“Heavy-handed autocratic approach”of senior staff criticised

LEEDS STUDENT EXCLUSIVE

Conflict within the Institute of Communications Studies (ICS) has led to a senior member of staff stepping down as programme head, Leeds Student can exclusively reveal.

For more than a year a division has been growing in the school between staff involved in the practical element of courses and those on the theoretical side.
    An anonymous letter sent to LS has revealed the extent of the problems within the department. LS understands that the letter was also sent to Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Steven Scott.
    The division has caused a rift between two groups of staff; those who believe that vocational based courses should take precedence, and those who are in favour of more theoretically based programmes.
    The letter details an atmosphere of intimidation among staff in the department that has developed as a result of the conflict of opinions.
    It is alleged that a small group of senior staff are attempting to purge a number of courses of their vocational elements.
    A Curriculum Review Group (CRG) was set up in summer 2008 to evaluate the Institute’s teaching programmes.
    Members of ICS staff who have refused to conform to the findings of the CRG have found themselves being put under increasing pressure from a number of professors. This has included staff being given unrealistic workloads and having their course material dictated to them.
    Ann Blair, immediate past president of the Leeds University Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), said: “UCU has had concerns about ICS for some time.
    “Over the last couple of years a disproportionate number of our members in ICS have raised individual concerns and we have also met with members as a group.
    “The principal problem, it seems to us, is that the values of academic freedom and collegiality that underpin the University’s strategy are struggling to survive under a heavy-handed and autocratic approach that has been adopted by a number of senior staff within the Institute.”
    The situation came to a head this week when ICS Director Professor Gary Rawnsley emailed Patrick Titley, the Head of TV Production, to inform him of changes that he would have to make to his course. 
    The email, that was leaked to LS, outlined four areas of change; academic input in the programme should increase, advertising of the programme to change, a heavier involvement of the link professor in the programme, and ending the hiring of outside professionals to teach on the course.
    LS understands that, as a result of these demands, Titley announced his resignation from his role in an ICS staff-wide email last Monday. He subsequently informed students via email that he was stepping down the following day.
    The ICS came second lowest in this year’s National Student Survey (NSS). This has put senior members of staff under pressure from senior members of the University to bring the Institute up to standard.
    ICS Staff-Student Committee student representative Georgia Goggin said: “There is an inherent conflict in the Institute because this is a Russell Group university and that comes with a certain obligation to have very high academic standards and everything that goes with it.”
    Commenting on the situation within the ICS, a University spokesperson said: “We are already taking action to address issues raised by feedback from students in ICS, feedback that includes data from the National Student Survey.
    “ICS courses – like all Leeds programmes – are regularly reviewed to ensure they are current and relevant. The current review addresses changes in this fast-moving subject area as well as student feedback. 
    “We want to reassure students that there is no question of their being able to complete courses they have embarked upon, and that we will address any immediate issues.
    “Appropriate cover for staff absences has been brought in as swiftly as possible to ensure disruption to students is minimised and that they have appropriate academic support.
“Students can raise any concerns about their course with their director of learning and teaching, with their tutor, with student-staff forum representatives or via Leeds University Union.  ICS is also planning additional student meetings to discuss any concerns.”
The issues within the institute were highlighted in a piece in the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) in January and it seems that the situation has escalated since.
The THES reported on a study carried out the previous year by the University under Health and Safety Executive guidelines, which claimed there was “friction and anger” between colleagues in the ICS and staff were being given excessive workloads. This was reported to be having an impact on the wellbeing of some members of staff.
However, David Morrison, professor of communications research at Leeds, suggested to the THES that the findings were “valueless and in no way should be accepted as a statement relating to stress within the institute.” ICS Director Rawnsley quickly accepted this assessment of the report.
But it has since become clear that the findings of the report were accurate. Blair commented: “Staff are not being treated with the respect that they are entitled to and decisions affecting staff and their teaching and research are being made without proper involvement and consultation.
“This, added to what some have identified as unreasonable demands, has had a drastic impact on staff morale, with UCU members in ICS describing the situation as the worst it has ever been. This is affecting the health of some staff and has led to a number of members of staff resigning positions of responsibility and other looking to negotiate transfers out of ICS.”
The problem has been highlighted by the experience of one member of staff, Simon Popple, a senior lecturer in Cinema. We understand that Mr Popple has recently taken a leave of absence from work due to ill-health. Although colleagues have covered elements of Mr Popple’s workload, this has created problems for students expecting him to supervise their dissertation projects, as there is currently no one with similar expertise available.
One student, who wished to remain anonymous said: “They’ve said he won’t be back before Christmas. If he doesn’t come back it looks like they’re going to have to drop his module, unless they get someone else in from elsewhere. We were told in the first lecture, ‘by the way, he’s not going to be here.’ It was kind of like, ‘this is the situation, deal with it’.”
“The guy they’ve brought in is really nice but he’s not a lecturer. The way he presents it is not as good. This is just like a second thing for him. He has a different full-time job. This is just a favour. He’s good to come in but not to supervise dissertations. He knows about photography but that’s not his area of expertise.”

Ms. Goggin added: “It is difficult for students to begin their dissertation year, the big year, and find out that key members of staff aren’t going to be around to support them, that is a struggle.”
Pro Vice Chancellor Steven Scott attempted to reassure staff and students that the University is doing everything it can to deal with the situation.
Scott said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff and students are paramount. We are already helping the Institute to understand and improve working relationships between staff.
“We are running a series of staff meetings in ICS to explore issues, including respect, bullying and harassment, and collegiality. These meetings support the institute’s strategy and are a response to the results of last year’s workplace stressor survey. The University’s new ‘Dignity and Mutual Respect’ policy and guidance is also being tested in the Institute.”
Reacting to the newly agreed policy on dignity and mutual respect, the UCU was cautiously optimistic.
“It is vital that this produces a rapid improvement in the management culture in ICS as till now the University has failed to root out practices and behaviour that have no place in a modern workplace,” said Ms Blair.
Despite the deteriorating situation within the school, ICS staff have refrained from commenting due to concerns over losing their jobs.
Ms. Blair said: ““Some of these concerns have been raised by us with the management of the Institute and with the Dean of the faculty, but so far we have not seen any significant improvement.
“These difficulties are well known to the University, with the outcomes of the staff well-being survey last year, which identified bullying as a concern, being dismissed by some senior staff in ICS and the issue reaching the pages of the Times Higher following a leak.”

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