite pleased that we’ve now got a chance to try and get this right. So we will be submitting suggestions, this week, in fact, and hopefully they’ll be taken on board now. We also raised the important issues to do with caseworkers. We’ve been doing a lot of work in the branch around casework and how we support caseworkers and also how we support members with our casework. One of the things that we did at the last general meeting was had a rule change implemented where we could appoint a casework officer going forward, who would be able to take a strategic overview of the casework we have. But the thing that we approach the university about in the JCUU is asking them if we can look at workloading time for caseworkers. Because obviously, everybody is busy, but the work that the caseworkers do is important and they need the time in order to do that in order to support members who are having problems. And we want time that they take to do that to be to have protected time to do that. And also we want we want to see them getting recognition for the citizenship work that they’re doing as well. So that’s been put to our JCUU. What we came back from that meeting is, is that we’ve heard the management are willing to listen to what we’ve got to say about that and they want to take it into another meeting with all three unions, to talk about those kinds of issues. And so we’re just in the process now of scoping out how those meetings are going to work.

Alan

So for a while now, the branch has been supporting the campaign for the release of Salma Al-Shehab, who’s a postgraduate student in dentistry at the University of Leeds, and has been some excellent news on that campaign.

Jenny

There has. We’ve just heard that Salma has been released, that she’s finally home with her family. Which is brilliant news. However, she’s still got the travel ban hanging over her so she can’t leave Saudi at the moment. And actually it was another thing that was raised at JCUU and I’ve asked the university if they would make a statement. They’re considering it. Obviously they are concerned that they don’t want to make things worse for Salma, however, it would be great if there was, if that travel ban was lifted because she could then continue with her studies, because her studies are only suspended at the moment. She is still a PhD student at the University of Leeds. So, hopefully things are going to continue to move in a positive direction with that.

Rachel

And what’s coming up in the Leeds UCU calendar? Have we any events?

Jenny

Well, have we events? Yes, we have the EGM which will be around the university finances and student numbers. And that will be on the 25th of February and that’s from 1:00 PM till 2:00 PM, slightly different. We’ve got it for we’ve got an hour there. Normally we have one hour and 15 minutes, but because it’s one topic, we’ve got an hour. And other things that are coming up next Monday, the three trade unions are sending representatives to meet with the VC, and I imagine we’ll be talking about the VCs strategy and what she intends doing, I understand that she’s been starting some consultation papers circulating and we expect to be updated on that, around the strategy, so, those that have heard things about green papers and white papers, apparently that’s what it’s been about, about consultation on the strategy going forward. A refresh of that.

Alan

We’ve also got an election ongoing, probably by the time this is released, for an equality officer and for a committee vacancy. And then we’ve got nominations open for the casework officer that closes on the 21st of February.

Jenny

Yes, I’m really pleased about that. I’m pleased about the response that we’ve had for all of those positions. It shows that we’re a vibrant and healthy branch and long may it last!

Rachel

And is there anything in the national UCU calendar, Jenny?

Jenny

There’s the academic related and professional staff sector meeting which is on the 6th of March and it’s online or it’s actually in London. And we are able to send two delegates to that and so this is a call out to anybody that actually would like to go. And just to say that you know, as a union member, you are entitled to have time off to go to union meetings and this is one and there is in this there will be, a portion of that will also be some training as well, so I think it will be really interesting. If you’re academic related staff and you would like to go, please just get in touch through the inbox and we can see about you going. If you do decide to go in person down to London, the costs will be refunded for that as well. You’ll have those paid for.

Rachel

Yeah. And I believe people who’ve been in the past in person have found it really worthwhile.

Jenny

Yeah, it’s been great. It really has. I’ve gone twice now and actually it’s good to talk to other people in similar roles in different universities to find out what’s going on and also to sort of get our heads together and actually think about, you know, what it means to be academic related staff in the HE sector.

Rachel

Brilliant. Well, thank you very much for coming on today and sharing the branch news with us.

Alan

Thanks Jenny!

[Brief music]

Outro

Rachel

That’s all for today’s Leeds UCU podcast. Thank you for listening. Please subscribe on whatever platform you’re listening to us on, so you’ll know as soon as we publish our next episode.

Alan

If you’re not yet a member of UCU, head to ucu.org.uk/join to find out more if you work at the University of Leeds in an academic or academic related, professional or managerial role, or as a postgraduate student doing paid teaching. Wherever you work, make sure you join the union for your workplace.

Rachel

This podcast is made on behalf of the committee of the University and College Union, University of Leeds Branch. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail our branch offices at ucu@leeds.ac.uk. See our website leedsucu.org.uk for alternative contact details and for a transcript of this episode.

Statement on Freedom of Expression and School of Medicine

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

We have been alerted of the complaint made to our School of Medicine in response to an email framing an item of clothing a student wore as problematic.

We reiterate our call on the University to uphold our students’ right to freedom of expression, and we condemn all attempts to characterise expressions of solidarity with Palestinians as antisemitic. We condemn antisemitism in all its forms and note that many members of the Jewish community on campus and more broadly feel that solidarity with Palestinians is not just in line with their Jewish values but a moral imperative. We urge the University to protect the freedom of expression for staff and students on campus.

