National Executive Committee — election address

I’m standing for election to become a member of UCU’s national election committee. I’m standing for two positions: UK-wide higher education representative; and higher education representative for the North East region. My address is below.

Until August 2021 I was employed by University of Leicester, as associate professor of finance and political economy. I was also Leicester UCU’s Communications officer, one of its negotiators and, for 11 days, vice-chair. Since being made redundant, I have been casually employed by University of Leeds as a teaching fellow.

National Executive Committee is horrible. So is Higher Education Committee (HEC), which all NEC members working in universities automatically sit on. I know. I was a member of NEC (and HEC) between March 2020 and May 2021. Meetings are frequently ill-tempered. Time-wasting is common. The space is neither welcoming nor conducive to the comradely debate that we so urgently need in our union. There is too much aggression and not enough care. Moreover, NEC and its workings are opaque.

Along with other relatively new members of NEC and with NEC candidates, I am determined to change this culture. We — elected representatives — must be more careful and more caring. NEC decision-making must be more open and transparent: the UCU members who elect us must be able to see how we spend our time. Some of our proposals for UCU accountability and transparency have been accepted (here) — but we have more work to do.

The sector we work in is broken: it’s breaking us and our students. University leaders are incapable of responding adequately to the myriad crises we face, both as educators and as citizens. The task falls on us — on UCU and other unions — to rethink universities and colleges for the 21st century, and to make that vision a reality. NEC and its subcommittees could and should play an essential part in this process of reimagining and remaking post-16 education. These committees have a key role in shaping our union’s policy (within parameters determined by annual Congress), in making our union more responsive, more creative, more effective — in making it a force to be reckoned with. Of course, NEC is responsible for holding to account the general secretary and UCU’s other elected officers. But NEC should aim to work with Jo Grady, the general secretary, not always against her.

I believe that we can transform UCU such that it becomes an organisation capable of transforming our sector — and even our society. As part of that project, I am part of a new constellation or faction within our union, UCU Commons. As well as voting for me, please consider voting for the other great UCU Commons candidates who are also standing for election as part of this slate.

Web: www.ucuCommons.org
Twitter: @ucuCommons * @DavidHarvieUCU