Radical Pay Reforms Spark Anger in University Staff
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“When China awakes, she will astonish the world” Varsity takes you to the heart of the biggest, most complicated country on the planet Page 14 No. 604 The Independent Cambridge Student Newspaper since 1947 Friday October 15, 2004 Radical pay reforms spark GU in financial anger in university staff crisis Senate House debate reveals bitter opposition £4,500 missing expenses Calls for CUSU integration Sarah Marsh he Chine Mbubaegbu AFURIOUS DEBATE over Cambridge’s new pay and grading structure took place this Tuesday. At THE CAMBRIDGE University the University parliament, Senate on-Dem-Bussc Graduate Union has found itself in a House, many senior academics voiced l-V state of serious disarray after a number of fears of mass pay cuts and a devalua- key resignations. This follows several tion of junior and non-academic roles. years of financial mismanagement by t Mocke There are concerns that this will con- r past Executives, which has until now tribute to a growing divide between lbe gone unnoticed by the University. senior university management and the A This summer, a meeting of the rest of the University. Standing Advisory Committee on Vice-President of the Association Student Matters, which includes mem- of University Teachers (AUT), Dr bers of both CUSU and the Graduate Silvia Martinelli, said that this would Union (GU), found that the Union’s be the most radical and detrimental financial papers up until 2002-3 ‘pre- reform in Cambridge for a hundred sented a most unsatisfactory position.’ years. The AUT’s secretary Nick Sarah Airey, President of the GU for Savage asserted there was “A huge 2003-4, kept the Graduate Union amount of unhappiness right from afloat, whilst trying to rectify the finan- the head of the school of physical sci- cial situation. Airey sought the help of ences down to the junior assistants.” Chartered Accountant, Stuart He warned that the new structure Berriman, to audit the GU accounts – could “cause real damage to staff something that had not been done morale and recruitment.” since the end of the 1999 financial year. The University’s administration has Berriman expressed concern at the level justified the reforms by referring to of ‘advances for expenses’ that had gone the need to reward staff more objec- through the accounts in 2002-3. tively and make salaries more compet- During that year, £7,665 had been paid itive. This will help to maintain the out in expenses claims alone, whilst University’s international pre-emi- AUT secretary Nick Savage and Vice President Dr Silvia Martinelli outside the University Parliament, Senate House only £2,950 was accounted for. nence in teaching and research. A let- Furthermore, last year’s accounting ter was sent out to all members of staff Computing Department argued that formance. But it remains unclear who new system for only guaranteeing cur- records showed that the practice of pay- on the 30th September, informing the analysis was too general to be of judges this performance, and whether rent salaries over fours years. He them of the proposed reforms. any use: “For the personnel division the supplementary payments will only claimed that it failed to address the The preferred grading system is to think they are capable of doing it be awarded to professors. objections of the AUT and other HERA, the Higher Education Role themselves smacks of the greatest During Tuesday’s heated discussion trade unions. The AUT is not for- ndy Sims Analysis scheme used nationwide to kind of arrogance.” the structure was almost unanimously mally recognised by the University. A analyse and produce a points score for Such a pay structure may put off denounced for continuing to favour The cost of implementing a new each role within the University. But eminent professors from working for senior management and academics. pay and grading structure is estimated the HERA scheme has been vehe- the university. Dr Michael Rutter of There are concerns it will not be com- at five million pounds. Whilst half of mently criticised for simplifying a the Department of Physics said that petitive enough in the local market for this cost should be funded by the complex and long-established pay “Cambridge simply can not offer non-academic related staff. Another Higher Education Funding Council structure, and for potentially intro- competitive salaries in the face of professor, Jeremy Sanders, pointed out for England, the other half remains ducing new kinds of unfairness. powerful American institutions. But that the Department of Chemistry unprovided for. It is not obvious how Many academics protest HERA is academics are usually able to earn on had lost a senior