Topic: University Challenged

[Absorb the anus burn]

I think the UCU have the best grounds possible at the moment to call a national strike, in partnership with Unison. Our UCU branch has already told the VC that we won't be teaching f2f unless they can prove with scientific data that there is a negligible chance of contracting or spreading the virus. Which they can't, of course.

I've already had covid once, I also have chronic asthma. I probably cannot drink caffeine or alcohol for the rest of my life, if I want to protect my renal system. They would need to lead me into a classroom at gunpoint. I know that sounds a little dramatic but I'm just prepared to do something so stupid it could kill me. I'm more careful with the drugs I take than the Uni is about our safety. The issue, of course, is that they know that serious/fatal cases amongst groups of 18-21 year-olds is so low that they can throw a dice on all of us half-dead middle aged cunts with depleted immune systems.

Your own health and safety trumps the Cummings Herd Immunity strategy.... Fuck those cunts.

[Attila]

I don't think you're overreacting.

I'm 55, in good physical health (really got my act together over the past year in terms of diet and exercise), and I seriously, seriously do not want to cop a dose of this shit.

But our senior management is convinced that working from home = skiving, and also all this 'giving the students the best experience' bullshit as a cover for 'we need their tuition to pay out 6-figure wages.'

I'm required to do all of this face-to-face teaching, to wear a shittily made face shield which will fall apart after the first wearing, to scrub and clean the classroom before I teach and then afterwards -- but the students aren't required to wear masks in the classroom. Voluntary only (they have to in the hallways, shop, and library, but not in the classroom.)

Mr Attila has asthma and marfan's -- a regular old head cold or flu flattens him; what's this shit going to do?

And the pressure I feel from both here at the house and at school is that if I get ill, it will be my fault. Good times.

[BlodwynPig]

Attila I hope you get through this unscathed. Please focus on the night time activities of the critters if things are getting too stressful. I know that doesn't solve problems but it will obviously give you perspective. Each time that fox hears a noise from upstairs and looks in fear, it's equivalent to you receiving an e-mail from the VC.

[bgmnts]

I hope you at least find some comfort in the fact that I'll be alright.

[Attila]

Attila I hope you get through this unscathed. Please focus on the night time activities of the critters if things are getting too stressful. I know that doesn't solve problems but it will obviously give you perspective. Each time that fox hears a noise from upstairs and looks in fear, it's equivalent to you receiving an e-mail from the VC.

:) Thanks, B -- to say it's a wee bit stressful is an understatement. 

I think a lot of  people in my dept are worried right now. So many changes, so many risks, none of the stuff they want us to do is set up correctly, and blllegguugh.

I hope you at least find some comfort in the fact that I'll be alright.

:)

My management's attitude and approach to all of this is just so awful :(

[poo]

Fuck, didn’t realise you’d had it. Sounds shite - did they actually find kidney damage?

[poo]

That was in response to Puce’s post - forgot to quote it.

[Cursus]

Thanks for the insights everyone. I hope you're all able to get through this coming academic year safely and with a minimum amount of fuss.

I was recently turned down for a temporary post which would have involved quite a bit of concurrent teaching. While I'm in dire need of the money, I'm also relieved I don't have to pretend it's something I'm eager to do, nor do I have to be on campus all that much. 

[Puce Moment]

Fuck, didn’t realise you’d had it. Sounds shite - did they actually find kidney damage?

General renal damage because it did a number on my organs (I couldn't keep liquids down for 5 days and my temperature went skyhigh). I should have gone in to hospital really, but everyone was telling me that it would be more dangerous because they didn't understand in the moment that it was covid (ironically). I was admitted as an emergency case a couple of months ago and they went in and tried to sort them out (including removing some small and one large stone). I had a stent in for a few days which was a right barrel of laughs. A thread hanging out of the old chap ready to be pulled out through my bladder and cock. My wife did it in the end (pulled out the stent I mean).

[pancreas]

we're full-on f2f - no blended, just ploughing headfirst into Covid soup

WTF? How on earth are they going to keep social distancing working? Has the UCU branch poked holes in their risk assessment? Ventilation? Unless it all checks out—it won't—then report them to the local HSE office.

[pancreas]

PS -- gawwd, the VC just sent around an email saying our campus is now fully open, and there are 'no confirmed cases of covid on campus or in the area.'

Again: just forward the VC's email to the local HSE office. Say that management is irresponsible and is making dangerous, unhinged remarks. Ask them to intervene immediately. Do it from an anonymous account if you are worried about it.

[poo]

General renal damage because it did a number on my organs (I couldn't keep liquids down for 5 days and my temperature went skyhigh). I should have gone in to hospital really, but everyone was telling me that it would be more dangerous because they didn't understand in the moment that it was covid (ironically). I was admitted as an emergency case a couple of months ago and they went in and tried to sort them out (including removing some small and one large stone). I had a stent in for a few days which was a right barrel of laughs. A thread hanging out of the old chap ready to be pulled out through my bladder and cock. My wife did it in the end (pulled out the stent I mean).

Sounds rough.

[Puce Moment]

Sounds rough.

I shat the bed. Quite liberating.