Officers and committee vacancies – get involved!

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

Our branch is now seeking to appoint a new casework officer there are also vacancies for an equality officer and an ordinary committee member.  Interested? Please read on …

Casework Officer Role: appointed by election

This new officer will be responsible for coordinating casework within the branch.  They will help triage individual cases and monitor casework trends.  They will also work with other officers to support current caseworkers through mentoring and other initiatives and the recruitment and training of new caseworkers.  The new casework officer will also undertake general officer duties. 

If you would like to learn more about this role, you can contact vice president Jenny Rivas Perez via ucu@leeds.ac.uk .  

How to apply

Appointments to the role of casework officer will be by election.  To stand for this role please ask two colleagues who are UCU members to email ucu@leeds.ac.uk saying that they are nominating you for the role of casework officer – they don’t need to include a reason – and you should also email ucu@leeds.ac.uk to confirm you are willing to stand for election for that role. If only one UCU member is nominated by the deadline they will be declared elected unopposed. If there is more than one nomination there will be an election. The terms of the appointments will last until the end of the academic year as if they had been appointed at the 2024 Branch AGM.  

All roles would serve until end August 2025, with the opportunity for re-election for the following period at our branch AGM on Thursday 1 May 12.45pm – 2pm. 

Deadline for the role of Casework Officer

Nominations/expressions of interest for the role of casework officer must be received by 12pm, 21st February

Other Role Vacancies in the Branch:  Equality Officer and Ordinary Committee Member

Do you have skills and experience that you could use to make a contribution to the work of our branch?  We also have a vacancy for an equality officer and we also have a vacancy for an ordinary committee member due to a member leaving the university.   

The Equality Officer role: appointed by election

Equality is a thread which runs through most of the branch’s work, whether that is in negotiations on terms and conditions or campaigning to address inequity in our workplace and so the equality officer is a vital strategic role within the branch.  You can read more about the role here in our Branch Rules.  You can also find out more about the scope of current work being undertaken in the branch from the former equality officer, Jenny Rivas Perez by contacting her via ucu@leeds.ac.uk if you are interested in the role.  

The Committee Member Role: by election

Committee members are responsible for the day-to-day business of the branch.  In practice this means making decisions about the general administration of the branch and for the execution of its policy. There is generally a 1-hour committee meeting every 2 weeks to attend.  Read more about the committee here. 

What are the Appointment Processes 

Appointments to the roles of equality officer and ordinary committee member will be by election.  To stand for one of these roles please ask two colleagues who are UCU members to email ucu@leeds.ac.uk saying that they are nominating you for the role of [equality officer / ordinary committee member] – they don’t need to include a reason – and you should also email ucu@leeds.ac.uk to confirm you are willing to stand for election for that role. If only one UCU member is nominated by the deadline they will be declared elected unopposed. If there is more than one nomination there will be an election. The terms of the appointments will last until the end of the academic year as if they had been appointed at the 2024 Branch AGM.  

All roles would serve until end August 2025, with the opportunity for re-election for the following period at our branch AGM on Thursday 1 May 12.45pm – 2pm. 

Deadline for the Roles of Equality Officer and Ordinary Committee Member

Nominations/expressions of interest must be received by 12pm, Monday 10 February

Text is from email sent to branch members Thursday 6 February 2025 by Vicky Blake, honorary secretary.

UCU equality and committee vacancies

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

Do you have skills and experience that you could use to make a contribution to the work of our branch?  

The branch committee has two vacancies.  We have a vacancy for an equality officer and we also have a vacancy for an ordinary committee member due to a member leaving the university.  

What is involved?

Equality officer role (by-election)

Equality is a thread which runs through most of the branch’s work, whether that is in negotiations on terms and conditions or campaigning to address inequity in our workplace and so the equality officer is a vital strategic role within the branch.  You can read more about the equality officer role in our branch rules.  You can also find out more about the scope of current work being undertaken in the branch from the former equality officer, Jenny Rivas Perez, by contacting her via ucu@leeds.ac.uk if you are interested in the role.

Committee member role (by-election)

Committee members are responsible for the day-to-day business of the branch.  In practice this means making decisions about the general administration of the branch and for the execution of its policy. There is generally a one-hour committee meeting every two weeks to attend.  Read more about the committee in the branch rules.

What are the appointment processes?

Appointments to the roles of equality officer and ordinary committee member will be by election.  To stand for one of these roles please ask two colleagues who are UCU members to email ucu@leeds.ac.uk saying that they are nominating you for the role of [equality officer / ordinary committee member] – they don’t need to include a reason – and you should also email ucu@leeds.ac.uk to confirm you are willing to stand for election for that role. If only one UCU member is nominated by the deadline they will be declared elected unopposed. If there is more than one nomination there will be an election. The terms of the appointments will last until the end of the academic year (end of August 2025), as if they had been appointed at the 2024 Branch AGM, with the opportunity for re-election for the following period at our branch AGM on Thursday 1 May 12.45pm – 2pm.

Deadline

Nominations/expressions of interest must be received by 12pm, Monday 10 February.

This post is from an email sent to branch members Monday 27 January 2025