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News Archives

Why should you care about this shockingly flawed redundancy process?

Published: 16th February, 2021

If you are not one of the 145 at-risk members of staff, you may think that redundancies are necessary to secure the future of the University, given the financial crisis and pandemic. But is that true?  No. This so-called ‘Shaping for Excellence’ exercise  actually demonstrates that there are serious problems with the decision making processes,…

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Statement from London Mathematical Society

Published: 15th February, 2021

A strong statement from the London Mathematical Society, the UK learned society for the advancement, dissemination and promotion of mathematical knowledge. The executive board’s plans are ‘seriously flawed’. The statement can also be found here. The London Mathematical Society has been informed that the University of Leicester is consulting over a proposal to reduce the…

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Leicester Law School UCU members’ position on Shaping for Excellence

Published: 15th February, 2021

Leicester Law School UCU members are deeply concerned about the communication from University management on 18 January 2021 indicating that 145 members of staff are at risk of redundancy. We are writing to extend our solidarity and offer colleagues at risk our support. The timing, at the height of a global pandemic and severe economic…

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Leicester UCU in 2: Feb 12.

Published: 12th February, 2021

If you care about academic freedom, if you care about scholarship, if you care about Leicester university, now is the time to make your voice heard.

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Librarians are not redundant!

Published: 9th February, 2021

We shine a spotlight on the Library staff affected by the proposals in the ‘Shaping for Excellence’, proposals for creating an integrated customer service team and new physical desks and virtual enquiry staff University of Leicester’s library staff are a team crossing all grades of staff who pride themselves on their commitment to Customer Service….

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73 scholars decry ‘cultural vandalism’

Published: 8th February, 2021

Professor Ad Putter, Fellow of the British Academy and co-director of University of Bristol’s Centre for Medieval Studies, along with 72 other scholars have written to University of Leicester’s vice-chancellor, decrying his proposed changes to English at our university.

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Declaration of dispute

Published: 5th February, 2021

Email sent to All UCU members at Leicester University of 4 February We’re in the midst of a global pandemic. Contrary to its rhetoric of the prioritisaton of student and staff well-being and ‘citizens of change’ – revealed to be nothing more than cynical marketeer speak – our employer has adjudged such a moment to…

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Foundations of Computing are not redundant

Published: 4th February, 2021

Colleagues at risk of redundancy in the School of Informatics unpick the business case being used against them. To sign the petition opposing managers’ plans, click here. Recently management at the University of Leicester put forward a business case to slash the School of Mathematics by making redundant all pure maths researchers, and to similarly…

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The cynicism driving cuts in English

Published: 27th January, 2021

The proposed cuts to English at the University of Leicester have been universally condemned worldwide, with hundreds of distinguished scholars warning of reputational damage to the University and the ways in which the student experience will be impoverished. Some of the staff at risk of redundancy unpick the inconsistencies in the cynical thinking that is…

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First statement on threatened compulsory redundancies

Published: 25th January, 2021

On date 18 January – the first day of second semester teaching and also ‘Blue Monday’ – senior managers at the University of Leicester wrote to 145 members of staff informing them that their jobs were at risk of redundancy. Managers are calling their plans Shaping for Excellence.The affected staff are in five academic departments…

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