Dear All,
Many thanks for signing the Change.Org petition to 'End compulsory redundancies at Newcastle University.' We're writing with a brief update and also two quick 'next-steps' you can take to help us further.
Pressure on management is growing - we have now over 4000 people signed from 64 countries in every inhabited continent on earth! This week Cardiff University, in Wales, announced it was pulling back from cuts - largely due to pressure and fear of reputational damage as the issue got splashed all over the news. We're aiming for the same here, and our next step is to ratchet up media interest.
There are two things you can do to help us with this:
1) LEAVE A COMMENT
Well-phrased comments about the effects of the cuts on your perception of Newcastle University's reputation will go a long way, especially if you include your name, country and job/relationship to the university in the actual comment itself. Are you a Newcastle resident who may have second thoughts about suggesting a young person go and study there? Or an academic elsewhere who may be less likely to collaborate or encourage PhD students to apply? Or a current Newcastle student or their parent worried about the effects on your degree and how likely you'd be to commend it to siblings, friends, other children, etc? Specific comments will really help.
To leave a comment is a bit tricky (this is to stop AI bots etc just filling them in and so to ensure their integrity). Instructions are:
-Make sure you have signed in to a change . org account under the email address you gave when you signed.
-click on ‘My petitions’
-click on the ‘signed’ tab
-select this petition
-click on ‘take the next step!’
-click on ‘Sorry I can’t do anything now’ at the bottom of the page when it asks for a donation.
- You should then come to an ‘amplify your signature by adding your voice!’ page. Click on ‘Write a comment’ and proceed accordingly.
I know this is a fuss but it is very, very helpful.
2) RESEND THE LINK TO YOUR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS
Social media, work email lists, WhatsApp, disciplinary subject discussion forums - anything will help.
Thank you for the solidarity!
Newcastle University's branch of the UCU (University and College Union).