https://blue.feedland.org/?river=http://data.feedland.org/blue/feeds/Grai.xml Mon, 06 Nov 2023 22:54:20 GMT feedland v0.5.59 https://cyber.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Mon, 06 Nov 2023 22:54:19 GMT Grai Mon, November 6, 2023 5:54 PM EST <p>I&#39;ve been asked a few times on my thoughts on the UKRI SoS Letter RE EDI advisor group situation (not as pithy as researchfishgate) now I&#39;m ex-UKRI. My main concern is for the named academics. </p> <p>Which is why I think that if suspending pending investigation is the route it should be of the whole group and not just two to help refocus away from individuals. My primary concern outside of that is for operational colleagues at UKRI who must now be under immense pressure. </p> <p>These tend to be junior/early career folk on the lowest pay within UKRI. Many of UKRIs peer review administrators are band B-D grades. UKRI band B grades have a starting salary c.£20k and band D c.32k. They tend not to be not involved in UKRI strategy or senior decisions. </p> <p>They are experts at JeS and TFS, finding and securing reviews and panel members. They&#39;ve also faced the pressure of large headcount cuts over recent years (in parallel with the civil service), alongside system changes and increases in applications. Teams are very stretched. </p> <p>And these teams are now having to deal with something new. An upset community, resignations from panels, and an increase in review declines. So amidst all of this one of the biggest impacts is on a very stretched and under-resourced group of brilliant ex-colleagues. </p> <p>I suspect more impact on operational teams than on the senior team or on the government. And I&#39;m not sure what I think about that.</p> Mon, 06 Nov 2023 22:54:20 GMT https://blue.feedland.org/?item=181137 https://blue.feedland.org/?item=181137 I've been asked a few times on my thoughts on the UKRI SoS Letter RE EDI advisor group situation (not as pithy as researchfishgate) now I'm ex-UKRI. My main concern is for the named academics. Which is why I think that if suspending pending investigation is the route it should be of the whole group and not just two to help refocus away from individuals. My primary concern outside of that is for operational colleagues at UKRI who must now be under immense pressure. These tend to be junior/early career folk on the lowest pay within UKRI. Many of UKRIs peer review administrators are band B-D grades. UKRI band B grades have a starting salary c.£20k and band D c.32k. They tend not to be not involved in UKRI strategy or senior decisions. They are experts at JeS and TFS, finding and securing reviews and panel members. They've also faced the pressure of large headcount cuts over recent years (in parallel with the civil service), alongside system changes and increases in applications. Teams are very stretched. And these teams are now having to deal with something new. An upset community, resignations from panels, and an increase in review declines. So amidst all of this one of the biggest impacts is on a very stretched and under-resourced group of brilliant ex-colleagues. I suspect more impact on operational teams than on the senior team or on the government. And I'm not sure what I think about that.