GAUT Branch Meeting Report, 07.06.05, 4 pm

Agenda:

· Warden’s address to the Members

· Members questions to the Warden

· David Hirsch’s Report on the Special Council

· Date for AGM

How do we see ourselves? How are we seen by others?

by Professor Crossick, Warden

(Hallmark 152)

“During the coming months, as part of senior management’s urgent review of the strategic planning processes, and of our future plans, there will be an engagement with staff, students, alumni and external stakeholders to help the College to define what it is that makes it special, and to articulate how we wish to develop in the future. Goldsmiths has a strongly identifiable brand, at least in some aspects. But is it one that captures the breadth of what the College has to offer, and does it accurately reflect the intellectual and creative drive that is what makes us so distinctive? There are aspects of how we are seen outside that we acknowledge are not as strong as they could be — we’d have fewer problems were that not the case.

We operate within a competitive environment, and it is important that we seek to address these as part of the review of our strategic direction. We need to know clearly what we think about ourselves, and we need to know how we should articulate our strengths to others.

This is an extensive process because it reaches into so many aspects of the College and those who work and study here. Council has agreed that it will be important to draw on the expertise of external consultants to help us with aspects of this project. There will be a number of opportunities for staff and students to engage with these issues in the coming months; we hope that you will take the opportunity to do so. Further information will be provided in due course. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Vicky Annand, Head of Communications and Publicity.”

1.  Warden’s address to the Members

• Professor Crossick was pleased to have been invited both to address the AUT Members directly and to follow up on the open staff meeting from May 13^th.
• He has been an AUT member throughout his career, but left when he took the position at the AHRC and won’t rejoin at the moment as he wishes to avoid a conflict of interest.
• He experienced the benefits of a close working relationship between management and AUT at Essex University and he want to strengthen the relationship between GAUT and senior management at Goldsmiths College.
• He’s very happy to be at Goldsmiths and thinks that the College is a great place that we can be proud of, but there are problems ahead:

o GC’s strength is that it is a ‘niche’ multi-faculty institution in the right target areas

o polarization of between the emphasis on research over teaching needs addressing (last RAE in 2008)

o though there are financial problems, GC is not in danger of bankruptcy

o however, GC won’t make a surplus at least until 2007/8

o investment in staff and estate regeneration is essential

o SMT will meet throughout the summer to discuss new income

o variable fees won’t be a panacea – they will solve some problems and create others and they wont be an excessive source of income (60% will be taken up by bursaries and the pay framework)

o in the area of overseas students GC will continue to face increasing competition and needs to invest much more to not loose out and to compensate for previously missed opportunities

o GC is currently struggling to recruit students leaving it weak and vulnerable to the ongoing shakeout in Higher Education – only 41 H E institutions will remain in London

• to tackle these issues Professor Crossick’s wants to build strategies according to the participatory concept of ‘top down – bottom up’, i.e. senior management should lead but also achieve consensus – encouraging refinement and challenge
• he will have meetings with Heads of Departments and Heads of Administration at the end of September 2005
• a strong, effective and engaged administration is necessary to create and administer good policy
• divisions between Admin and Academic Staff need to be lessened

• senior management needs to be open, accessible and accountable
• GAUT related issues:

o good relations between GC and GAUT will be reinforced

o strong commitment to equal opportunities:

§ genuine assessment

§ better management of information

o academic and admin. Staff should/will be on equal footing

o career development goals

§ more promotions within departments

§ better balance between teaching, research and admin

2. Answers to Members questions

• Polarization of the mission does not automatically mean merger with another institution
• GC must become bigger and generate surplus, which is not possible through increased student numbers per se, but also through strengthening research output
• GC should move in innovative directions such as the new field of Design Engineering with another institution.
• Need to look into collaboration with smaller Art institutions in the area such as Trinity College for example
• Changes in University of London structures are necessary – discussions with Graham Davis are ongoing
• UCL’s paper on the subject elicited a great response
• UL should facilitate collaboration by providing good framework but not forcing cooperation
• GC will apply for degree awarding powers like UCL, LSE and Imperial soon
• Reform of pay structures is under review
• Pay framework should enable recruitment but not be used to only buy star power
• The goal is to nurture careers early on and focus on staff development by on job the training to become fully qualified
• keeping up with the latest developments in the various fields
• supporting career ambitions to further development beyond current position
• Lewisham College’s vacation of some of its buildings at Deptford DRL won’t lead to expansion of current estate
• Primary concern is to use current estate to capacity through efficient booking and renovation / refurbishment of main building (£ 3-4 Million out of £14 Million of the Estate Budget is allocated to renovation of MB)
• Student demands for direct fees, close attention to costing and funding changes (structure) and change to the overseas student market
• Professor Crossick will use his previous qualification and connections
• Long distance learning is not for GC, but learning technology should be complimentary

3. Report on Special Council meeting by delegate David Hirsch

• The Boycott was revoked, after much discussion and with a few glitches in procedure. The final motion has not been published online, but AUT published the following statement:

Israeli boycotts revoked - AUT statement

After a lengthy debate involving deeply held views on both sides of the argument, AUT’s special council has today voted to revoke all existing boycotts of Israeli institutions. AUT council has decided to base its policy on providing practical solidarity to Palestinian and Israeli trade unionists and academics, by agreeing a motion committing the union to having a full review of international policy, working alongside NATFHE and the TUC. UK higher education has a long and proud tradition of defending academic freedom. The struggle to maintain academic freedom whenever it is under threat is one that AUT will always support and this principle will continue to guide our work. Sally Hunt, AUT general secretary, said: 'It is now time to build bridges between those with opposing views here in the UK and to commit to supporting trade unionists in Israel and Palestine working for peace.'

• For more information you can contact Matt Waddup or Jonathan Whitehead at HQ (Tel: 020 7670 9705 and press@aut.org.uk).
• There were no votes on more complex motions.
• Speculation over the motivation to revoke – such as likely liable cases brought against AUT by Haifa University and other as well as threats of boycotts against AUT from the United States – has inexorably produced further conflict and slander towards members of the AUT.
• Pro-boycott AUT members affirmed their commitment to the cause and promised to continue to pursue the issue.

4. Date for AGM

• The constitution demands a 6 weeks notice, thus the AGM will take place on 28.9.2005 at 1 pm, MB 150 – info-mails have and will be sent.