Reading universary cancels all bursaries to mature students
- Thread starter barney_pig
- Start date
baldrick
hmmmmm
you need to get started, i don't think it's an accident they dropped this on you during the holiday period.
call the paper, and think of some kind of action for that facebook group to do on monday afternoon (i would say morning, but i imagine a bit ambitious for studey types). papers love photos to go with their story....
call the paper, and think of some kind of action for that facebook group to do on monday afternoon (i would say morning, but i imagine a bit ambitious for studey types). papers love photos to go with their story....
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
I'll repeat what I just sent to the OP:
I think it's impt to contact the rags now, as they can start some digging straight away if they're so inclined, and then once the uni reopens the students can make inroads at organising. As others have mentioned, contacting the SU is crucial, and the OP et al should fight fight fight to get them on board (which can often be difficult, but worth fighting for). In addition, they should also contact a UCU rep at the uni. I'm sure that if the uni is in such dire financial problems that they need to withdraw already allocated bursaries half way through the academic year, the UCU will be incredibly anxious about their own members, and a coalition between students and staff is a strong thing to have.
My uni, Keele, has seen a lot of UCU activity lately. They ballotted to grey list the uni (meaning any UCU member from other unis wouldn't go to conferences at Keele or participate in any way academically), along with other measures too. The SU came out in allience with them, and several campus demos were held throughout last academic year. The UCU won (mostly), and students and staff felt they had a common bond. That kind of relationship is a key one to foster in any uni, and I would think is especially needed in Reading's situation.
I think it's impt to contact the rags now, as they can start some digging straight away if they're so inclined, and then once the uni reopens the students can make inroads at organising. As others have mentioned, contacting the SU is crucial, and the OP et al should fight fight fight to get them on board (which can often be difficult, but worth fighting for). In addition, they should also contact a UCU rep at the uni. I'm sure that if the uni is in such dire financial problems that they need to withdraw already allocated bursaries half way through the academic year, the UCU will be incredibly anxious about their own members, and a coalition between students and staff is a strong thing to have.
My uni, Keele, has seen a lot of UCU activity lately. They ballotted to grey list the uni (meaning any UCU member from other unis wouldn't go to conferences at Keele or participate in any way academically), along with other measures too. The SU came out in allience with them, and several campus demos were held throughout last academic year. The UCU won (mostly), and students and staff felt they had a common bond. That kind of relationship is a key one to foster in any uni, and I would think is especially needed in Reading's situation.
Dillinger4
Es gibt Zeit
Excellent post. What happened at Keele was really positive.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
I've joined the FB group. The Evening Post has a reporter on there who is asking for more info ... so the media know.
Good luck to all at Reading Uni, and if there's anything I can do to help let me know
Good luck to all at Reading Uni, and if there's anything I can do to help let me know
toblerone3
Grrrrr
They still have time to cry 'Administrative error!' and reinstate everything
Lets hope this is the case. Otherwise its a bit shocking to cut off financial support midway through an academic year. Shit I hope my bursary's OK.
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
can the mods alter the title to 'reading university cancels bursaries to all students' please.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
These issues often go national you know. If the UCU gets on board it will be national. I'm friends with a UCU rep at Keele, plus Mr Paw is on the UCU committee here. If you need any info let me know
I've joined the FB group. The Evening Post has a reporter on there who is asking for more info ... so the media know.
Good luck to all at Reading Uni, and if there's anything I can do to help let me know
Someone needs to proof read before posting to that group, not really the ideal image students asking for money for university studies when they cannot spell.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Students get excited when they type a post on a FB group - especially one that has something to do with a 'cause'. Don't expect them to take time to spell correctly
Out of interest...
What did the original paperwork for the bursary say?
I appreciate that I'm in a slightly different position (as I'm funded by a research council) but surely there was some paperwork sent out at the beginning of the bursary? I have two or three f(£%ing books of paperwork, contracts and commitments.
To suddenly change an offer of funding that might've made someone's position tenable / take-uppable is asking for trouble.
Likewise... To offer bursaries with no security or paperwork strikes me as suicidally bad management practice begging for legal trouble. At best.
What did the original paperwork for the bursary say?
I appreciate that I'm in a slightly different position (as I'm funded by a research council) but surely there was some paperwork sent out at the beginning of the bursary? I have two or three f(£%ing books of paperwork, contracts and commitments.
To suddenly change an offer of funding that might've made someone's position tenable / take-uppable is asking for trouble.
