University Strategy Consultation
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University Strategy Consultation Comments received in the Green Paper consultation online questionnaire – Part 1 1 Contents Thinking about the future of the University, tell us about one small change you would like to see. .... 3 The consultation document explains that in these turbulent times we need to consider new and radical ideas. If you have a radical idea you would like to suggest, please tell us here. .................. 33 In a sentence, how would you describe the purpose of the University of Nottingham? .................... 67 What sort of growth, if any, should we aim for? - Other (please state) ............................................ 78 Having told us earlier what you would like to change, please now give one example of something about the University of Nottingham you want to make sure we retain in the years to come. ............ 88 Which of these words best indicate values and behaviours we should aspire to as a university community? Pick up to 10 of the ones below: (just copy and paste!), or add your own. ................ 105 If you answered 'yes' what should we do to make progress towards this/these aim(s) .................. 126 2 Thinking about the future of the University, tell us about one small change you would like to see. To respond the the climate emergency in as many ways as possible. Senior managers/staff all around the University need to get down to front line and see what is happening A more customer focused approach from Admissions. More business orientated. A fit for purpose central space on University Park campus that is not allocated to the teaching timetable, and can be used to host conferences, graduation, open day keynotes, and isn't chargeable (i.e. isn't EMCC). Also, more hotel provision / bed spaces on our campuses to support these events. Allow working from home one day a week for all levels Allow faculties and schools to have more autonomy in decision making and allow them flexibility in process and budget to be able to innovate in teaching and research. Streamlining management level and decision makes Every initiative should be evaluated independently of the people driving it, and the cost and outcomes published withing the University so that failing initiatives are identified. Only solid evidence-based initiatives (of any kind) should be imposed on the staff and/or students (sorry, I have given two suggestions). Stop using quantitative metrics to measure individual contributions to messy, nuanced, qualitatively complex systems and outcomes. (Aristotle: "We must not expect more precision than the subject- matter admits" - Nichomachean Ethics, chapter 3) responsible use of metrics Less bureaucracy Quicker, more decisive decision making, with a clearer, unique strategy carbon zero campus More equal terms and conditions of employment across ALL staff groups - including pensions, working hours, the use of flexible working, sickness and general terms and conditions of employment etc etc. Clearer use of language. In the past we have had a loyalty to opaque management-speak which has tended to obscure meaning and intention. The Strategy 2020 document is itself a good example of this - I don't recall reading about the implications of Project Transform in that document but instead it includes a lot of vapid language which is not informative. There have been promising signs on this in the last couple of years but there are still signs of it in the consultation document, notably the use of the term 'efficiency' in the section on finances. Is this actual efficiency of operating or is it code for cuts? It's a good example of the way in which the use of such language does little to engender trust and yet I get the sense that there is a desire to create a more trusting atmosphere. A move toward clearer language will allow that to happen more visible interaction between the three International Campuses and more visible interaction with Nottingham the city I.T. training, ongoing support, and even some teaching relief for Admissions Tutors Incentives for staff that regularly meet targets. Reduce the layers of management All employees treated fairly and equally. No staff member stays in the same job role for more than 3 years Expand and solidify the EDI brief to include non-protected classes (e.g. parents). For example, Nottingham could be the first British University (I believe) to come out with equal maternity/paternity leave, we could enforce better treatment of parents in professional services (e.g. mandate 3 allowance of flexitime/work from home for non-"customer" focused roles). Too many professional services staff have inconsistent treatment of issues, dependent upon line manager. That's unfair, and demonstrates a lack of commitment from HR and the University to staff care. Less politicisation and more flexibility within courses Free lunch for staff members More focus on the environment Commitment to paying the Living Wage to anyone contracted to, hired by, or providing services to the University. Nottingham University Ningbo MUST decide what is the minimum percentage of our academic/teaching staff that are foreign/international and what percentage is Chinese. There is a perception in recent years that a "tipping point" has been reached and the single biggest complaint in recent years from senior students is that UNNC has too many Chinese on it's staff. Not particularly strategic but having more water fountains across the campuses and removing 'meal deals' where you have to buy a drink (in a single use plastic bottle - which we're trying to discourage) Less single use plastic When hiring gardeners, ensure that the people hired actually meet the supposed qualifications/experience criteria, instead of just taking the best of a poor batch of applicants - of course, this idea will only work if the terms & conditions for the role are attractive to the right calibre of person, which they are currently not (& they keep getting worse). All staff respecting each other and valuing the role and contribution each person makes to the student experience Better management More interaction between senior management and staff/students affected by decisions made, such as building renovations. Create the post of Disabled Staff Adviser and give it proper funding and support. Less 'us and them' attitude between academics and admin I would like to see the impact that ideas from the University management board assessed to see how it would impact the workload of the staff before they are implemented. since staff are already overloaded with teaching, research and administration, any new idea or strategy that increases the load should not be implemented until another activity is introduced that decreases the workload. In fact since we are already overloaded, initiatives should work to decrease trhe workload of staff for a while only until a reasonable balance is introduced. UMB can ask us to try to be the best in everything all they like. Unless we free up time, there is no scope for anyone to increase workload to meet meaningless targets such as "top 5 in research" Improve our self-service systems: Agresso, campus solutions etc are all very user unfreindly and extremely wasteful of staff time. More consistency in terms of the application of policies and procedures across the entire institution so it feels like one organisation instead of lots of different silos with their own culture and ways of doing things. a more realistic workload model that emphasises quality over maximising productivity Fewer initiatives for change. The University over-generates these, because it helps individuals achieve career progression. Thought should be given to moderating the generation of initiatives, so that we can concentrate our efforts on a few, rather than being distracted by many. I think this may require change to promotion criteria. I feel morally obliged to refer to parking, so parking spaces available after 9:30am (for people who attend meetings at other campuses, etc) Improved car parking Disinvestment from countries with poor human rights records Investment in a University funded Erasmus+ studentship scheme to promote and enhance our connections with Europe. This could be called Florence after both a hugely significant renaissance capital (Firenze) and one of our founders. This network would help to strengthen our ties with existing and future EU alumni. More coaching, feedback & communication styles training for managers new & existing. Better PDPR format e.g incentive & clear direction in line with University strategy to be able to achieve a 4 good rating. Cosistency for repeated process across different schools to avoid having to reinvent the wheel not only per school but per team when the single point of failure leaves. More funding to support research teams to grow - such as University funded PhD studentships, and School support to bring post docs into permanent middle grade posts. I think that statements and missives from the Executive and central services should have some kind of Plain English check before being sent out. How can anybody sign up to anything they don't understand - or that suggests the writer is obfuscating? For example, however trendy it is in management/WonkHE circles to talk about the DNA of an organisation (it's not even a good metaphor) or innovation ecosystems (OK, so the biological use of of ecosystem is itself jargon, but to build metaphorical jargon on top reduces not improves clarity), let alone balanced frameworks… Staff EDI focus A moratorium on benchmarking (or rather its risk-averse misuse in decision making), say for three years. Put a red card in all meeting rooms that can lofted if someone does this with the following written on it: "Dare to be distinctive-especially when it makes you nervous". At the moment I feel like the University's REAL mission statement is "Nottingham: Somewhere between Sheffield and Loughborough, certainly no worse than Birmingham on many metrics and we do some stuff like UCL".