Two motions will be proposed at the next GUCU branch meeting. One on raising subs, the other on lecture capture and Panopto

Motion one: Raising local subs

Goldsmiths UCU is a very active branch. During the last academic year the branch engaged in numerous activities including, but not limited to:

  • A Get the Vote Out campaign
  • The USS Dispute
  • Various activities regarding the Gold Paper
  • Supported the campaign to ‘in house’ the college cleaners
  • A recruitment drive
  • Anti-casualisation work
  • Increasing quantity and complexity of casework
  • Governance research

All these activities take resources. In order to undertake all this work the branch had to use some of our reserves. If we continue this level of activity without a significant increase in income, the branch will run out of money in three years.

We, as a branch, have three options:

  1. Increase income by increasing local subscriptions
  2. Reduce the level of activity the branch engages in
  3. A combination of both 1 and 2 at least to a point in which our income and our outgoing are equal.

I propose that the branch resolves to do a combination of both increased income and reduction in expenditure. In order to achieve this I am proposing that we raise our local subs by £2 for the year 19/20. It is worth noting that those members earning under £10,00 per annum are currently excluded from paying local subs. My proposal is that we continue to apply this exclusion so this increase would only apply to members earning over £10,000 per annum. It is also of note that in the 10 years I have been a member of Goldsmiths UCU we have not increased local subs.

If we agree this motion this would put us in a situation in which we can maintain most of our activities for 19/20 and that we would have a surplus for 20/21, which would allow for increased activism in the future.

Proposed by Tom Henri, Branch Treasurer

Motion Two: Lecture Capture and Panopto

This meeting notes: 

  • GUCU has been invited by SMT to discuss the introduction of Lecture Capture as a strategy to enhance distance learning and on line courses and, possibly, as additional support for students with specific learning differences and those students with English as a Second Language;
  • Goldsmiths has already produced cutting edge online degrees, leading the world in this area;
  • The austerity measures taken by this government to cut to financial support for students with disabilities, which results in students being unable to access essential support for their studies;
  • HE providers are expected to consider how they deliver information to students and whether strategies can be put in place to reduce the need for support workers and encourage greater independence and autonomy for their disabled students;
  • The proposal to to outsource Lecture Capture to a private company Panopto;
  • Motion HE25  Lecture capture and strike action passed unanimous at UCU annual HE conference 2018.

We are concerned about the following:

  • The considerable cost likely to be incurred;
  • The relinquishing of responsibility to a multinational supplier which produces standardised content.
  • Lecture Capture via Panopto can only provide a transmission model of learning that is proven to be ineffective and goes against the Goldsmiths pedagogical ethos of critical thinking, collaboration and dialogical approaches to create communities of learning.
  • We believe the issue requires far greater consideration and wider discussion, particularly in relation to students with specific learning differences and international students and how best to support them.
  • We propose a cooperative, collegiate approach to assessing and evaluating digital teaching tools in tandem with the experience and expertise of our TaLIC colleagues and other relevant expertise within the college, via a conference, thereby showcasing Goldsmiths leading role in digital teaching.

HE25  Lecture capture and strike action – East Midlands regional HE committee

During the recent strikes in defence of pensions there were concerns over the possible use of lecture capture as a strike breaking weapon. Therefore, conference asks the HEC to update the 2013 Bargaining Guide for Branches on Recording/Filming of Lectures to bring it in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and to ensure that:

1.        lecture capture is voluntary

2.        academics retain authorship and performance rights to their lectures

3.        academics have a say in the use of the films and other recordings of their lectures

4.        a condition of any agreement with a university on lecture capture has a clause to exclude films and other recordings being used during industrial action

5.        academic freedom is not curtailed by filming and other recording

6.        students are not put into ethical or other difficulties by filmed or recoded responses in lectures

7.        lecture capture is not for disciplinary uses.

Proposed by: Marian Carty, GUCU President