Dr Matt Barnard

Really happy that mine and Keith Crome’s article on #AI and Plagiarism has been published in @futurehumanities.bsky.social in open access. We argue that focus on policing students conduct misses the more profound challenge to our assessments from #GenAI onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Newsletter #29! Feat: - Our Equality conf social - LGBTQ+ ctte trans inclusion webinar - Congress changes survey (FILL IT IN!) - Education: It's Ours toolkits - Social class in HE webinar - Australian HE enquiry - Jo Johnson talks rubbish - DMU subcos #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

Stronger branches. More members. More power. Our new Building Membership toolkit has practical tips on recruiting colleagues, starting conversations and growing your UCU branch. It starts with one conversation. Download it: educationitsours.org.uk

some people won't like this but organising is filling in forms

Newsletter #28! Feat: - @uonucu.bsky.social rally - Our paper to this week's HEC on the Sullivan Review - Education: It's Ours launch - UCU response to Burnham speech - Oil heir made Sustainability Prof at Newcastle - THE/Orbán links - TurnItI/AI scandal #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

Newsletter #27! Feat: - Maddie Moore NEC election - New equality standing committee nom process - Trans inclusion webinar - Climate committee annual meeting - 'Thinner universities' - BA/Science Minister saga - Open letter for LGBTQ+ activists in Türkiye #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

The first episode of UCU's podcast has dropped! Featuring our very own @markpendleton.bsky.social ! Links to listen are in the original post.

More fool them, honestly

imagine voluntarily associating yourself with Ipswich Town FC

It is such a tired and sad move by Smith to make this about universities when it plainly is about politics, and about the home office.

A cheery message from the new minister responsible for research funding for the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences (and the subjects that the majority of UK taught undergraduate and Masters students study).

University of Exeter staff have delivered a huge mandate to keep fighting cuts. 91% voted for industrial action on a 74% turnout. The fight to defend jobs and education at Exeter continues.

What, an Anthropic researcher states (without evidence) that there is a 10% chance that AI will cause human extinction? Incredible, we have never before heard such a claim!

Newsletter #26! Including: goodbye to @vthuppil.bsky.social from NEC (😭), cas vacancy elections, @exeterucu.bsky.social news, UCU equality & anticas events, devolved nations HE funding, Lincoln Bishop's takeover, OfS v Sussex, & VCs at Reform conference (🤮) #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

Attention, #UCU! There's 2 casual vacancy elections underway in which all HE members can vote. Our recommendations are: UK elected rep: Madeleine Moore 1, Tilia Lenz 2 Women's rep (FE): Helen Kelsall 1 More: ucucommons.org/madeleine/ Please vote in all categories on your ballot paper!

Still lots of time to dig out your ballot for the #UCU NEC casual vacancy elections, fill it in and send it back! Deadline for receipt of all ballots 17 September. Not received your ballot? Request a replacement: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/UCU-Casua... Our recommendations 👇👇👇

TL;DR: Sociology has made huge contributions to research on childless/childfree lives, but I argue that geography is best equipped to take forward a broader focus on 'life without children'.

Stick together. Keep fighting. UCU members at the Durham Miners’ Gala on what the day means to them and their message for everyone facing job cuts right now ✊

Jo Edge @hagenilda.bsky.social, co-chair of @ucu.org.uk's Anti-Casualisation Committee, is bringing the following paper and motion to the meeting of ACC on 8 July. If passed and then approved by NEC, it will make the process of nominating to ACC much easier. #UCU ucucommons.org/rule-change-...

'The government data finds that when comparing people with the same sex and similar GCSE results, the proportion in sustained employment or further study 10 years after GCSEs is “consistently higher” for degree holders than for those with no higher level qualification.' 1/3

A statement from Exeter UCU branch @ucu.org.uk - please share far and wide.

Appalling. Hard to believe that Higher Ed has been one of the most successful areas of power and discovery. Far too many jobs being lost. Destruction of talent and insight.

Despicable: Uni of Exeter putting over 500 staff at risk of compulsory redundancy. Thoughts are with all Exeter branch comrades. #UCU #UKHE

ICYMI from our blog: Michael Bartlett's wonderful reflective piece on Congress, which deservedly received high praise at Friday's NEC! #UCU #UKHE

This is really good. Read it.

Again for the morning crowd. I wrote this because I'm troubled by the recent rash of 'lamentation' pieces about the so-called death of the university, and because I strongly feel climate analogies need to be used ethically and responsibly. #UKHE #UCU

I'm so happy to have been re-elected as Chair of UCU Equality Committee! This is going to be a crucial year and I'm so glad my fellow NEC members trust me with this position. #UCU

Excellent post and motion from Matt. I'll be voting for the motion at Friday's NEC.

From NEC, congrats to: @sophisteria.bsky.social: vice chair, HEC @matildaf.bsky.social: chair, Equality committee @matthewbarnard.phd: TPS panel @profalexp.bsky.social: Strategy and Finance committee @matthewbarnard.phd, @drgillhistory.bsky.social: Education committee /2

Newsletter #20! Today: @rullsenberg.bsky.social on trans solidarity, @matildaf.bsky.social reply to Lorna Finlayson, @choochod.bsky.social and the Scottish tertiary ed minister, @matthewbarnard.phd 's X motion, our reply to Policy Exchange & much more! #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

This is such a clear articulation from Matt of why the issue of UCU leaving X should be looked at thoughtfully. What do we gain / lose / facilitate by being on that particular platform or not? Always glad to see evidence explored + hard questions asked about the justifications+ practicalities.

Great blog post from @matthewbarnard.phd on his motion setting out the rationale for UCU to leave X. The motion will be debated at this Friday's NEC meeting. #UCU #UKHE

I’ve submitted a motion to UCU NEC on looking into the possibility and impacts of the Union leaving X, following the motion to exit X from University of Southampton branch falling off the Congress agenda. I’ve blogged about the rationale over on @ucucommons.org ucucommons.org/motion-on-x/

An excellent piece from @matildaf.bsky.social

I find it intolerable to analogise about climate change without, at the very least, acknowledging the resistance efforts of those who are facing down widespread indifference to their fate armed with far less material security than ourselves.

Hi #UCU. l wrote a response to Lorna Finlayson's latest NLR piece, 'Irreversible'. It's from the heart as a precarious academic, a trade unionist and, frankly, someone who thinks the climate change metaphor used in the original piece is unhelpful and damaging. ucucommons.org/we-shouldnt-...

Having had the opportunity to read an early draft of this, I can't wait to read the final published version. Congratulations Matt and Keith! #GenAI

Awesome. Literally didn’t see that coming. Somehow still a little proud. #AIEthics #AILaw #Deutschland Cc @hertieschool.bsky.social

I was invited to attend the Women and Equalities Committee this week, in my role as a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, to question the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) about the recently tabled Code of Practice.

Have a read of @matildaf.bsky.social's recent GJ commentary on reproductive futures, featured in last month's RGS-IBG Journals highlights: doi.org/10.1111/geoj...

UCU imposes ‘global academic boycott’ on Sheffield in pay row Union objects to withholding of pay after strike action, but university says few staff affected www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

"This dismantling is not merely an institutional realignment; it is a direct attack on the production of critical knowledge". #HigherEd #UKHE www.theguardian.com/education/20...

FCC To Investigate TV Shows Where The Mom Has Job https://theonion.com/fcc-to-investigate-tv-shows-where-the-mom-has-job/

top 3 things that get stuck in my head to the tune of "Jive Talkin'" 3. Vibe Coding 2. Weehauken 1. Chive Dumpling