New Branch Executive Committee

At our Annual General Meeting on 15th November the results of the election to the Executive Committee were announced. Caitlin Adams will now be taking over as branch president. The meeting expressed its profound gratitude to Lesley Kane for her leadership during this challenging year and especially for her tireless efforts in the AL contract negotiations. We are delighted that she remains a member of the Executive Committee as Immediate Past President and in her capacity as a member of the National Executive Committee.
 
Other members of the Executive were elected unopposed and the complete list will soon be on this website, link to be added.
 
There are still a number of vacancies and the Executive Committee was authorised to consider co-opting further members. At the moment Central Academics are particularly under-represented within the Exec.
 
We can provide training and mentoring, no previous experience is required, just enthusiasm! if you’re interested in the union’s work, please consider getting involved. If you’d like to be co-opted to the executive committee, send an expression of interest (c150 words including your staff category and which post you’re interested in) to ucu@open.ac.uk by Friday 30 November. (Caitlin is also very happy to have a chat with anyone who needs more information).
 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VACANCIES

• Vice President (one of two)
• Central Academic Staff Officer
• Central Academic-Related Staff Officer
• Regional/National Academic-Related Staff Officer
• Ordinary member x 3 places

There are other ways to get involved too. Yesterday the new Exec agreed to set up three new groups to work on specific areas of interest.
 
Staff Tutor Reference Group for AL Contract

We need at least one Staff Tutor from each faculty to serve on a ‘reference group’ that will help advise on the practical implementation of the new AL contract. Please get in touch with Philip O’Sullivan (Regional/National Academic Staff Officer) if you might be interested.
 
REF (Research Excellence Framework)

We are looking for several people, ideally at least one from each faculty, to assist the union on the REF, for example in informing OUBUCU’s participation in the upcoming REF special sector conference on 7 December 2018.

https://ucu.org.uk/ref_post-92conf18

Sustainability

If you’re interested in green issues and fighting climate destruction, we’d love to have your input on what OUBUCU can do to improve sustainability. (This is meant to be very open depending on member interests, for instance, some might be interested in where USS invests our pension contributions.)