{"id":1146,"date":"2019-06-28T14:18:44","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T14:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2019-12-16T18:43:53","modified_gmt":"2019-12-16T18:43:53","slug":"subtext-189-imaginative-thinking-subtext","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2019\/06\/28\/subtext-189-imaginative-thinking-subtext\/","title":{"rendered":"subtext 189 – ‘imaginative thinking subtext’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every so often during term time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Letters, contributions, & comments:\u00a0subtext-editors@lancaster.ac.uk<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Back issues & subscription details:\u00a0http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/about\/\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

In this issue: editorial,\u00a0recruitment drive<\/a>,\u00a0VC swan song<\/a>,\u00a0pensions<\/a>,\u00a0bailrigg fm<\/a>,\u00a0dundee<\/a>,\u00a0overheard on the spine<\/a>,\u00a0art degree show review<\/a>,\u00a0letters<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

And so, we are almost at the end of our sixth VC’s tenure. Professor Mark E Smith, CBE (as of a few weeks ago), perhaps has not quite lived up to the rock star credentials of his namesake. He made a strong start and endeared himself to large parts of the University community by scrapping two schemes overseen by the previous incumbent, namely the proposed (or threatened) merger with the University of Liverpool, and the dreaded Business Processes Review (BPR). He is well-liked by many senior staff at the University, and courteous and relatively even-handed in many interactions with the University community. In talks to wider groups, he has a tendency to focus on detail and technicalities, particularly for contentious issues (see report on the VC all-staff meeting, in this issue). And he has amused some colleagues with a few verbal quirks, using characteristic metaphors such as ‘taking the temperature of the room’ at Senate to decide what Senators wished to do (some of whom might have preferred to be given the opportunity to vote on issues, rather than have their will interpreted in this way).<\/span><\/p>\n

Relations with staff seemed to sour considerably at the start of the ongoing pensions crisis, where the VC looked rather disconnected and uncaring compared to other VCs, who not only made public statements of support for their staff, but in some cases even stood with them on the picket lines. When the VC did visit the Lancaster UCU picket line, he was dropped off by his driver in the University’s official Jaguar, and then proceeded to attempt to answer questions via megaphone, in his usual technical style. There was little sense of solidarity with staff, despite his claim that his own pension was also affected. He may have been put in a difficult position in this regard due to his role as the chair of UCEA, which represents employers’ interests, and his own substantial pay package.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other developments during his tenure (see subtexts passim), including the Professional Services Project (the BPR by another name?), changing the Professional Development Reviews of old into a Performance and Development Review, the destruction of the University Court, the disempowering of Senate, the incidents involving bigoted material and behaviour among the University community, the realisation that we have a massive gender pay gap, and the increasing centralisation and managerialism that have crept into many the University’s structures and processes, will do little to leave good memories of his time here.<\/span><\/p>\n

It may be that another VC would have done far less to arrest or at least slow the flood of utilitarian thinking and marketisation that afflicts the higher education sector, in the face of government policies that very explicitly push in this direction of travel. It is clear from the initial consultation of staff during the new VC’s recruitment process that many staff wish to find a new leader who will stand with staff and students against these trends, rather than attempting to explain them away. Despite this, it is likely that Mark Smith will be remembered as someone who worked hard for the University, and cared a great deal about his work – which is more than can be said about some VCs! We wish him and the staff and students of Southampton University the best of luck in their future endeavours.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every so often during term time. Letters, contributions, & comments:\u00a0subtext-editors@lancaster.ac.uk Back issues & subscription details:\u00a0http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/about\/\u00a0 In this issue: editorial,\u00a0recruitment drive,\u00a0VC swan song,\u00a0pensions,\u00a0bailrigg fm,\u00a0dundee,\u00a0overheard on the spine,\u00a0art degree show review,\u00a0letters. ***************************************************** And so, we are almost at the end of our … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":568,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[555,467,527,556,441,149,75],"class_list":["post-1146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial","tag-bpr","tag-faculty-professional-services-project","tag-issue-189","tag-lu-lu-merger","tag-mark-e-smith","tag-pensions","tag-vc"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p99sHo-iu","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":395,"url":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2018\/03\/01\/395\/","url_meta":{"origin":1146,"position":0},"title":"LU TEXT LOST AND FOUND","author":"Johnny Unger","date":"March 1 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Those who follow us on Facebook (facebook.com\/LUSubtext - you really should 'like us', we occasionally update the page and everything!) will have seen our latest takedown of the fake news media. This time the culprit was the Times, which had the temerity to suggest that our Vice-Chancellor would be so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lu text lost and found"","block_context":{"text":"lu text lost and found","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/category\/lu-text-lost-and-found\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":865,"url":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2018\/12\/17\/lu-text-lost-found-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1146,"position":1},"title":"LU TEXT LOST & FOUND","author":"Johnny Unger","date":"December 17 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Former Lancaster Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Richard B Davies seems to be making waves as Swansea's VC: https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-wales-46345017","rel":"","context":"In "lu text lost and found"","block_context":{"text":"lu text lost and found","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/category\/lu-text-lost-and-found\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":485,"url":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2018\/03\/15\/subtext-175-complicated-actuarial-subtext\/","url_meta":{"origin":1146,"position":2},"title":"subtext 175 – ‘complicated actuarial subtext’","author":"Johnny Unger","date":"March 15 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Fortnightly during term time. Letters, contributions, & comments: subtext-editors@lancaster.ac.uk Back issues & subscription details:\u00a0http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/about\/ In this issue: editorial, strike, lost and found, UA92, remuneration, LUSU, colleges, shart, pine, jones, widden, letters. ***************************************************** EDITORIAL It must be hard, being a Vice-Chancellor. Apart from the hundreds of thousands of pounds you earn,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "editorial"","block_context":{"text":"editorial","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/category\/editorial\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":836,"url":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2018\/11\/23\/lu-text-lost-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":1146,"position":3},"title":"LU TEXT LOST & FOUND","author":"Johnny Unger","date":"November 23 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"After a short absence, subtext's repository of Lancaster's mentions in the national press that inexplicably weren't picked up by VickyText's media roundup returns. When the VC said he wanted Lancaster to become a university famed for its sporting activities, we're not sure that this is what he had in mind.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lu text lost and found"","block_context":{"text":"lu text lost and found","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/category\/lu-text-lost-and-found\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":376,"url":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2018\/02\/22\/prevarication-newsflash\/","url_meta":{"origin":1146,"position":4},"title":"PREVARICATION NEWSFLASH","author":"Johnny Unger","date":"February 22 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"On the eve of pensions strike, Lancaster UCU members were cheered by a report in that day's Times that VC Mark Smith had joined ten other university leaders in calling for a return to national negotiations. This represented a fundamental change in his position but, alas, it proved to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "newsflash"","block_context":{"text":"newsflash","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/category\/newsflash\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":391,"url":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/2018\/03\/01\/another-lu-text-lost-and-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":1146,"position":5},"title":"ANOTHER LU TEXT LOST AND FOUND","author":"Johnny Unger","date":"March 1 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"From the top table to the student body, everyone is working hard to get the Lancaster brand out there. Yesterday, the Lancaster Guardian ran a story on the student body's mobilisation in support of the strikes. Yes, in lieu of a stance\/spine from the Students' Union, students have independently organised\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "lu text lost and found"","block_context":{"text":"lu text lost and found","link":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/category\/lu-text-lost-and-found\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/568"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1146"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1152,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1146\/revisions\/1152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/subtext\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}