[Camp Tramp]

My university is now looking for 'Campus Welfare Champions' to safeguard our safety and social distancing in the uni facilities.

I know for a fact that this job will attract people who are looking for the tiniest bit of power and that CWC's will be the most reviled people on campus. Obviously I won't touch it with a bargepole.

I base this statement on my experience of the 'Social Distancing Marshalls' we have at my current employment, who are inadequate little Shitler's who get ignored until they run crying to a manager. Despite often being the person who is breaking the rules in place.

[bgmnts]

That's very Quiet Bat People isn't it?

[Alberon]

There are a good few students wandering around my uni but what is noticeable is the near total lack of academics. There weren’t many around last week, but now it seems that unless they absolutely have to be in they aren’t.

The roads were a lot quieter this morning as well compared to the last few weeks

[Puce Moment]

I haven't been into my office since March. Strongly suspect that my plants are dead and that pink refillable UCU coffee cup has Cthulhu growing in it.

I have no intention of going up until next year, even though I need some books. I might actually just re-buy them and then sell them off.

I assume every single University city will be on lockdown before the end of October - especially two-Uni cities.

[BlodwynPig]

I haven't been into my office since March. Strongly suspect that my plants are dead and that pink refillable UCU coffee cup has Cthulhu growing in it.

I have no intention of going up until next year, even though I need some books. I might actually just re-buy them and then sell them off.

I assume every single University city will be on lockdown before the end of October - especially two-Uni cities.

I've still got to return some DVDs to the Uni library and my contract is ending in a week or so. Bah, I'll just bin them.

[Blue Jam]

My amusingly phallic cactus will definitely be flaccid by now. I also have to wonder how disgusting my Donald Trump mug is looking now. Probably a lot less.

My department has a system by which researchers are designated Priority 1, 2 or 3. It seems to be based on how much supervision a person needs, and how much of their job they can do from home, so it means
PIs and PhD students are Priority 3, while postdocs and technicians and other laboratory grunts are priority 1 or 2.

I am the only Priority 1 person in my group so if we go back to an earlier phase of lockdown that means I'll be doing all the lab work for an entire group. Yippee.

[Attila]

My first day back -- a lot of students, and actually a number of bods in my hallway (I'm in one dept, but my office is in the hallway of a different dept). Most staff are going in to teach and then bailing out again almost immediately. Very strange, as I'm so used to going in really early and making a full day out of it.

Seriously aggravating email sent around to all of us from the VC today, a lot of rah rah shit about how we're all one big family who care about each other...with not so subtle hints that we will be held responsible for any loss of student retention over the next two semesters.

Just about everyone is having various issues with trying to do teaching via Teams -- my seminar was 'ok' -- none of the kids wanted to talk while we were being recorded, but got lively the minute I shut the recording off. I'd rather not record, either, but we're required to. Everyone showed up, but that's the first day,innit.  Trying to get students to talk across the seminars I have every week is going to be exhausting.

Loads of emails from other students though, asking if they can just attend online this semester instead of the alternating weeks in the room and online.

It would take Christ almight himself to get us 100% online, though -- senior management have repeatedly said that we will NOT go online unless the government orders it. They've also told staff NOT to allow students randomly to go online for the whole semester. Any student who wants to go online has to demonstrate to the dean and then the DVC, with supporting documents, why s/he is vulnerable and needs to be online.

[Blue Jam]

I saw some students having a barbecue in Holyrood Park today. Cunts. I'll set the swans on them.

[BlodwynPig]

I saw some students having a barbecue in Holyrood Park today. Cunts. I'll set the swans on them.

Two new swans arrived today at my lake and proceeded to try and kill the two remaining cygnets. The mother being banished to the smaller pond and looking desolate. Fucking swans.

[Blue Jam]

A load of Canada Geese arrived at my Loch this week but they seem to be keeping their distance from the swans and the cygs. I am concerned that a turf war may break out.

Anyway, I hope the park rangers told the students to get tae.

[Puce Moment]

Fucking hell Attila. Your Uni would be shoving a P45 up my arse.

[BlodwynPig]

A load of Canada Geese arrived at my Loch this week but they seem to be keeping their distance from the swans and the cygs. I am concerned that a turf war may break out.

Anyway, I hope the park rangers told the students to get tae.

I heard those geese pass over last night, heading northward. Pretty sure they would be the same geese.

[Blue Jam]

Nah, they were already there on Friday, maybe there are more now. Do they navigate by following the LNER tracks? I wonder.

[greencalx]

Had my first lecture today. It was a success in the sense that it happened at all (there were quite a lot of technical problems), although pedagogically I'm not sure there was much to say for it.

[Attila]

Fucking hell Attila. Your Uni would be shoving a P45 up my arse.

:)

We've had a number of students already reporting in that they're isolating. Several colleagues have been hacking and wheezing from headcolds -- cannot wait to have a cold and have to deal with a facemask. (I get really sloppy sinuses when I have a cold).

[Blue Jam]

Had a bit of an asthma attack cycling home and am still a bit wheezy. That should be fun for scaring people off.

[pancreas]

Getting some rumours coming in from some schools that they've decided to go fully online.