Likewise... To offer bursaries with no security or paperwork strikes me as suicidally bad management practice begging for legal trouble. At best.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Indeed. It would be interesting to see if the original offer/paperwork counts as a contract. Speak to someone in the law department, it's cheaper than going to a solicitor in the first instance.
Keele acted illegally and thought no one would challenge them. They did, and Keele Management lost. They do it all the time, people in charge. They try it on, even though they are legally in the wrong. Don't let them get away with it.
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
from the award notice
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
I would definitely argue the contract point of view - they can't just withdraw from a contract if no reason is given (in fact, some contracts without termination provisions can be very difficult to get out).
You can find out what the vice chancellor earns quite easily from the university accounts, as they have to declare it. Their pension is normally listed as 'emoluments'. Also, don't forget that the VC often gets a house as well - FREE!!
This sounds very dodgy to me (as a former mature student and someone who used to work in University Administration)
You can find out what the vice chancellor earns quite easily from the university accounts, as they have to declare it. Their pension is normally listed as 'emoluments'. Also, don't forget that the VC often gets a house as well - FREE!!
This sounds very dodgy to me (as a former mature student and someone who used to work in University Administration)
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
guess what:
if confirmed
horrah!
if confirmed
stupid kid
...
I'm a uni reading student, and I'm probably lucky in that right now I'm ok for money (first time in entire life). Still, merry fucking christmas and sparkling 2009 from the uni.
Long term though, I'm kinda shitting it, because my bursary is worth £900 a term, not £270, as a result, my loan is reduced (not my choice) to a lower level. My letter is the same as everyone else got, showing a £270 payment in oct 08 and then no payment in January or April. What about the rest of it? I'm guessing if all or some of my bursary is gone, I can get my loan increased to compensate, but that's probably going to mean going through the local council to the LEA which is going to take all term at the very least. I'm gonna be ok, but it's still a bit shit because I was about to jack in my bar job at the SU and look for voluntary work, hopefully related to my course (psychology). I guess I'll see what happens.
ETA: that was quick...
ETA2: Love that they used facebook to tell everyone.
Long term though, I'm kinda shitting it, because my bursary is worth £900 a term, not £270, as a result, my loan is reduced (not my choice) to a lower level. My letter is the same as everyone else got, showing a £270 payment in oct 08 and then no payment in January or April. What about the rest of it? I'm guessing if all or some of my bursary is gone, I can get my loan increased to compensate, but that's probably going to mean going through the local council to the LEA which is going to take all term at the very least. I'm gonna be ok, but it's still a bit shit because I was about to jack in my bar job at the SU and look for voluntary work, hopefully related to my course (psychology). I guess I'll see what happens.
ETA: that was quick...
ETA2: Love that they used facebook to tell everyone.
5t3IIa
Registered User
Administrative error! YAY!
Find out how much they are payng that useless contractor and kick up a stink about that instead
Boycey
juvenile rave slut
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
Sounds awfully convenient to blame the SLC to me - but so longe as you still keeping your bursaries then I'm
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
interviewed on BBC south today today
Me= media whore
Me= media whore
local anti-capitalist groups (with a significant student population) attempts to work with Reading SU suggest that it is indeed stuffed to the gills with useless tossbags.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
My own experience of the SU is that the people involved are doing it with an eye on thier CV
Yeah, DC, I hear a lot of SU presidents tend to have political ambitions. if not, it certainly looks good for that career in commerce...
LF, whilst I wouldn't entirely disagree with that (most students these days seem apoliticised beyond a joke), when things that truly hit the student body hard (top-up fees/student loans being a fairly recent example) they are still capable of making their voices heard if need be, and of genuinely representing the majority student opinion. I think this bursary issue could have been similar, if it wasn't backed off from/an error.
LF, whilst I wouldn't entirely disagree with that (most students these days seem apoliticised beyond a joke), when things that truly hit the student body hard (top-up fees/student loans being a fairly recent example) they are still capable of making their voices heard if need be, and of genuinely representing the majority student opinion. I think this bursary issue could have been similar, if it wasn't backed off from/an error.
butterfly child
Well-Known Member
I'd just like to confirm that not ALL mature students received this letter... neither I, nor any of my uni pals, received it.
I did get the email through, although this was evidently sent to everyone who is registered as a mature student.
True to form, Reading sent the letters out at a time when you can't get hold of them.. so all you can do it worry about that shit until they're open again.
Cunts
I did get the email through, although this was evidently sent to everyone who is registered as a mature student.
True to form, Reading sent the letters out at a time when you can't get hold of them.. so all you can do it worry about that shit until they're open again.
Cunts
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
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