Messages of support

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To Debra Humphris and Ruth Whittaker,

We are disappointed and horrified by the news that you are planning to cut IT support to students and staff and make IT staff redundant.

Firstly, redundancies during this time are unethical and outrageous – you are leaving people suddenly unemployed during a time that is already full of upheaval and zero security, when they will have little chance of finding alternative employment.

Secondly, the IT staff have been invaluable in easing us into this new world of being virtual students, a concept that would have been unimaginable this time last year. Without the fabulous IT support that we’ve received, this transition would have been a nightmare. The IT staff and tutors have worked together impeccably to make the course work in a way that sacrifices as little as possible of our learning and university experience.

Since our course began in September we have had only a small handful of days on campus and are once again entirely based online. We’re paying over £18,000 for a course where we have little access to any of the resources we would normally have – including radically reduced library access. Where are our fees going if they are not paying for resources that are essential to us and all of the teaching at this time (and all times)? We need living, breathing people available to help us efficiently and share their knowledge – not bots and FAQ pages and overstretched staff with significantly reduced capacity due to job losses and the vastly increased demand that comes with a shift to IT-based education. We don’t understand how this can be seen as a viable or sustainable option for the university and the thousands of students who study here (or rather, who study at home via IT systems).

Up until this point we have been proud to count ourselves among University of Brighton students, but this has cast a shadow over the experience.

We support the upcoming strike action and ask that you rethink this terrible decision that puts the future of our studying at risk. We would also appreciate a response that explains the reasoning and justification behind cutting core services that we need, and that our tuition fees should be paying for.

In anticipation of your response,

[Signed by 22 first year students, MSc Occupational Therapy, September 2020 cohort]

Dear Comrades,

I have seen you are involved in industrial action and dispute with your employer. listed on https://strikemap.wordpress.com/2020/12/18/strike-map/
I would like to send a message of solidarity to UCU members taking action and the organising rep, Mark Abel. I am a part time worker in a supermarket, but i am also a student studying at University myself. I understand the difficult situation University staff are in at this time, the balance of trying to provide education and facilities for Students who you care about, the balance of safety during covid and the on going battle against restructuring and job losses. I know this decision was not taken lightly but is clearly neccessary.
I recognise the importance of all staff in the education sectors, both teachers and the staff who make up the administrative faculities, as well as the cleaners and so on and so fourth.
Full solidarity with you, stick together, you can win!
Lee Booker,
USDAW,

Newcastle University UCU branch committee sends a message of solidarity to Brighton University UCU with your 5 days of strike action coming up 8th-12th February against compulsory redundancies

We know that you are not eligible for strike pay so our branch committee resolved to donate to your strike fund

Good Luck!!!!

Geoff Abbott Newcastle University UCU

https://twitter.com/thetroutpouts/status/1329567978325684224

To all of Brighton’s strikers,

I’d like to send this personal message of solidarity as Brighton UCU have always supported me and our Liverpool Branch.

Your fight is always our fight and like in our dispute in Liverpool, your employer is targeting a group of staff who are crucial to all of your workers right now. Brighton UCU members are always inspirational and we will all support you every step of the way.

I’ve made a small personal donation (our branch have also donated) and we will continue to make sure our members in Liverpool are fully aware of your fight. You are not alone!

Thank you for taking this stand!

Solidarity!

Jo McNeill

Chair University of Liverpool UCU and NEC

Dear All,
All the best wishes for your industrial action. What you’re doing is principled, brave, and ultimately necessary. You have my full support.
Stuart Oliver
Chair, St Mary’s University, Twickenham Branch
Chair, London Region.

Good luck to all our colleagues at Brighton; keep up the fight!
Best wishes,
Professor Tony Crowley
University of Leeds.

 

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