What do people think of the Lecturers' industrial action?

[basshedz2 10]

I'm sorry - it was a joke.

 

I have friends that have done Film Studies, Media Studies, and Communication Studies, and you're right - they prepare you for employment just as well as any other non-vocational degree.

 

I do often think that the goal of getting 50% of young people to go into higher education is misplaced though. Whilst i do believe that everyone should have the opportunity for high education, i think that a lot of courses could be better served with HNDs or other forms of diploma.

 

One final thought - if Tony Blair's goal of getting 50% of young people to go to university, does that not devalue a university degree?

 

b

 

ps. sorry for going off topic!

[BrainThrust 10]

I'm sorry - it was a joke.

 

I have friends that have done Film Studies, Media Studies, and Communication Studies, and you're right - they prepare you for employment just as well as any other non-vocational degree.

 

I do often think that the goal of getting 50% of young people to go into higher education is misplaced though. Whilst i do believe that everyone should have the opportunity for high education, i think that a lot of courses could be better served with HNDs or other forms of diploma.

 

One final thought - if Tony Blair's goal of getting 50% of young people to go to university, does that not devalue a university degree?

 

b

 

I have to agree with the whole 50% thing, I think that it is going to be a tad misplaced.

 

I don't think it devalues a univerisyt degree thought because I believe it will just increase drop out rates and increase the amount of people that get passes and thirds.

 

I think that 2.1s and firsts will retain their academic value.

 

Wilf

[Jenny H 10]

Should Hallam Union still be supporting the lecturers?

 

Hello

 

I'm not sure how many Hallam Students have been reading this but its worth a shot. We want to know what students think about the ongoing situation effecting students and what you want the Students' Union to do.At the Students' Union we are feeling frustrated too and want to know what action you think we should be taking, We thought the most useful thing to do would be to organise a debate to find out what you think and to include a Q and A session.

 

Thursday 25th May 2006

18:00 - 20:00

Pod C

The HUBS

 

This is a mass meeting open to all Hallam students which offers you the opportunity to influence your Students' Union's position on the dispute directly. This will be followed by an opportunity for you to ask any questions about the dispute and how it is affecting you; there will be representatives from the University, the Students' Union and NATFHE present. Please help us to get people along by telling your friends, coursemates, neighbours, any students you stumble across.... seriously though the more people we can get the better because I think it is about time there was some open debate about this issue and you can get answers to all those questions that have been distracting you from your revision.

 

If you are interested in attending and would like to receive papers in advance please send an email to [email protected], only students with valid SHUcards will be permitted to vote at the meeting, so please remember to bring yours along.

 

 

Jenny

[Happy_camper 10]

What we couldn't understand is our students union saying that we should support the lecturers

 

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) and the lecturers supported the Student's Union over fees, top up fees and the getting rid of grants (back in the day). Stop being a selfish little wotsit and realise that if all the good academics take jobs in industry in order to get paid what they are worth then your degree will be worth peanuts anyway!

[Hook 10]

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) and the lecturers supported the Student's Union over fees, top up fees and the getting rid of grants (back in the day). Stop being a selfish little wotsit and realise that if all the good academics take jobs in industry in order to get paid what they are worth then your degree will be worth peanuts anyway!

 

Selfish? I'm sorry but witholding marks and the prevention of students graduating is hardly a selfless act is it?

 

I support the lecturers wishes, but I despise the method in which they're going about their action. Yes we should have well paid academics, and they should get the money they deserve (which imo is not a 20%+ raise).

 

I've got a letter in my hand from my MP that states that the UCEA made an offer on 8th May of 12.6% minimum for everybody, with up to 15% for the lowest paid. Which is ADDITIONAL to rises of 3%- 5% that will be implemented from September 2006 when the new pay framework for Higher Education comes into play. So that's at least 15.6%-17.6% for everybody (over 3 years) with UP TO 20% for the lowest paid. Hardly unfair I think?

 

However people at Sheffield will be graduating without classified degrees, and where degrees have been awarded without 100% of results being available they will be provisional degrees until the marks are released to the university.

 

It isn't just this year final students that will be affected. Those who are in their second year who haven't yet had exams/assessment set won't ever get it set and THEREFORE will pass with degrees based on less than the 240 credits that degrees are usually based on. How will employers take degrees that aren't the full 240 credits?

 

It's high time they got it sorted.

[Whatif wewin 10]

Quote. joeyannie

{I am not having a go at people without degrees earning more than me. I was merely pointing out that I had gone through some hardship to achieve what I have in response to you saying that I should consider myself lucky to own a house and a car and referring to “lots of hard working people in Sheffield would be envious of your wage”}

 

I did not say

“that I (joeannie) should consider myself lucky to own a house and a car and referring to “lots of hard working people in Sheffield would be envious of your wage”

You must have got it from another posting.

 

Well yes, I am sure they would be…as I am "envious" of company executives earning £80,000+ for what they do.

 

Quote. joeyannie

My "envy" does not negate the fact that as a graduate you are expected to earn around £8000 than a non-graduate in the same field.

(According to the higher education Careers Services Unit (HECSU), young graduates aged 21-30 have average earnings of £22,300 pa compared to £15,950 for non-graduates in the same age bracket, a difference of £6,350 per annum), so yes, having a degree in theory does give me the right to a better paid job…otherwise what is the point of further education?.

 

Being envious and having a degree gives none of us any rights, where do you think these rights come from?

You ask “what is the point of further education, other than the right to better pay?”

Well that statement just takes the biscuit!

Millions of people have further education for a multitude of reasons; most would not see higher pay as the only or main point.

Having earned a degree merely opens up more possibilities for higher than average earnings, and this as you rightly say is only in theory.

Quote. joeyannie

“I am not having a go at people without degrees earning more than me. I was merely pointing out that I had gone through some hardship to achieve what I have in response to you saying that I should consider myself lucky to own a house and a car and referring to “lots of hard working people in Sheffield would be envious of your wage”

 

Look again at my previous post I did not say any thing like the above. I have made no reference to a house nor to cars at all. I think you have probably confused me with someone else’s post.

 

Quote. joeyannie

Nor do I think people without degrees are less intelligent. My point was that your comparison of me to the whole of Sheffield is based on your opinion rather than the facts, which are that salaries are determined (by bosses all over the country) based on qualifications and experience. Therefore if I was earning more than someone with the same qualifications as me and working in the same field then your comparison would be fair.

 

Where do I make any comparisons of you and the whole of Sheffield?

You do seem to be confusing quotes from different posts, or reading mine to fast and putting it into the wrong context.

[Edd 10]

It's high time they got it sorted.

 

Quite right. In this case though, part of the problem has been the unwillingness of the universities to negotiate. The dispute dates back to last October(!), but no talks took place until at least March this year.

 

I think the university governing bodies are rather cynically putting off their negotiation so that the lecturers can be lambasted in the press. Its a dirty tactic, and itll probably work. Glad Im out of it.

[Hook 10]

Quite right. In this case though, part of the problem has been the unwillingness of the universities to negotiate. The dispute dates back to last October(!), but no talks took place until at least March this year.

 

I think the university governing bodies are rather cynically putting off their negotiation so that the lecturers can be lambasted in the press. Its a dirty tactic, and itll probably work. Glad Im out of it.

 

Agreed. I don't disagree with what you're saying about the Ucea either. But I don't see their 'dirty tactics' as any more dirty than lecturers using students as pawns!

[AtticusFinch 10]

Quite right. In this case though, part of the problem has been the unwillingness of the universities to negotiate. The dispute dates back to last October(!), but no talks took place until at least March this year.

 

I think the university governing bodies are rather cynically putting off their negotiation so that the lecturers can be lambasted in the press. Its a dirty tactic, and itll probably work. Glad Im out of it.

 

The lecturers could have striked at any time, but they deliberately chose the time of most impact. That's pretty spiteful IMO. Students are being dragged into this dispute whether they want to be or not.

 

I'm an RA myself, but I think the cost of this is far too high. If the lecturers had chosen to strike at any other time than exam time I'd have agreed with them, but student exams are too important to be held to ransom in this way.

 

[Lib1 10]

I've got a letter in my hand from my MP that states that the UCEA made an offer on 8th May of 12.6% minimum for everybody, with up to 15% for the lowest paid. Which is ADDITIONAL to rises of 3%- 5% that will be implemented from September 2006 when the new pay framework for Higher Education comes into play. So that's at least 15.6%-17.6% for everybody (over 3 years) with UP TO 20% for the lowest paid. Hardly unfair I think?

 

However people at Sheffield will be graduating without classified degrees, and where degrees have been awarded without 100% of results being available they will be provisional degrees until the marks are released to the university.

 

It isn't just this year final students that will be affected. Those who are in their second year who haven't yet had exams/assessment set won't ever get it set and THEREFORE will pass with degrees based on less than the 240 credits that degrees are usually based on. How will employers take degrees that aren't the full 240 credits?

 

It's high time they got it sorted.

 

 

These figures don't match those supplied by UCEA- The offer is 12.6% over 3 years- nothing extra (except for lowest paid staff-e.g. cleaners- who are to receive about 15% for the 3 years): http://www.ucea.ac.uk/documents/3_news/figures240506.pdf

[Cuey 10]

Have you studied them?

 

I just wonder what proof you have that these courses are less intensive, less academic and don't give people the life skills that other degrees give?

 

Considering how rare it is to get a job in the field you study in nowadays, I'd think these degrees would prepare you in terms of work skills just as much as say an English degree or perhaps even a science degree if you don't go into a science field.

 

Wilf, Proud BA (Hons) Film and Media with Production student

 

The truth is that many companies in broadcasting want English not Media studies. People i know at the BBC say they won't normally consider Media studies because it's seen as inferior to English. SO the question is why Would you studie media studie? If you key employeres preffer english then the conclusion may well be that YOU know that Eglish degrees are harder.

[Twiglet 10]

The truth is that many companies in broadcasting want English not Media studies. People i know at the BBC say they won't normally consider Media studies because it's seen as inferior to English. SO the question is why Would you studie media studie? If you key employeres preffer english then the conclusion may well be that YOU know that Eglish degrees are harder.

 

I admit I used to think Media Studies was a bit of a 'Mickey Mouse' degree, but I had many friends who studied it and have gone on to get very good jobs in television and film. Not everybody wants to work for the BBC, many of those that do go to Oxford to do English, but the BBC isn't the only employer.