technician to the pri- the full cost will be met, and how Grad Union president Ribu Tharakan an unreliable model based on the top of their basic salary through vate sector this month, and that 40% existing interests will be protected in a analysis of only a small percentage of research. The new rigid struture will of cleaning posts remain vacant due to general context of the University’s ing by cash withdrawal without receipt the overall staff. Martinelli questioned hinder this liberal practise.” the inferior pay. deficit and job cuts. records left around £13,000 undocu- how the University could justify The proposals aim to increase Others fear pay cuts and lower pro- A final decision on the nature of the mented for that year. analysing only 40 jobs out of the 300 Cambridge’s international competi- motion expectations. University pay and grading reforms has been potentially affected jobs. tivity by awarding supplementary Lecturer Nick Holmes spoke on delayed until the 15th November. - continued on page 2 Bob Cowley of the University awards for impressive individual per- behalf of the AUT and attacked the - Analysis: page 6 - Editorial: page 11 TRINITY VILLAGE DISPUTE PAGE 3 BART - INTERVIEWED PAGE 9 AMERICAN ELECTION DIARY PAGE 10 BRAVE MU WORLD PAGE 23 SCI-FI ACTION PAGE 24 SHARPE WIT PAGE 26 BLUES HOCKEY PAGE 30 2 NEWS October 15, 2004 www.varsity.co.uk Dame Rosemary Murray: first female V-C Lucy Phillips es In 1975, Dame Rosemary took up instilled in New Hall students the v hi the position of University Vice importance of playing a full part in c DAME ROSEMARY Murray, first Chancellor, ending more than 760 the University as well as the college, woman Vice-Chancellor of the years of male dominance in this role. that hard work was a pleasure and University and Founder President of At the Chelsea Flower Show ear- that no task was too humble if it New Hall, has died aged 91. lier this year, a yellow rose which contributed to the general good. ar w Hall She had recently been admitted to bears her name was launched to cel- This message was the more persua- Ne the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford ebrate New Hall’s 50th anniversary. sive because of her own infectious where she suffered a stroke following Professor Alison Richard, the delight in people and the world heart surgery last month. She died University’s Vice Chancellor and around her." peacefully in hospital on 7 October, the second female in the position, paid New Hall college flag is flying at day after the 50th anniversary of New tribute to Dame Rosemary: half mast and there are flowers and a Hall’s foundation. "She was a fine academic and portrait of Dame Rosemary opposite Only last week a plaque was unveiled administrator, and, above all, a the porter’s lodge. at the spot on Silver Street where the remarkable human being. The sad- Dame Rosemary was not just a college was founded 50 years ago. ness is tempered by the fact that she University figure; she believed in Born in 1913, Dame Rosemary did so much to change the landscape being an active part of her communi- began her academic career at Lady of this institution for the better." ty and took an equal part in the life Margaret Hall in Oxford where she "Dame Rosemary has not only left of the city and county, spending 30 studied chemistry. behind physical reminders of her years as a Justice of Peace in She first came to Cambridge to take contribution to Cambridge, her lega- Cambridge and became the first up a position as a chemistry demon- cy is the countless people throughout woman to be Deputy- Lieutenant of strator at Girton and in 1954 she the world who have been inspired the County. became Tutor in Charge of the newly and influenced by her knowledge, Even in late retirement she con- founded New Hall, the ‘Third insight and over-riding warmth." tinued to bind books for New Hall Foundation’ for women students at a Anne Lonsdale, CBE, the current library, to help children at the local time when Cambridge had the lowest President of New Hall, said: "Dame Oxford Middle School with reading proportion of women undergraduates Rosemary was a person of energy, practice and to tend her garden with of any university in the UK. clear-sightedness, courage and per- obvious delight although almost Dame Rosemary became Founder sistence. She took it for granted that completely blind. President of the college in 1964 and women could and should compete on Her funeral will take place in remained in the position until 1981 equal terms with men in any field, Oxford on 18 October and there will when she retired and became an but did not seek special treatment for be a memorial service for her in Great Honorary Fellow. herself or her college. She also St Mary’s in Cambridge later on.