A petition has been launched against the fees charged to non-EEA citizens working at Lancaster, and the University’s (in)activity in helping those who have to pay them. Supporters note that, whilst some universities fully cover these costs, Lancaster’s loan scheme fails to cover all relevant expenses and must be repaid quickly. Staff at other universities have successfully persuaded their institutions to change their policies on non-EEA staff, and this campaign seeks to put similar pressure on Lancaster. A subtext reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, writes:
‘While the university talks about work-life balance, and gauges performance based on the enforced Staff Survey, this is one that slips under the cracks. Interestingly, this situation leads to rather uncomfortable decisions made by staff which would be unpalatable to staff not in the same situation. Decisions like putting off having a child for another 6-12 months so that they wouldn’t have to pay for the child’s visa fees irrespective of how loudly their biological clocks are ticking away. Frankly, the mood is sombre. No one expects the university will support individuals in any form and there’s quiet acceptance of the fact that early career staff end up with an effective take-home wage lower than their PhD students’ bursaries because of these costs directly associated with employment.’
You can find the petition at:
More information can be found here: