ࡱ> #` )bjbj .n!$$$$$$$8RRRRlR8XSSSSSSSS$hv$YSSYY$$SSY:$S$SY3$$SS |R K(0XS,YN$XS`q\ OSSS SSSXYYYY888DId 888I888$$$$$$ Readers' comments: 14 January 18 January We have been unable to restore the postings in their original form; instead we have assembled them into this document. However, a small number have been removed by the editor for legal reasons. J Tripe 14 January, 2009 Staff are deeply disappointed and saddened by this news. I have no doubt that the Vice-Chancellor will be inundated with messages of support. Over the last 6 years the university has been transformed from one which was left behind in the 50's with male domination to a modern day university which is recognised globally not just in sport but in all areas including most recently the world of research. It is all credit to his vision and he has achieved what he was appointed by the board to do. I am unsure of the comment regarding staff support but judging the department I work in, those who do not wish to change will welcome this news ignoring the fact they are here to help students and go back to their closed door policy and blinkered opinions. Professor Lee should stay and it's up to those of us who support him to convince him of this and those who don't to move on. I M Happy 14 January, 2009 J Tripe is talking a load of tripe! Most staff are relieved to know he is going so perhaps the university can regain its position as a provider of education rather a sponsor of sports and a spin doctor's paradise. By the way J Tripe doesn't appear in the university phone book so it's probably the marketing department spinning again! Peter Kropotkin 14 January, 2009 I believe it would be more objective to try and read between the lines... Irrespective of whatever successes Prof. Lee had at Leeds Met, he also had well-documented cases of wide-spreading workplace bullying as identified by a relatively recent investigation One should be prepared to give credit, where credit is due... the new VC inherits the challenges left unresolved, and to argue that workplace bullying was not an issue at Lees Met, is simply wrong. anon 14 January, 2009 Simon Lee leaves this university with numerous problems. There are a number of chickens that will be coming home to roost. Poor staff relations being one which his sucessor will need to tackle at the earliest oppotunity. This would leave them free to deal with the significant other problems that Simon Lee's tenure has created. As for Professor Lee and his wife their early departure will give the overwhelming majority of staff cause for celebration before they have to face the realities of the institutions difficulties. My name ? - That would be telling ! 14 January, 2009 Huzzah ! Huzzah !! Huzzah !!! Cratylus 14 January, 2009 As a member of staff at Leeds Met, I can only await the flood of cowardly bile which will no doubt follow news that Professor Lee is to leave the 51Ƶ. Without question, Professor Lee has been a contentious Vice-Chancellor, but even his most vehement armchair critics (with which the 51Ƶ is richly endowed) cannot deny that he has had a powerful impact on what was a moribund and lacklustre establishment. Given the parlous state of the 51Ƶ when he assummed control of it in 2003, a degree of strong medicine was inevitable and necessary. His changes ruffled feathers, but they were successful in reigniting pride throughout Leeds Met and instrumental in giving it the sense of identity which is now enjoys. Many of Professor Lee's critics belong the flaneur class of academic who prefer sneering, sniping and criticising instead of trying to embrace the changes he has fuelled for the benefit of the 51Ƶ. I do not class Professor Lee as a personal friend, and my dealings with him, on a professional level, have been limited. But I would say that he is certainly one of the most dynamic and charismatic individuals I have ever encountered. He is a man of (and the sentence completes itself) vision and character. He could not have otherwise effected the changes which have transformed the 51Ƶ - and it will be a poorer place following his parting. Professor Lee - ago tibi gratias . J Tripe 14 January, 2009 I M Happy also doesn't appear in the phonebook. My name 2 ? - That would be telling ! 14 January, 2009 There is no doubt that Simon Lee has improved the 51Ƶ's estate, but this benefit has been more than off-set by the culture of management by dictat, the bullying, the obsession with image and sports sponsorship and a legacy for his replacement of poor staff morale and financial weakness. The question is has he jumped or was he pushed ? - Either way there must be a fair few very highly paid members of staff within his entourage who must be bricking themselves now that their sponsor is departing. Arthur Friend 14 January, 2009 Well I as a non-sports student am happy at this news, can we have a proper student paper again instead of the 'mouthpiece' that is 'the Met'. In terms of a replacement, can we have somebody that shows compassion and desire to those with interests that preclude men in shorts with odd shaped balls? I've heard many good things about this bloke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deian_Hopkin . A Minority EthnicFigure but not in minority 14 January, 2009 I sure like most of the university staff most of the minority ethnic employees, academic and others, are dismayed at the announcement of Professor lee's departure from the university. When I joined this institution it's management was conspicious by it's lack of any vision at all. Its VC was more driven by the need to advise the premier of Israel than lead the university which paid his salary. Simon's coming gave hope to a much neglected segment of staff i.e. the black and ethnic minority. It seemed that the 2000 Race Relations Amendemnt Act ahd not happened. When he came to the initial meeting with the Black Staff Network we all were enthused and hopeful of changes. The culture of celebrating all cultures, internationalisation of curriculum and of course the elevation of a humble ex-poly into a well-known brand internationally has been a hallmark of this university, Just look around and see the diversity of students, staff and visitors from so many backgrounds. The low fees charged, the number of courses introduced and the challenging climate created to the moribund and lethargic disposition of those who see academia as nothing more than those who 'critique' but not act constructively. Furthermore, Professor Lee brought to the university an atmosphere that allowed its community to celebrate the many faiths existing in it and to defy the assumption that an HE institute is an ivory tower. He engaged Leeds Met in community cohesion projects, made partnerships and basically came off the high chair to encourage staff and students to get involved in community here and overseas. This applied aspect of education puts into practice something that our 'Oxbridge' oriented, but ineffective academics decried. All in all when this is all over and done with and a new regime takes over the days of Simon Lee will be nostalgically recalled for reality will bite with a vengeance when jobs are cut, courses discontinued, schools merged and no further opportunities available. I for one, along with numerous others, am very upset at the prosepct of a new regime taking over at a critical juncture in our development. We wish Simon and Patricia the very best in their next venture whatevr it may be and will recall with satisfaction and nostalgia their time at Leeds Met - its a pity they will not be here to have at least one year of Leeds Carnegie's. A well-wisher. Where is the pride? 14 January, 2009 Cratylus talks about pride. Is that the pride that has seen us slip to near the bottom of the league tables or indeed the pride that has prioritised spending on sponsorships and marketing in favour of real spending in education? Simon Lee has caused untold misery amongst many staff and has made our job harder in terms of creating an educational experience that is meaningful to students. Lets hope that those of us who are left are not made to pay. Louise Michel 14 January, 2009 We seem to have a trend here: The VC of the 51Ƶ of Cumbria, Prof. C, Carr announced suddenly his departure from the new university soon after an internal staff satisfaction survey revealed that 42% of staff want to leave. Prof. Lee announced his departure some months after an HSE investigation revealed high levels of work-related stress among the staff. Who is next? Anon 14 January, 2009 indulgeo mihi dum ego adepto sicco meus volubilis in solum rideo risi risum helicopter sicco Anon 14 January, 2009 Sona si Latine loqueris. Look it's a mixed bag. 14 January, 2009 There are loads more but these come to mind. Positives: Good profile created. UK Centre for Coaching Excellence. Recent research rankings. Negatives: Freedom of speech muted. Money wasted in all the wrong places. Nepotism. Does this mean an end to the branding police? 14 January, 2009 Oh I dooooooooo hope so. Personal 14 January, 2009 On on a day when they are investigating the murder of a 2 year old I think we should read the news headlines again and then leave constructive comments. Surely some of these comments are also a prime example of bullying in themselves. It would be wrong to say my name 14 January, 2009 The Spin Doctor is Dead. Long Live the Spin Doctor. Anyone expecting it all to be cosy and nice is in for a shock. The daggers are out in this place and the fight is only going to get more dirty. I for one will be watching happily from the sidelines laughing my head off at the huffing and puffing of these silly self important people. The facilities here are excellent. The students get more support than they have ever had, making it difficult for them to appreciate doing many things for themselves. I have seen first hand evidence of the bullying culture between staff. Bullying is soon to be ended for good in this place, the bullies now know this and they are worried. All in all the place isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Just a few idiots in the wrong jobs have managed to spoil things a bit. Come to Leeds, we have a great time up here - honest! Hope for the Future 14 January, 2009 I hope that Leedsmet is not to far in debt that we can survive. I hope that with a new appointment that morale of staff doing the work can be united with a new management who want the same. I hope that investment in teaching and free speech will be the future I hope that Support Staff will be treated like human beings and not servants. I hope Staff development is what it should be and do what it says on the tin. I hope we can be a 51Ƶ again for all the students, and smile again. Anon 14 January, 2009 Goodbye and good riddance! I hope this will mean the university be a safer, less stressful and pleasant place to work ex staff member 14 January, 2009 as someone who left leeds met 2 years ago, no longer able to stand the way that the university I had worked for for 12 years was disintegrating around me, I can only hope that the friends I have that remain there have a fairer, safer working environment in the future. I also hope that the bullies that gained power under Prof Lee's leadership, those who uttered 'orders' and then hid behind the senior management and those who turned on their friends in order to remain members of the in crowd begin to appreciate the effects that their behaviour had on other people. Unlike many people who have posted on here, I do not necessarily think that Professor Lee was a tyrant as a leader/manager. In fact, my view is that the converse is actually true. He set his aims and then, through weakness and stupidity (certainly financial stupidity and naiveity-however you spell it!) allowed his henchmen to implement his various 'visions'. As the years went on, increasing numbers of henchmen were 'self-selected', whilst others were ostracised and often given no choice but to leave. It has left the place resembling some kind of coven. My fear is that a natural coven leader will step in in the interim period - after all, what is the likelihood of the 51Ƶ appointing a replacement VC before September? And who would want to work there, even with the money they are likely to offer? Again, unlike many people who have posted on here, I have no personal gripe with Professor Lee as an individual. I also think that some (albeit limited amounts) of what he did for the 51Ƶ was good. The rare occasions I did have to encounter him, he could not have been more pleasant and helpful. But under his, in my opinion, weak (to put it kindly) management ego maniacs were allowed to build their power bases and cause widespread distress with the implementation of their interpretation of his rules. On the question of whether he jumped or was pushed, I suspect the latter. I hope, if that is the case, that more care is taken with the appointment of his successor. A quick glance at the balance sheets of the 51Ƶ the successor works for could give some clues. In the meantime, I do wish Professor Lee the best for the future and hope that he finds himself a role that is truly suited to his abilities. My local KFC is recruiting, but I think he may struggle on the customer relation side of things. mystic meg 14 January, 2009 Leeds Met Scorecard Anti VC 1 - Pro VC 0 ;-) unfortunately must remain nameless 14 January, 2009 The culture of Leeds Met IS still rife with bullying mainly because Simon Lee has failed to manage his managers (aka his pitbulls), most of whom are sub-standard middle managers with little or no academic background, little knowledge or interest in academic endeavour, and chips on their shoulders about anyone who is involved in the process of scholarly activity. Hopefully, these are the people who will quickly follow suit, following Simon Lee from Leeds Met in case anyone finds out that their inflated salaries do not match their mediocre skills. Simon Lee is not a bad person but he has installed bad people who have made the culture of the place genuinely unhappy and stressful for many members of staff, and then he has been unwilling or unable to remove or discipline the bullies. I feel cautious about him leaving because I do wonder if anyone will want to take on this mess (finances as well as staff relations) and what calibre of person would accept such a post. However, maybe this means we will no longer have to suffer the affront of daily reflections (in which we often learn what he told us a year ago, or hear about his children's privileged educations) and meaningless insane slogans such as 'rubbing shoulders with champions', which can only be a good thing. I hope we can get back to concentrating on teaching, learning and research rather than 'partnering' sport teams. I, for one, will be relieved not to have sport continuously thrust in my face. In fact, maybe staff development can even be meaningful instead of tea parties, sports people as keynotes, and etiquette lessons. (If only his departure could stop the terrible name change!) Whatever 14 January, 2009 Long Live Carnegie!!!!!!!!!!!! Th best thing that ever happened to the world of higher education! I know for a fact that students have embraced the movement of Simon Lee, and for all those who have nothing but bad things to say, are most probably the hard faced academics who can't see the benefits that the pride and passion of sport has brought to the 51Ƶ and to us students! What's yer best rumour so far then? 14 January, 2009 I've heard Australia. Whatever is not a student 14 January, 2009 No way, not in a million billion years. The term 'hard faced' would indicate someone aged about 40. Richard Wilkinson 14 January, 2009 As the lead Aimhigher professional in Bradford, I can say that Simon's passion,belief and delivery for for local "widening participation" students will be sorely missed. Just look at the books stupid 14 January, 2009 From our own accounts in 2008 "The university returned a historic cost deficit after exceptional items of 7.42 million. This is marginally above the original plan for the year approved by governors in spring 2007. .. the university has not met its HEFCE contracted student numbers resulting in a reduction in the teaching grant." So we're broke and we're not attracting students despite his pile them high teach them cheap, high profile sport and all marketing. Lee is to HE what Bernard Madoff is to Wall Street. Whatever is most definitely a student!! 14 January, 2009 The term 'hard faced' would be to all those academics that are not interested in us as students and just care about their 30,40, 50 grand a year salary & making our lives a misery! Whatever, what course do yo do then? 14 January, 2009 Go on then, walk the walk if you're gonna talk the talk Thank God it is over 14 January, 2009 Many of these posts appear to miss the point. Whether you like the VC's approach or not, or whether you like him as a person or not should not deflect from the fact that he has clearly done a very poor job. There is simply no evidence to support the fact that anything been done has actually enhanced the 51Ƶ in anyway whatsoever. There is plenty of evidence that supports the opposite of course. I work with many staff and students and the fact is that today is seen as a very good day. His tenure as VC has quite simply been a disaster for anyone involved with the 51Ƶ. I only hope that when the truth underneath the spin is revealed there will be something worth saving. Saying you have been a success does not make it so! You do need academics you know... 14 January, 2009 It's interesting that most of the commenters on here that have praised Simon Lee have also poured scorn on "academics". These people would do well to remember that Leeds Met is an academic institution. ? 14 January, 2009 What would giving my course achieve? I could quite easily look up a course if I wasn't really enrolled on one. Carnegie Sport & Education Faculty, not quite the SPEX or PE though. Simon Robinson 14 January, 2009 I am fascinated by some of the graceless comments on this site. They say more about the embittered writers than about Simon Lee and Leeds Met. My experience of Leeds Met over the last four years has been one of constant positive challenge and creativity. The VC has challenged staff and students to reflect on values and purpose and how we embody them in practice. In other words, he has challenged us to take responsibility for our community of learning. There are good examples of success in this, areas that need fine tuning, and areas that can be counted as failures. That is the real world- not the view that this or any institution is either all good or all bad. What I expect of leaders is that they be brave enough to set out a vision that is focused in service beyond the institution, and committed enough to enable meaningful change and creative development. Simon Lee has done all this and more, and I am very sad that he is not able to remain in that role. Of the many people I have spoken with today, everyone has expressed surprise, sadness and regret at the announcement. So, whoever does read these pages, be assured that Leeds Met as a whole is neither cheering nor gloating. Most of us are getting on with our jobs and looking to the next change and how we can meet that with good grace and imagination. You need alot more than Academics 14 January, 2009 I think some of you are also missing the point. 51Ƶ life is not just about the academics and to say that Leeds Met has not been successful is an insult. We've become one of the best sporting universities in Britain and to many students that is far greater than being one of the best academic universities. Just rememeber what pays them wages. Simon Robinson 14 January, 2009 I am fascinated by some of the graceless comments on this site. They say more about the embittered writers than about Simon Lee and Leeds Met. My experience of Leeds Met over the last four years has been one of constant positive challenge and creativity. The VC has challenged staff and students to reflect on values and purpose and how we embody them in practice. In other words, he has challenged us to take responsibility for our community of learning. There are good examples of success in this, areas that need fine tuning, and areas that can be counted as failures. That is the real world- not the view that this or any institution is either all good or all bad. What I expect of leaders is that they be brave enough to set out a vision that is focused in service beyond the institution, and committed enough to enable meaningful change and creative development. Simon Lee has done all this and more, and I am very sad that he is not able to remain in that role. Of the many people I have spoken with today, everyone has expressed surprise, sadness and regret at the announcement. So, whoever does read these pages, be assured that Leeds Met as a whole is neither cheering nor gloating. Most of us are getting on with our jobs and looking to the next change and how we can meet that with good grace and imagination. I didn't realise sport paid Leeds Met wages... 14 January, 2009 I think some students might value academic credibility above sporting success. Back on topic though; Simon Lee has made some improvements to Leeds Met during his tenure but he has failed to tackle the bullying highlighted by local media and the HSE, whatever his intentions. Shunter 14 January, 2009 I recently left Leeds Met after 8 years. It's so nice to be back in the real world and to have respect and support from my management. The place needed a kick up the backside, which it got, but the chains of management below him were clearly operating in fear and as a result his ideas turned into orders followed under pain of dismissal. I kid you not. One also strongly suspects that the atrocious, dishonest fashion in which HERA was implemented at LMU was a backdoor way of recouping some of the fortune he has spent. Sport doesn't pay the wages.... 14 January, 2009 ... but the students that go there do! No students, no jobs! FAO Whatever 14 January, 2009 So you are saying that the flagship Carnegie faculty, has academics that make the lives of students a misery? As the flagship faculty, it ought to be a purveyor of best practice for everybody else (don't forget, they teach education there too). Something must be very wrong if what you are saying is true, so why hasn't that been addressed? Why has on the field activity been promoted over classroom activity? And to the contributor who states that there is more to uni than academia.....positive academic practice should be at the core of everything we do, but unfortunately it isn't, and that isn't the fault of academics. Let me tell you, 10 years ago, I had 15 in a class, I knew all of the students names and interests, rapport was good, and the experience rewarding and enriching for all. This year I have 90 personal tutees. The quality of the educational offering has deteriorated into something of a production line, and that is one reason why so many academics are unhappy. I don't work for the money, I work because I love education, and am saddened at its decline. By the way, don't assume that I teach at Leeds Met, although I do have a vested interest in developments here. Very Good Job Part Done! 14 January, 2009 Leeds Metropolitan 51Ƶ has travelled a great distance over the time that Professor Lee has stayed with us, from his inaugural lecture "Beyond Boundaries; Bradford to Brown to Botham" his vision has been clear and ambitious. The 51Ƶ still has a great way to go before it can realise this vision and this is a great loss to the 51Ƶ. Shaping a distinctive character in an increasingly marketised sector, Professor Lee ensured that Leeds Met stuck to its guns with a low charging, high impact philosophy. This is something that has benefited thousands of students and we hope will continue to benefit students for a long time to come. As an institution committed to the principles of widening and deepening participation in all aspects of 51Ƶ life, Professor Lee has created a 51Ƶ which is beginning to allow those students who could only have aspired to go to 51Ƶ the opportunity to rub shoulders with champions. Students in every area of the 51Ƶ from business to sport will feel the benefit of the Vice-Chancellors ambitions as we move forward to become Leeds Carnegie 51Ƶ we must thank Professor Lee. Left 3 areas unfinished; 1 - never sorted out HR 2 - never sorted out those academics out for academics 3 - balancing the books not helped by the credit crunch Those of us who work for more than money thank you Simon and Patricia Dorothy 14 January, 2009 ding dong the witch is dead Whatever 14 January, 2009 You're taking what I'm saying out of context. I love Leeds Met, I can't say anything but good things about the lecturers that have taught me. My course tutors have bent over backwards for the people on my course. However, for everyone who sits here singing the praises about the academics and bad mouth Simon Lee's visions and actions have to realise that for us as students, what he has done has impacted massively and given alot of us a lens that we wouldn't have normally looked through. I am yet to graduate, but I will be proud to graduate from Leeds Carnegie 51Ƶ. Finally, not once have I witnessed academic activity suffering from the sporting side, I'm am told time after time that we are students first and sports comes way down the line - do not belittle our pride of what Carnegie has achieved. Support for Whoever 14 January, 2009 Thank goodness for a sensible and supportive comment from a student, who has, one assumes, been well taught by the many motivated and committed staff who continue to work hard in providing a good experience for students at Leeds Met. Some of the comments here make me cringe - whatever one's opinion of Simon Lee, I think that fact that the 51Ƶ is more attractive to students and a livelier place under his regime is irrefutable. But also, how attractive as a proposition do these commentators think they are making Leeds Met sound to any prospective candidates for the soon to be vacant position?! Lewis Coakley 14 January, 2009 Interesting that half of the official statement from the Students' Union has been taken off and the end adapted. The official end to "Very Good Job Part Done" should read Students Union President, Lewis Coakley said Simon has always put students at the centre of what we do here, having known him for four years I can see how the 51Ƶ has changed for the better because of his work. This decision comes as a real surprise given how far we have yet to go to achieve the vision he has laid out however, I and my colleagues in the Students Union, wish Simon and his wife Patricia all the best for the future in whatever they choose to do In whatever Professor Lee has planned, Leeds Met Students Union wishes the Vice-Chancellor and family every success for the future. ends**** The Union now needs to make sure that the distinctive fee policy is kept. We are a widening participation 51Ƶ and we offer chances to students for which they are clearly gratefu,l as I've witnessed first hand during graduations. I don't believe that Professor Lee is a bully. I do believe that his vision for the 51Ƶ was clear and ambitious and I, and many others think he should stay until it's realised. Lewis Coakley President of Leeds Met Students' Union www.leedsmetsu.co.uk Student at Leeds Met 14 January, 2009 A simple question here; why are people who work for Leeds Met denigrating that university? If you denigrate the the university of which you are a part then surely you are attacking yourselves to some extent! It's obvious that emotions are running high today; but please don't say anything about our university today which may come to hurt it tomorrow. I'm sorry if this sounds inappropriate coming from a student; but I don't want to sit back and do nothing while the university whose reputation I shall carry with me for the rest of my career is damaged in a public form. Lets be rational 14 January, 2009 I agree largely with the student above. apart from your grammar - sorry :) . I'm a Leeds Met graduate, and there is evidently some division at the university. I don't for a second think that squabbles in-house are going to hurt the reputation of those who have graduated though. I hope the successor is an open listener to all concerned for the sake of Harmony @ Leeds Met. Running Nose Professor 14 January, 2009 As an academic at Leeds Met/Poly for some two decades I have seen VCs come and go. Like all of them Simon Lees tenure has been a mixed bag. Without doubt the institution did need to modernise after the fiscally safe pair of hands represented by the competent but boring Leslie Wagner. Lee has brought in a number of innovations, the most impactfull upon our daily lives being a vastly improved estate and range of facilities. I am now proud to show these off to prospective students and their parents. However, we do not really know the true costs and gathering financial implications of these massively expensive new rooms and buildings. It is perhaps understandable that Lees attempts to rebrand the university focussed on our one big leading edge faculty of Carnegie. But he has done so at the expense of the image of the institution as a whole. Both I and my colleagues, as well as many students, have gone beyond the boundaries of exasperation at the extent to which images of sporting prowess have come to dominate all university publicity material, from the annual undergraduate propectus to our massively sports dominated website have a look at the latter if you need confirmation of this. The sponsoring of various sporting organisations, trophies and stadia was imposed upon us all without consultation by a VC who might now finally have been challenged by a hitherto weak Governing Body. The supposedly inspiring and upbeat daily VC Reflects blogg written by Lee succumbed to self parody a long time ago. It is seen as an embarrassing joke by academic staff who do not wish to be associated with this pseudish, endlessly self-referential and sports-laden, piece of bullshit written by someone who apparently seems to have once read a bad American management text. From what I have heard via colleagues, it does indeed seem to have been the case that Lee has also pursued a very macho management style and when I have been at meetings he has attended it is clear he is not interested in engaging with lowly members of staff. This is most notable during honorary degree ceremonies when I have seen him more than chuffed to be rubbing shoulders with his own sporting champions but ignore distinguished guests who have not graced track, field or yachting. If we add to this list the embarrassing revelations about Mrs Lees guide to etiquette, surely plagiarised from a good manners primer from an Oxbridge College in the 1950s, and not a set of principles applicable for those at a former Poly, we have a sad catalogue of weird corporate control freakery which has not sat well with the majority of staff or students. Interestingly, we have no real clue as to why Lee has resigned at least as yet. Most Senior HE staff at his level move on up to greater and better things. All we have is the boastful comparison that he has stuck around longer than other VCs. We can only hope his replacement does not inherit a huge financial burden and has to make drastic cutbacks and decisions that have grim personal consequences for both staff and students but we are not holding our breath! Some of those responding to Lees resignation on this site have revealed themselves to be the sort of management clones, in their style of writing and thinking, we have become used to here at Leeds Met. Others are understandably bitter, but not that twisted. It is a measure of the level of collective concern in this organisation that I and others have elected not to sign our entries to this blogg with our real names. How sad, or pragmatic, is that? Louise Michel 14 January, 2009 Of course it is sad that a university (any university for that matter or any employer for that matter) is being denigrated in a public forum. But do consider for a minute, if this is possible, the amount of pain, stress, bullying, harassment and other very painful and humiliating acts imposed upon mostly good staff (academic and non-academic) who had to suffer under the 'leadership' of often incompetent managers kept in their place knowingly or otherwise by a VC who did not consider (it seems often) that the best investment for any employer are the staff who work there. In this context, denigrating in a public forum is a bit like whistle-blowing except one does not have to expose his/her name for we all know what happens to whistle-blowers. The tide is turning. HEIs will have to get their act together in terms of workplace bullying and work-related stress, or face exposure, denigration, etc. Too many good people have been suffering for too long in silence. thank the lord... I hope this isn't just a dream! 14 January, 2009 glad the madness is coming to an end. we may have some shiney (although designed with their backs facing the wrong way!) buidlings, but what we need is good staff to work in them. Unfortunately those with passion and a purpose who have stood up to their spineless managers and expressed concern at some of the style over substace changes have had no option but to find employment elsewhere, leaving spaces filled by those with no history of what the university used to achieve in educational terms. I am optimistic for the future without Lee and his circle of 'we will agree to anything to save our bacon' colleagues - lets hope the new person appreciates the staff, can afford to finish off the building works, provides us with world class teaching and learning spaces, improves moral (staff and student) and enables us to support the students in the way that we used to, without a culture of fear preventing us from speaking out as we have mortgages to pay and kids to feed. it has been an excellent day in my department today, smiles all round - we have never felt so relived, though concerns about what financial state we are being left in will surely follow the elation... Ex Student, graduated summer 2007 14 January, 2009 As an ex student of Leeds Met, I can say that my first 2 years were fantastic and the lecturers were brilliant. However, after a year in industry during my 3rd year, I came back to my 4th year with the new VC, Simon Lee and everything just went downhill!! There were so many admin errors eg everyone who had been on placement seemed to have been wiped off the register and received NO official info about registration for our final year. After trying to call the university and getting nowhere, we eventually found out via the grapevine the details of which room and what time but when we got there our names were not on any lists. From then on, it went from bad to worse. Throughout the year there was a whole series of errors eg, a large number of dissertation proposals going missing resulting in a lot of agony and eventually we got the dissertation deadline put back. Then we became the "greenest" university but only because they stopped printing our year guide and module guides etc so we had to pay for them ourselves if we wanted a hard copy. At our graduation, the speech that Simon Lee gave was an absolute disgrace and as students that have worked very hard to achieve our degrees, I can say that myself and most of my friends felt let down by what he had to say on one of the most important days of our lives. All he went on about was how well the university has done over the year, how many sporting partnerships it had (there is a Facebook group called "Leeds Met cares more about rugby than education"), the fact it was the "greenest" university, etc etc and then for about 60 seconds just slipped in about the efforts of the students who were graduating as if they were an after-thought. I was very disappointed that all he could talk about was how well he had done... blah blah blah blah. Fortunately, I am able to look at my experience as whole and thank god I did have a great time and have since managed to get a great job in the most successful accountancy firm in the world (altho no thanks to Simon Lee). I hope that the new VC can turn the place around and back to what it is supposed to be. Albannach 14 January, 2009 As an ex-member of staff who left during one of the previous purges, I agree with Running Nose Professor completely. Setting aside all the anecdotes and rumours which in themselves would have condemned Lee, I can attest to one feature of his reign which essentially destroyed the very nature of a 51Ƶ, and that is the discouragement of free speech and opinion. Those who disagreed with the party line tended to resign, retire, or, in some cases, be more publicly elbowed out, and, while this may be an appropriate approach for political parties, banks or biscuit factories, it is the opposite of what the public should expect and deserve from a 51Ƶ. A 51Ƶ should be characterised by the freedom and willingness of its staff to form considered and carefully evaluated opinions on all kinds of matters, without being subjected to bias or unfair pressure. We may, of course, end up with as many opinions as pundits, but this in itself is part of the nature of the academic approach, and in the end wisdom usually prevails. Where do students and the public go if such sources of debate and evaluation disappear? This problem was foreseen some time ago by the late Roy Jenkins, at the time of the Education Reform Act, and is enshrined in law as follows: "...to ensure that academic staff have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges they may have at their institutions".[The Jenkins Amendment to the Education Reform Act, 19/5/88; col. 471.] I understand that one of Professor Lee's books is entitled "Law and Morals" ... Just look at the books stupid 14 January, 2009 The financial burden is clear to see. Check last years accounts page 24 http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/fin/docs/financialstatements2008.pdf Total recognised (losses)/gains relating to the year (54.886) that is 54.8million pounds loss in 2008. Somebody somewhere is going to have to pay this back. Don't think government will rescue a mediocre university in the north. I guess the first job of any new VC will be swathing staff cuts, scrapped building programmes and who knows whatelse? Answers on a P45 Great News 14 January, 2009 For anyone who cares about academic values and does not want Leeds Met to become a glorified sports college this is a day of optimism and relief. Student and employee of Leeds Met 14 January, 2009 Having worked in 5 different areas of the university, including 2 separate faculties, I am yet to witness any kind of behaviour that comes remotely close to bullying. I dont deny that there must be isolated cases as there is in any organisation but it seems to me it has been blown out of all proportion and in fact the majority of staff I have worked with are very happy at the university. Its an unfortunate part of life that a lot of people do not like change but without change an organisation is never going to move forward. Previous to being an employee, I was a student for 3 years. As a student I had the opportunity to volunteer abroad, partly funded by the university, I graduated in arguably the highest profile and well organised graduation ceremony in the country and I paid the lowest tuition fees going at any university. All this was brought about by Simon Lees vision. As a member of staff I have been fortunate enough to meet with Simon on a number of occasions and found him to be one of the most charismatic and intelligent people I have ever met. There is little doubt that he has transformed the university for the better. You only have to look at all the amazing faculties been built at the moment. A lot of people have suggested Simon Lee has wasted money on sponsoring events and sporting teams but this is funded by not spending money on advertising on television and in newspapers like other universities do, yet the coverage generated from this has seen Leeds Met enjoy more positive cyber-coverage than any other 51Ƶ in the country. No leader can please everyone in an organisation but Simon Lee has put his all into giving each student unique experiences, such as volunteering, affordable tuition fees, thus widening participation and all this culminates in a graduation ceremony which is truely memorable for every student. Having attended one and also worked at one I can assure you that the whole festival is done purely with the students in mind and that is what a university should be all about. Simon Lee will be sorely missed by many and I just hope the university can build on the great work Simon has done in the last 5 years. Re: Ex Student, graduated summer 2007 14 January, 2009 Presumably you started in 2003, in which case Simon Lee was the VC for the entire time you were at the university so you cant say two years were great and one year was terrible all because of him when he was there throughout. As for the graduation ceremony, the vast majority of people including parents and students alike think its a brilliant spectacle compared to ceremonies at other universities. Ex Student 14 January, 2009 Todays news has been coming for over 2 years now. I have watched the 51Ƶ closely since graduating in 2003, and currently working in Education. Simon Lee has built a Sports College, which has become a global brand and corporate exercise. The 51Ƶ has lost interest in other departments and teaching and learning has never been the priority here. Leeds Met has lost identity and I cant think of the debt it must be facing with all the new builds, and also the money been pumped into Leeds rugby and Yorkshire cricket club. Well done Simon Lee, at least the cricket ground and rugby ground is now looking good as you had the money to invest in this. Leeds Met needs to re think the fundamentals of what it is and where it wants to go. It needs to take the model of Universities like Durham for example. It also needs to raise the profile of the Arts in Leeds especially creativity. I saw this coming and it is such a shame that Leeds Met is a laughing stock 51Ƶ in the North. Why not re name in Leeds Met Sports College. interested party 14 January, 2009 Regarding the above statement, Durham is a VERY different university. The Russell Group universities are very different and a lot of the post-92 institutions (of which we are one) are different. I know over 2/3 of the students at Leeds Met come from the 'northern corridor' which is essentially everything in Yorkshire and Lancashire, surely that's just clever marketing? The partnerships Leeds Met has provide many opportunities for students at the university and moving the centre for events into one of these new builds surely shows how much students benefit from our partnerships. Simon came the university and was told to make something excellent - concentrate on an area and improve standards. He concentrated on sport and improved standards across the board (see our RAE results recently). This next phase after the name change was intended to be the time where the concentration would shift into the arts, culture, technology and other creative subjects - which is why the whole situation is odd, why announce you're leaving when you have no intention to go? Ex Student from 2003 14 January, 2009 What is this name Change? You have to admit that the whole Marketing is all Sports related, all the lectures and speeches by Simon all or Sports related, and bringing famous people for a PR job does not give it any credibility. The huge cost of global marketing and money spent on Rugby and Cricket was getting out of hand. The Northern Design Awards, again was just a PR event, it was not about the learners, but about profile. The right man to replace Simon Lee 14 January, 2009 Google Sir Ken Robinson He would be great at the Job, absolute legend. Proven track record http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Ken_Robinson Student 15 January, 2009 I am proud to be a student of Leeds Met. There is much talk amongst the students in my group about Professor Lee's resignation. My tutor was very clear about the positive things he has done for the university and I had a difficulty last year which I was able to talk to the vice chancellor about directly and which was then sorted out immediately. He listened and was very approachable. Not many Vice Chancellors give their time to students in this way! Professor Lee is known amongst the student body as someone who cares about students and their experience. The university has a strong reputation for sport but this does not exclude all of the other things that are available. There are lots of amazing partnerships with organisations and volunteering opportunities that other universities don't offer. I have researched this and it did affect my decision to apply to Leeds Met. Reading these other blogs, if money is being spent on this, I feel that my money as a student is being well invested. If Professor Lee leaves will this change for the worse? I worry that it will and I am sure that many others feel the same as I do. Student 15 January, 2009 I am proud to be a student of Leeds Met. There is much talk amongst the students in my group about Professor Lee's resignation. My tutor was very clear about the positive things he has done for the university and I had a difficulty last year which I was able to talk to the vice chancellor about directly and which was then sorted out immediately. He listened and was very approachable. Not many Vice Chancellors give their time to students in this way! Professor Lee is known amongst the student body as someone who cares about students and their experience. The university has a strong reputation for sport but this does not exclude all of the other things that are available. There are lots of amazing partnerships with organisations and volunteering opportunities that other universities don't offer. I have researched this and it did affect my decision to apply to Leeds Met. Reading these other blogs, if money is being spent on this, I feel that my money as a student is being well invested. If Professor Lee leaves will this change for the worse? I worry that it will and I am sure that many others feel the same as I do. What disgusts me the most 15 January, 2009 Is the fact that a number of you so called academics and ex-students seemingly don't know the difference between the words 'been' and 'being'. Bloody hell, bring back the three Rs. Response to Thank God its Over 15 January, 2009 What planet are you on? The VC's achievements during his time at Leeds Met speak for themselves in terms of the student experience, partnerships, regional university network, changes to the estate, library, coaching centre, RAE results etc etc. How is this doing a poor job? My experience of today is that staff and students were very shocked and upset by the announcement and do not want him to leave. What he has achieved probably won't be saved by the self serving managers who will run the university after he has gone. If there was any bullying taking place at the university it wasn't undertaken by the VC. The 'real' bullies will have free reign however when he goes. The RUN? 15 January, 2009 My experience since 2005 is that RUN tutors are still recommending their long established links at more local universities rather than us. Dr C Newman 15 January, 2009 Ah, the art of Pharaoh Management the erection of grandiose structures on the backs of a whipped workforce. My knowledge of ancient Egypt is a little hazy, but does any one remember what they put in the pyramids once constructed? Living the nightmare 15 January, 2009 Ah, leave off the big man - didn't we get to the Champions League semi-final? No matter that millions were spent on underperforming players, has-been managers, and ridiculous coaching appointments, we Lived the Dream and it felt good at the time. Everyone likes a bit of frivolous spending when it's the punters who are putting up the cash. Okay, so we're in League One now and going downhill rapidly, but attendances are still at least half of what they used to be. Sorry, that was a post put on another forum and I couldn't be bothered changing the names. Louise Michel 15 January, 2009 For all those who value the 'achievements' of the departing VC, please do not forget the HSE report on work-related stress. Pedant 15 January, 2009 You're the new VC of a minor league university. What do you do? Invest in developing the teaching staff and recuiting the best possible new teachers and thereby promote the university to the premiere league? Or, do you invest in marketing and branding to make the world believe that the university always was premiere league? If you plan to stay with the university for no more than 6 years you might just get away with the latter. If you plan to stick around a lot longer I think the former would be better. GUTTED...... 15 January, 2009 I joined the university as a member of staff in september and I am so dissapointed that I will not continue to be working under the direction of Professor Lee. No one can deny that he hasn't done a fantastic job in his 6 years here, and without him I fear the university will come to a standstill in terms of the progression and forward thinking it has become known for. I have had the priveledge of meeting the vice chancellor on several occassions...he is very thoughtful, encouraging, intelligent and he has vision like no one I have ever seen in my life! And he actually cares, and not just about money..about US! Previous to working at the university I studied here for 3 years starting in 2003. Since then I have seen such fantastic and innovative changes that have been made to the unversity. It has come so far in the years I have been involved with the university and since starting in this new post it has been a joy to come to work with the excitement of not knowing what's around the corner and what venture the university will take on next. I was a previous sports student and I agree that Sport has been pushed alot in the last few years. BUT SO WHAT? We are good at sport and why not go forward with an endeavour that we are good undeniably good at!! I do not see why so many people are criticising Professor Lee he has done a fantastic job, with the title of UK Centre for Coaching excellence speaking for itself. If the next vice chancellor is not so supportive of sport and pushing it forward then whats going to happen to this title and our ability to fulfil it?! And the student experience...well I would not change mine for the world..with the magnitude of festivals that were put on and the opportunity to get involved with some of the external partners as part of a work experience placement I think this is what sets us aside from any other university. Just like the fairly recent digs that many people managed to get in with regards to the manners workshop on this website, I think it is ridiculous that you could give so much criticism yet reap the rewards of working in such a great environment. Name another company that would give you the opportunity to travel the world on international volunteering trip, or enjoy events put on such as staff development; something which the VC has pushed immensely! I think all you critics need to take a step back and look at what we have achieved as a university..and if you are not supportive then you are the ones holding us back!!! "Student and employee of Leeds Met" 15 January, 2009 I completely agree with everything you have written! As a postgraduate (and former undergrad) student, in the Faculty of Business and Law (NOT Carnegie) I will be sad to see Simon Lee leave. As an employee I have had a fantastic introduction to my working life and have the utmost respect for Simon Lee and his principles. Anon 15 January, 2009 I hope those who are so supportive of Simon Lee will also be supportive of the next VC who will have to make significant cuts in order to pay for the excesses of the late regime. For the last six years staff members who have dared to point out the folly of the excesses have been targeted and removed. This institution faces major problems Simon Lee has speculated and lost and is not hanging around to face the music. Leeds Met Lecturer 15 January, 2009 Having smashed aside minor obstacles such as HERA, the good ship SL Carnegie (has the new paint been applied yet?) is about to hit an iceberg called Credit Crunch. Wait a minute - who's that figure leaping into a lifeboat? Graduate Trainees 15 January, 2009 Easy to spot your posts, what will your opinion be if your program becomes a post-Lee casualty? Who do you want in as the next VC? 15 January, 2009 There are two names mentioned on this page as suggestions for the next VC, they are Deian Hopkin and Sir Ken Robinson. I think both would make fine choices, but I'm that sure there are a number of other very suited 'names' out there, the question is, who would YOU like to see hear? Are the board of governors going to involve the staff and student populous in the decision as to who comes next time? I think a consultation would be the best way forward although it's unlikely to happen. How about something radical, like producing a shortlist of interested applicants, and allowing staff and students to vote on their preferred choice? Alternatively we could just turn it into the Met-Factor and have them come and sing for us! Overjoyed 15 January, 2009 Those who are quick to condemn bloggers who have withheld their names have no real understanding of the management culture that staff have had to abide for the past six years under Simon Lee. The word "vindictive" hardly covers it and indeed some senior managers have intimated that we are not dealing with an individual of sound mind. A university ought to be a place where the open expression of ideas is encouraged and cultivated, not a sports enterprise run by dictat in the manner of an iron curtain regime. Considerable blame also extends to the Governors who have turned a deaf ear to the many warnings that this was happening and continued to support the grandiose but inappropriate "vision". It is frankly amazing in a democratic society that this has lasted this long. Earth to Students 15 January, 2009 For the less informed student: not all academic salaries are financed via funding from student enrollment. Many are funded competatively through research councils, government agencies and via other partnerships, meaning that some of us focus exclusively on the production of knowledge, rather than academic prowess, which is what I thought academia was all about. Perhaps a change of leadership will lead to a much needed shift in priorities, assuming, of course, that the university isn't bankrupt by the start of the new academic year...? Earth to Poster 15 January, 2009 It's not merely about the salary! Without a 51Ƶ attracting students, for example if Leeds Mets student population droppd to 10,000... there wouldn't be any need for as many lecturers.... it's a cycle and you can't hide from it. Matthew Roberts 15 January, 2009 Cards on table, I am neither a student, graduate or academic at Leed's Metropolitan 51Ƶ. but I am disappointed by some of the comments on this article, particularly those from former student's re 'Former student from Leed's Met': People are allowed to demigrate their university, their former institution or their current institution because that is the only true way that standards can improve. Fair and reasonable criticism of an educational institution is the only way that an educational institution can improve its standard's. By silencing, or attempting to silence criticism of a university it only serves a marketing purpose; It gets new students in the door. It doesn't make you any more or less likely to get a graduate job because any deficencies in your eduation are going to come out during the selection process anyway. Also democracy, freedom of speech at an educational institution plays a formative role in where many young people truely begin to understand the meaning of democracy, these people then go on (we hope!) to become the future leader's of the world. What hope would their be if a young persons understanding of democracy, one that you have demonstrated is that we shouldnt criticise something for fear of damaging its reputation. Now that is a attitude more akin to communist China and Nazi Germany than one of modern, 21st Century democratic, Britain. If the future civil servants of the world are going out into the world with the notion that we should't criticise something for damaging its reputation that sets a very worrying precedent for the future of Britains democracy. Re Cratylus: by the "discouragement of free speech" (Albannach 14 January, 2009) does not create pride in ones educational institution, just the illusion of it and that it turn fosters more resentment, low morale and eventually bullying among staff Re Gutted: while Leed's Met may be good at sport and as your department appears sport related, there are other subjects which require investment other than sport, and spending an disproportionate amount of your institutional income on sport because it is 'cool' and 'glamourous' makes the provision of education become a marketing exercise. while the student experiance is important ( and if you knew me, you would know that I would be the first to argue that) it should not take precedence over the primary provision of a university which is to provide education and research. Re Whatever: cant you see it is the 'hard faced academics' that care about the students more than the managment, these academics that do not appear to care about the students are entitled to use the same facilities as the students, use the same library, the same sporting facilities, and the same reasearch journals. they do care about the provision of education for students as well as the social facilities that the university would have to offer. If they didn't care about these things they wouldn't be reading the Time Higher eductational supplement and posting these comment's. Academics have given their lives to the enrichment of education and the education of others. The academics are the grass roots of the student provision of education. The managment is detached from it all. Caring about getting bum's on seats and enhancing the institutions profile through easy-to-implement gimmicks such as bringing celebrities in and having a 51% share in a rugby club, Which from my limited knowlege of Leed's Met, I fail to see how that benefits the students, with the exception that they can make use of the facilities at that rugby club(Probably the purchase of said facilities, or the sponsorship of a smaller club would have provided students with equal access to the similar if not better facilities at a less of a cost. What is very sad with the comments to this article is that there is not one positive word to say about the academic reputation of Leed's Met university, every positive comment about Simon Lee's tenure have been about style over substance provision of education, while I agree that listening to the students is good and I encourage more VC's to do this. One comment on this thread was about how Leed's Metropolitan 51Ƶ is a good university because it can 'arguably the highest profile and well organised graduation ceremony in the country' (Student and employee of Leeds Met 14 January, 2009) A good graduation ceremony does not make a good university, by a long run and the criteria that people are using to judge Leed's Met as a good university on this article should not really come into the equation especially as a Universities primary purpose is education and research sporting faciliites and good graduations do not achieve this and it is a sad day to see the value of education being placed on these two thing's. I only hope the new Vice Chancellor can undo the damage that Simon Lee has apparantly done without the loss of too many staff Student at Leeds Met 15 January, 2009 I stand by people's right to comment on and criticize their university through constructive channels; but I do have to wonder if publicly denigrating the university name is going to benefit anyone at the university. A university needs students and potential students are likely to be deterred if they hear too many negative comments about their prospective university. I would like to say that I have some excellent lecturers who have contributed to giving me an education which I am very happy with; I am sure that the student in question (Whatever is most definitely a student!! 14 January, 2009) was probably speaking from their experience alone and given that I am from a different faculty my experience is bound to be different. It is terrible to think of my lecturers being bullied, but I have to wonder, isn't it the bullies themselves who need to be punished? (Apologies for the grammar; I'm typing in a hurry and without my usual level of diligent proof-reading). Hard-Nosed Academic 15 January, 2009 I'm sorry, but is this really the correct forum for such conversation. I for one will be restricting discussion of such topic to pre-dinner drinks, as advised by our outgoing VC's spouse. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Students-given-lesson-in-manners.4671655.jp?articlepage=1 Student and staff member 15 January, 2009 These comments reveal what many of us at Leeds Met already know. Many of the academics would like to go back to doing what they want to do, god-forbid anyone should tell them what to do, that would be bullying. The HSE report on "institutional bullying" concluded that there was not a culture of bullying and responses to combat work related stress have subsequently been applauded by the HSE. In reality it was a small group of union based staff mouthing off because they can't get their way and don't like being told what to do. The student union and students on this blog have confirmed what I know; there is a sense of pride at the university and this is borne out of the immense strides forward the univeristy has taken in many areas and all due to the VC's vision. The student above who blamed Simon for their placement not being sorted out and their dissertation proposal going missing - that exemplifies the situation at Leeds Met. However, Simon Lee is not to blame for that incompetence, he can't personally process your documents. It wouldn't surprise me if half the people here complaining are involved in these kind of cock-ups regularly. Simon tried to encourage a student focussed outlook and some staff don't like that because it's not focussed on them. The best example: why is it that all lectures seem to converge towards the middle of the week, when Wednesday afternoon should be free for enrichment? Would it be because some academics like to have their long weekends, when they "work from home" - I've so often experienced this when trying to find my tutor to get advice on my dissertation and so have many of my friends. It's a joke! It is really important to note that the kind of staff I refer to here account for an absolute minority of the workforce, the overwhelming majoriy of staff at Leeds Met have embraced the universities Vision (let's be honest Simon wrote it!) and have worked to achieve it. Anyway, I could go on with many more examples but I just want to say: Simon Lee please reconsider your resignation, the uni has come so far under your leadership, I and many I work with will be saddened by the thought of progress grinding to a halt. Louise Michel 15 January, 2009 It is about time that such discussions happen openly AND the wrong-doings of other HEIs are also mentioned. One thing that is often forgotten is the huge pain, stress, and anguish caused by work-place bullying which is so entrenched in many HEIs. http://www.bulliedacademics.blogspot.com Leeds Met Lecturer 15 January, 2009 Clearly opinion is divided. I think this much depends upon where you work in the university and how favourably the management/VC look upon you. For both staff (including academic and administrators) and students in my area have noticed many changes, most of them negative. What Simon's supporters on this blog don't to seem to understand is that a university is all about the relationship between academics and students; students hope to achieve an academic degree. You need an experienced academic to teach that. Equally the academics need the students, as they are the life-blood of the university. Of course there are courses which taught by people without academic backgrounds, rather by practitioners, or those with experience in journalism or business for example. There is absolutely no reason why these courses cannot make a strong contribution to the university, and the staff work with academic colleagues. What has upset the academics is the fact that we seem to have had little place in the VC's 'Vision' and indeed, academic achievement seems to have been increasingly side-lined. Many of the students and staff who have emailed this forum to support the VC seem to despise academics. This is telling. Why do you despise these people who have worked so hard for you? The accusation of lazy academic comes up again and again. Yet, most academics I know (including myself) work most weekends. In term time this is taken up with marking and preparation. The rest of the time (including those lazy fridays and mondays!) is taken up with trying to maintain our research and publications, which is a key part of the job. Of course many of us also have substantial administrative burdens as course-leaders which also takes a fair amount of time up. As for wednesday afternoons - 'enrichment' time - most wednesday afternoons are spent in meetings about students and their progress through their academic 'careers'. As to the graduation which has been mentioned, last year I sat through my faculties graduation (as I do every year), and was mortified on the students behalf at the VC's presentation. He did not mention the phrase 'academic achievement', and said nothing directly to the students about their achievement - rather a video was shown parading many of the universities sporting achievements. Again, as regards the focus on sports, many of us are not against it - and indeed can appreciate the great gains that the VC has made in this field - however, what upsets academics and students in my faculty is that it seems to have been achieved at the cost of other parts of the university. I can appreciate how students/staff in the favoured areas have benefitted from the VC's largesse. However, perhaps they need to think that there may be two sides to this. Finally, I hope that any incoming VC will look at the Staff Development festival. Whilst staff development is surely an important part of any lecturer/academics career development, it can't be that important to be able to attend DJing and Salsa sessions, rather than spending valuable time on your research, or in attending academic conference which frequently take place at that time. Moreover, surely some of the money spent doing the festival could be used more profitably to enhance the student experience. Matthew Roberts 15 January, 2009 RE Student at Leed's Met: This is an open constructive channel to criticise Leed's Met university, Criticism in private has no real effect at all. and I am sure that many of the staff that have posted on this article did originally criticise the university in private and were deeply unsatisfied with the result's. Academics and students do not criticise their university without a valid, justified reason. they don't want their degree's /research devalued so they must feel it is the only option when the resort to criticising the university in this public way. In many ways criticism in private is not really a criticism at all as it does not apply any pressure on the university to change. The only way the university will be forced to change is by applying reasonable, legal pressure upon it and that can be done through publications such as this one. Also the idea that the bullies themselves need to be punished can only be achieved by placing pressure on the managment of the institution to punish said bullies and the only way to do this is by placing pressure on the institution. The idea that one must be loyal to ones educational institution is an idea that encourages bullying in the first place. Education is the one place where loyalty to the institution can be counter-productive to the teaching and research experiance. Furthermore, displaying peoples opinion publically like this encourages solidarity with other academics that have been bullied. They realise they are not alone, and this encourages them speak out against instances of bullying that have happened in their institution. oh no bruv 15 January, 2009 the balance sheet as Just look at the books noted shows total reserves as being 54K less than 2007. Can someone read the financial statement and tell if the place still has Category 1 finanacial health? emmie 15 January, 2009 I came to Leeds Met five years ago, just after the VC. At the time I arrived, my department was blessed with some of the most highly motivated, dynamic and professional individuals it's ever been my pleasure to work with. In the last five years, the section has lost over one third of its staff, and those leaving have not been the old stick-in-the-muds that the Management likes to blame as unable to 'manage change'. No, they have been the youngest, most ambitious and most forward-thinking staff who have clearly seen no future for themselves here. It's a tragedy. Pedant 15 January, 2009 A request for information from HEFCE under the freedom of information act might uncover some of the reasons for the abrupt departure. I guess the Times Higher journos already thought of that... Sad, sad worker 15 January, 2009 Right now I think I have a faint inkling of how it must have been in South Africa when finally there were free elections: tribal groups had been carefully hardened to make sure that once the old regimen had gone, there would not be unity within the state, but conflict. To speak out in the last few years has been risky; really good people, academics and administrators (and support staff) disappeared, sometimes overnight. Yes, this is washing dirty linen in public but there were no laundry facilities at all during the last six years. We have been threatened with the loss of journal subscriptions for teaching, not having projection facilities in teaching areas when they have been stolen; yes, doing my job has been very difficult at times, and telling anyone outside the university was considered bringing the university into disrepute . Some of the named posters here are people I have directly assisted, but they took all I did for granted, because I am not part of the management system. However, amidst all this, the people I work with, day-to-day, are some of the very best I have worked with in over 20 years in academia and public service. Students are the centre of what we do: please do not be afraid to come to Leeds Metropolitan 51Ƶ (yes, I prefer that name). Lecturer 15 January, 2009 One thing that needs to be raised at Leeds Met and in all HE institutions is our perception of what Academic means. There is to much talk about academic ability. The truth of the matter is that highly creative and intelligent people think they are not, because people are scared of this word Academic in Universities. We can all gain BAs, Mas from such institutions but is does not mean that these people are good at their jobs. I like university professors, but you know we should not hold them up as the high watermark of all human achievement, there are just a form of life. You know, another form of life. But they are rather curious, and I say this out of affection for them. There is something curious about professors. In my experience, not all of them, but typically, they live in their heads. They live up there and slightly to one side. They are disembodied, you know in a kind of literal way. They look upon their body as a form of transport for their heads. Its there to get their heads to the meetings. This is true in some aspects. The true vaule of life and understanding comes from sharing ideas and been intelligent. We think about the world in 3 different ways, we think kinishethically, in movement and in sound. THE WORK ACADEMIC IS OVER USED AND OUT OF DATE. Lecturer ... 15 January, 2009 ... have you been on the sherry? It could be true 15 January, 2009 Don't know if this is true or not, but the last I heard, the soon to be vacant buildings at Civic have not been sold, there sale was key to the financing of the new builds. Where's the money gonna come from now? Could we forget the last six years ever happened 15 January, 2009 and bring back Wagner and his deputies? I am not a number, I am a free man 15 January, 2009 Dr C Newman (15 January) beat me to the punch - I was going to use the analogy of the Great Wall of China but the Pyramids one works for me too. (Incidentally, it's not true that the you can see the Great Wall from space, but apparently you can make out the ever-expanding Leeds Met estate.) Those of you focusing on outputs have every right to laud Prof Lee's perceived 'achievements' if you like, but please don't do so without contemplating the reality for many folks of life in the madhouse these past 6 years. I was never bullied by the VC himself, but I work in Carnegie and he sat on his hands whilst the faculty went into meltdown under the (happily) former Dean. Morale plummeted amongst the rank-and-file as the heady cocktail of incompetence and narcissism held sway. Despite repeated warnings about the unfolding crisis, Prof Lee neglected to intervene meaningfully to protect the most exposed staff (see the HSE report for a taster for what it was like). Supposedly good things often come with consequences - you might like the taste of Coca Cola but have you ever thought about the human and environmental costs of its production? And it rots your insides eventually. Irony 15 January, 2009 We might be on the brink of financial crisis, and we're sponsoring Monopoly. Business & Law Academic 15 January, 2009 I have been at Leeds Met for the past 7 years - prior to Simon Lee's arrival. Having spoken with him a number of times, he appears to have some clear ideas, but as to putting them into practice ...... ! What's good: Profile raised, for better or worse The estate looks good Err..... What's bad: If it's not Carnegie or sport then it doesn't exist We don't all care about rugby/netball/cricket/sailing Prof Lee Abysmal senior managers who start their ideas with "The VC thinks ..." when you know it's their own idea. Sally Brown et al - I'll pay for the cab The Staff Development Festival - waste of time and money Ridiculous PR stunts under the guise of sports - where's the marketing? Also, why do we own a rugby club? This isn't the USA! Money is pouring out of the university - the deficit is terrifying. New developments, which people don't want. Can Business & Law stay in Bronte & Leighton Halls now please? The place is overrun with administrators and managers with a dearth of academics, who are the ones doing the education delivery We've lost sight of what we are - a university, not a festival and sports venue. It's about helping the students to develop and I for one wish we get the chance to return to this. Can we keep the current name since you're going please? Or were you waiting for us to suggest calling the Rose Bowl the Simon Lee Bowl or Leeds Met becoming Leeds Carnegie Simon Lee 51Ƶ? Another ex-lecturer 15 January, 2009 I no longer work at Leeds Met. My experience while there was of a steady move away from student-centredness (e.g. the removal of 3rd year dissertations even as an option, because they were too expensive; being told by the Dean not to raise problems of standards in front of the external, because that was 'public'; reductions of time spent with students; increased time spent documenting that we had indeed spent time with students; the list goes on). The resources appeared increasingly allocated to brand development. This in a climate where to question any of this branded one a 'trouble maker' and 'negative'. The realy cynics in this story are not those who became increasingly frustrated and despondent, but those who seem to have developed their careers by publicly applauding the VC but privately acknowledging there was no value in the arguments. These are the real cycnics. There may be places in the 51Ƶ where these observations are genuinely puzzling to people. I'd be surprised, but I have to acknowledge the possibility. But please, don't accuse those of us reporting these experience of simply 'not wanting to change' or being troublemakers. Arguing for change (as many of us do, in many contexts) brings with it the responsibiltiy to demonstrate that the change is plausibly for the better. Max Farrar 15 January, 2009 I started work at Leeds Poly as a part-time lecturer 20 years ago and have done several different jobs in various parts of the Polytechnic/51Ƶ. Simon Lee is the third VC I have worked for and he is head and shoulders above the other two. He ensured that we gained much-needed new curriculum areas (applied global ethics - including peace studies and international realtions; Northern Studies; and performance). His emphasis on sport was based on playing to one of our few nationally recognised strengths (as evidenced in this yar's RAE success). His sports partnerships have brought us global recognition at prices that advertising companies would die for. He recognised that our facilities were in a terrible state and were off-outting to students - the new buildings raise everyone's morale and assist recruitment. His insistence that we raise our game, internationalise, develop partnerships, and hold festivals have enriched the place enormously. I particularly commend his deep commitment to widening participation, to community engagement, to equality and diversity, and to the idea (novel, I know) that enhancing and enlarging the student experience is at the heart of our work. His intelligence, drive and sheer hard work are an inspiration to all those who can see beyond their nose. His wife Patricia works tirelessly and with amazing good grace (and humour) to support the development of the university. Yes, he has insisted on change - it was sorely needed - and some of his managers do lack the people skills that a modern university requires. But I am extremely sad that Simon and Patricia are leaving the university, and I think the governors, if they have the best interest of the university at heart, should ask him to reconsider his resignation. Well said Business & Law Academic 15 January, 2009 I said this further up this page. It is all about Sport, sport sport . . If I was going to do a sports degree I would go to Loughborough 51Ƶ. We also know that the university awards students a class higher than they have achieved. So students with a 2:2 are coming out with a 2:1 . . . . . . . Marks are been fudged to make the university look better. Lee Gone Ha 15 January, 2009 The sun shines over Leeds as Simon bids farewell, no tears at all only cheers of Yeeeess !!. The Gods have spoken -- All Glory is fleeting. FAO Max 15 January, 2009 1. You have been awarded a Professorship by this VC, so that hardly puts you in a position to be critical of him. 2. If you appreciate the area of ethics, then I'm sure you'll appreciate that many acts at this university have been questionable. Ask G T why she went? Most long termers were sad to see such an inspirational figure go. 3. The institute of Northern Studies was bought in from.....was it UCLAN (sorry I can't remember), Responsible Tourism came from one of the London Unis (Greenwich?), and the other tourism centre came from Sheffield - they are the main reason why our 'sport' research is so highly rated - not through sports research or Leeds Met developed research talent - most of us in Carnegie don't have time due to teaching a full allocation of hours. 4. I agree with you completely that our estate is now in a much better state than it was 10 years ago, but the question now is at what cost to staff, will we still have 5 faculties next year? 5. I think his profiling of the university has been amazing - but again at what cost? I seem to remember that Hope was in financial difficulties after his departure, money spent on marketing was partly blamed. 6. I have never seen Patricia working tirelessly, I have seen her in the gym a lot, I think her picture is on too much of the university's publicity materials, even at the staff development festival she took a central singing position on stage. I have heard many stories about her, and I'm afraid they are not positive ones. 7. I heard (I don't know if it's true) that the VCs people carrier was a 50,000 US import, I don't know if that is truth or fiction, but if it is true it's a scandal, and if it's fiction I apologise for posting it. 8. The internationalisation has been very good in terms of developing international relations, sadly I feel that the faculty that will suffer if financial restructuring is required is that one. 9. I would honestly like to know if the Applied Global Ethics is cost effective, or if it is subsidised by other areas in that faculty (i.e. events). 10. The festivals theme is nice but to be honest it's a bit much, and I'm not convinced they're cost effective. 11. Lastly some of the Professorial appointments here have made us a laughing stock, and I don't mean you personally, but you know as well as I know how many 'Professors' here are definitely not deserving of their title, I can think of three easily. All in all, I'm not sad to see them go, I hope that the replacement is much more willing to engage the academic community and work with them, rather than dictate through non-academic managers, I am very worried about what the future is going to bring for us in terms of cost cutting and change. student 15 January, 2009 I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MAX FARRAR...!!! WELL SAID...THE END!!! Anon - unfortunately due to fear of reprocussions 15 January, 2009 Mathew Robert's has said it all for me - I could not agree more ! I also agree with 'hope for the future' and share their hope and aspirations. Sad, sad worker 16 January, 2009 The point is, some of us might be able to do our jobs again, as proper university teachers and researchers, and administrators be able to do their jobs; support staff will also be able to continue maintaining our core business: getting students as far as graduation. We will not be asked endlessly to write 200 word summaries of our thoughts and activities (to have them changed by graduate trainees, or rejected for posting on the university site because they were not totally singing from the university hymn sheet). I am not going to get personal, because that is unprofessional, but I have watched remarkable, clever, and talented people being bullied by management, and I have been bullied too, but by someone who left the university as soon as he did not get what he wanted in the way of promotion. I did go through the proper channels and ended up being reminded of the universitys telephone help line, and given a little card to take away. Dear Max 16 January, 2009 If the man has resigned then move on and support those managers who will be taking the university forward. I trust he resigned in 200 words. Max F and Simon R 16 January, 2009 Do you work in open plan offices? Thought not. What will the sycophants do without him? 16 January, 2009 If Lewis Coakley was less of a careerist and actually reflected his members interests then hed be thankful that Lee has gone. Instead he has repeated management lies about the benefits of open plan offices at a student union meeting (open plan will be bad for staff but much worse for students Lewis you should represent their interests to him not his views to them!). Beyond that its a disgrace to dismiss claims of bullying, these are not individual comments but the product of a scientific survey of staff attitudes two thirds said theyd been bullied and there was a bullying culture. As for the HSE report (re Student and Staff member), it didnt claim (contra managements spin) that no bullying existed (it was not part of its remit to investigate these claims). Rather it found evidence of poor management, a lack of consultation, and a failure to do risk assessments, and gave the university 3 months to get its act together (a damning indictment). And as to the vision good grief, the nonsense comes in waves. To put it simply this is claptrap that managers repeat to each other while we laugh/cringe/ignore them (perhaps if they allowed discussion theyd work this out). Steve W 16 January, 2009 Will the new VC recognise how really really important and dead clever i am after our glorious leader leaves? Please don't go, I love you so! Kat Rose 16 January, 2009 People at Leeds Met know that I am not a fan of open-plan offices and that is not liable to change any time soon. I think that we can make the buildings themselves work and that is what we have to aim for now. Anyone who was at the meeting in question will have observed my debate with Lewis, I did give the two minute long speech on the matter, and will be able to gauge the strength of my feelings against the plans from that. In the course of my research and campaigning, which has not been done alone and has included help from people who I will not take the liberty of speaking for, I have dealt with Lewis a great deal and it is for that reason that I feel obliged to comment. Lewis and I have had many disagreements, and seemed to spend the majority of the meeting in question debating the points that the other had made; however, the campaigning that I have conducted this year has always been about policy. I can tell you from working with/against Lewis that he is genuinely doing his best to represent students using the information which he is provided with; to describe him as a careerist is unfair as no-one can provide the level of debate that he has provided without having a firm belief in their argument. I firmly believe that he is doing the best job he can under circumstances fit to make most Student Union Presidents quake in their boots and considering all that he has had to cope with he is surely to be commended on what he is achieving. I think that some serious thought needs to go into how the new buildings can be made to serve their users; anyone acquainted with my role in discussions will see that I am doing all I can to ensure that the buildings fit everyone's needs. I would also like to say that I feel privileged to be taught by the lecturers I have dealt with so far and disgusted at the thought of their being bullied. Policies need to be debated and evidently some issues seriously need to be addressed; I do not and cannot support personal attacks against people doing their best at this time and do not support any such attacks upon Lewis. Divisive to the end 16 January, 2009 Simon Lee's reputation preceded him and he hasn't disappointed us during his tenure. If, as we are led to believe his reign has brought us to the brink of financial collapse; and if it is true that the shiny new buildings have been built on the back of selling off our, albeit crumbling estate, then we are in deep deep trouble. Any colleagues from Hope care to offer any advice on how to cope with the post Lee aftermath? This may take years to unravel and the true cost may only become apparent when Prof Lee has long gone. Unfortunately I fear that job losses will follow. .Should this be true then the Board of Governors and senior managers who have allowed this to happen should resign en masse. . Simon's Union 16 January, 2009 Lewis Coakley above stated that, "I don't believe that Professor Lee is a bully" - and yet Kat Rose is claiming that, "he is doing the best job he can under circumstances fit to make most Student Union Presidents quake in their boots." Maybe Lewis would like to come back on and explain your comments? I know you've done amazing work with the campaign against open plan and the name change, but on many occasions the Students' Union has collaborated quite happily with the regime and I hope at this year's Graduations they finally come up with a speech worthy of the (very small percentage of) students that elected them in. Adam Smith 16 January, 2009 "...a world-class regional statutory corporation with historic cost deficits, using our revolving credit facilities to the full..." Kat Rose 16 January, 2009 Re 'Simon's Union' : my comments regarding the circumstances under which Lewis has had to serve were referring to the situation the union was in when he took-up his post as President; I was not intending to link that comment in any way to Lewis' comments regarding staff being bullied. I fear that the fact you have made this link means you have drastically misunderstood my message and I wish to make it clear that I have absolutely no reason to believe in any such link. Thank you for your positive comments about the campaigns; rest assured that I shall continue to represent the Protect.Our.Privacy one in meetings for a while to come. Simon's Union 16 January, 2009 Thanks for the clarification, Kat. It might be worthwhile putting up links to the campaign pages on Facebook with regard to the name change and open plan areas - not everyone will be able to access these but for a few people it will explain what you're referring to and who you actually are. Oh, and of course, a better reflection of what students at Leeds Met think of the place. Kat Rose 16 January, 2009 If people do wish to view the 'P.O.P Leeds Met' Facebook group then they are more than welcome to do so; I do not, however, wish to turn the discussion about Simon Lee's resignation on to that subject at the moment. Frankly this discussion needed to happen 16 January, 2009 Having been supressed of free speech for so long, this forum is refreshing, thanks THE. Frank Wignall 16 January, 2009 I assume all of those mourning the departure of Simon Lee will learn to embrace change, and not be overtaken by negativity. Only those seeking to protect their own interests, are inward looking, and old fashioned could possibly lament the passing of the status quo.Indeed, any such people are by definition wrong, and should be rooted out. Remind you of anything? Free Speech 16 January, 2009 Free speech?. It would appear that Max Farrar and Lewis Coakley are being bullied here on this blog for daring to say what they really think. Trotski 16 January, 2009 Although one poster did go a tad on the personal level with Max, Criticism in itself is not bullying. I'm personally highly critical of the SU. Look what they have become under Lee's tenure, a shadow of their former selves, very poor facilities - that 'shop' is a joke, very high priced (check out the prices at Leeds Uni SU - everything from Sandwiches to clothing). There used to be an agreement between the SU and the Uni that the Uni would not sell what the SU shop sold, that has long been forgotten. The SU used to inspect the VCs facilities every year as a long standing tradition into investigating unnecessary luxuries - does that still happen? What about the Leeds Student newspaper, gone, and replaced with something that only praises the VCs policies. The VC did a blinder on the SU by promoting their Sports ball, and making them feel special when he first came to power. They opted to follow him as he was now their 'friend', and they have been largely spineless ever since. A healthy student union should stand in opposition to the main party line, unless what is being proposed is unequivocally beneficial to their members, the SU should be questioning everything and anything proposed, but they don't. I'm not specifically blaming this year's lot, they have inherited a culture of spinelessness from their predecessors and the ones before them, and it is going to take some genuinely politically minded elected officials with GUTS to get things back on track. Stand up and be counted instead of being a sheep and following the herd. Andrew Morwood 16 January, 2009 Trotski, The Students' Union no longer owns a shop, we sold it to the university in November to concentrate on the core proriity of the union, which is to represent students. As for the rest of your post, the union will be holding it annual elections in March, I urge anyone who feels that they could make a real difference for the better within the union and university to stand! Trotski 16 January, 2009 And just out of interest, do the VC and his wife pay their own bills to live in Queenswood? Rent, utilities, council tax etc? Also what about petrol for that people carrier, does he claim back for work related journeys, or are all journeys paid for by the university? Does his wife pay for her own petrol or is that paid for by the university? I'd really like to know the answer to all of those. Trotski 16 January, 2009 Andrew, thanks for responding, but you fail to say how selling the shop helps to represent the students. I just can't see it. Would you at least concede the point that the Students Union is now in a much worse position than what it was six years ago? When was the last time that the Union held a genuinely militant protest within the university? The last one I remember was when the nursing provision was moved into Health, and that was under Wagner. Boxer 16 January, 2009 It is curious to see how much the Student's Union have become part of the establishment, sitting at the top tables at the posh meals. Wouldn't have happened in my day, at least being continuously scruffy meant you were unwelcome in such circles! Simon Lee has led some important and necessary changes but it will be good if a fresh pair of eyes can make the university more student focussed. Leeds Met talks about these things but is now more about image, posh dinners, drinking wine, branding and certain leadership people desperately doing all they can to please Simon. The VC has done some important work but it is now time to return to core values, students getting degrees and all that sort of stuff.... Andrew Morwood 16 January, 2009 As a member of staff in the Students' Union, I'm not at liberty to discuss union policy but I'm sure if you e-mail or talk to Lewis or one of the other exec they'll go through the reasoning with you. I only joined the union last summer so I'm afraid I don't know about what's gone on in the past! No Names No Pack Drill 16 January, 2009 Leaving aside the personal sycophancy and/or pent-up vehemence, about how the VC has performed, I suggest that we look at some objective data about the VC's reign. The published accounts (which, strangely, have often been delayed by branding!) are well worth examining. In particular, I suggest looking at; the net operating costs, year on year, which includes items such as sponsorship and partnerships, the net debt at the end of each year and, for the benefit of Trotsky, emoluments of the Vice-Chancellor including benefits in kind. Let us not blame the current economic crisis. When I expressed concerns two years ago I was variously told that accounts are difficult for the lay person to interpret and, more recently, that the accounts do not tell the whole story. As one who lectures in financial management I felt I was being told not to bother my pretty little head about matters I wouldnt understand. At a more recent meeting when I queried increased borrowing against a diminishing asset base, I was told that "yes it makes the gearing more interesting!" At least I, for one, can look forward to no longer having to rub shoulders with, and kiss the backsides of, champions. (200 words) branding guru 16 January, 2009 As a former employee and, may I add, a former member of the famed 'branding police', it is very unsurprising to see the outpouring of bile that his departure has prompted. Whilst I never felt bullied myself there was a clear expectation that you towed the party line or else. The phrase much loved by Simon of 'using your talents to the full' always made me laugh as you were only allowed to use your talents to any degree if the outcome met the grand plan - and boy were you in trouble if you were against it. Finally, in defence of my branding colleagues, we all hated the system as well - which is why almost everyone involved with it left the Uni at the first opportunity. I pity the poor person who has to come in and pick up that profit and loss sheet because I'm sure it looks like many of the items that went through branding - covered in red ink!!!! Parent 16 January, 2009 I agree with Simon Robinson.As a parent of a student who achieved a first class degree at Leeds Met,I have always been fully supportive of Prof Lee and his foresight into taking the university into the 21st century. I am not an academic nor a student and therefore I can only comment on opportunities and experiences the university has given my daughter.I hope that ,wherever Prof Lee goes they will value his contribution and allow him to give the same opportunities to someone elses child. As an onlooker,all the infighting is not giving the university the reputation it deserves and to all you critics of Prof Lee,I would look over my shoulder.I am proud of what my daughter achieved and so is she. Isn't it about the students after all FAO Parent 16 January, 2009 We are all proud of what the students achieve, nothing is more satisfying for me than seeing an 'independent for the first time' 18 year old being transformed into a young adult with a professional outlook during their time with us. It's a pity that we have not been given the teaching and research resources to ensure that more 1sts are achieved, money spent on ridiculous things such as flags, and having the Leeds Met logo printed onto the toilet handwash dispensers (I kid you not) would have been far better spent on interactive whiteboards.When we become Leeds Carnegie 51Ƶ 16 January, 2009 Will the Carnegie Faculty for Sport and Education, be renamed the Simon and Patricia Lee Faculty for Sport, Education and Etiquette? Can someone bring this up at the next branding meeting? Parent and lecturer 16 January, 2009 As a parent of a student who graduated this year and as a lecturer that sends students to leeds Met I have nothing but bad things to say about the whole Leeds experience. In fact my advise this year to students is to keep well away from the university because the place is in free fall. it has expanded without developing the support and the infra structure that students needs. Its aggressive growth has left many students and staff wondering about the value of its experiences. This position its unsustainable and so if Simon Lee is responsible, then this is no great loss. Leeds Met needs to rebuild trust with its staff, students, feeder Schools and Colleges. Adam Wheewall 16 January, 2009 Being a former student who graduated in 2000, sadly I have no first hand experience of Mr Lee's tenure. There are several things I do know to be true though. It's very easy these days for people to point the finger and accuse others of bullying. It seems to the be the fashionable word, and tends to be over used to a massive degree. I am making no comment on if the accusations in this particular case are true or not. But it certainly is true that far less bullying ever goes on than people make out. It's worth baring this in mind the next time anyone, not having been personally involved in the said bullied, considers jumping on a popular bandwagon in expressing moral outrage on others unrequested behalves. The second thing I know to be true is that good and popular are two adjectives that tend to be mutually exclusive for a leader. It's hard for anyone not being in a top-of-the-food-chain decision making position to please all of the people all of the time. The best leader will make the best decision, which may not please all of the people, it may not please any of the people, but the good leader should never the less make that decision anyway. Only history will really judge a leader, in this case the VC or the SUP. This discussion certainly does seem to indicate "trouble at 'mill" situation all round. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing if it encourages discussion and brings to the fore issues. I am struggling to conceive that the Union these days could be playing lap dog to the 51Ƶ. If this were the case, then something must be seriously wrong. Not many years back our Union had a very good reputation in the student movement for doing our own thing, and regularly sticking two fingers up at our own 51Ƶ and the NUS if they weren't acting in the absolute best interests of the Union's members. That isn't to say that the Union always took that position, but they certainly weren't ever afraid to. The Union at Leeds Met was unusual amongst other Unions, in having some real autonomy from the 51Ƶ - it used to make most of it's own money. Of course it didn't always take the negative track, many a good thing was achieved by working hand in hand with the 51Ƶ and/or the NUS. A fine balance between the two has to always be sought. In my day the big bad wolf was the previous VC Leslie Wagner. The Union was in constant battle with him over all sorts of issues. Ultimately I think he respected the Union for that, having to back down many times in the face of student lead opposition. I wonder how history has judged him, given the very different direction his successor has taken the 51Ƶ. Hi Adam... 16 January, 2009 I'm afraid to tell you that much has changed since 2000 (when I think Kerk Lawley was the SU President). I even remember her complaining about the cutting down of the trees on the Acre - can't see that kind of thing happening now! I don't know if you've been to Leeds Met since you graduated, but the SU shops are no longer SU shops (and the one at Beckett Park is simply gone), an Athletic Union now runs the sports clubs, we're no longer part of the Leeds Student newspaper, and the once packed-out Wednesday night OTT is no more. (Does the Polybop still run? Showing my age there.) There are a few nice portraits of former SU execs on the walls of the VC's office, but other than that a meaningful presence is absent. And no, I am not happy about this (and I stand to be corrected too). RE: Parent 16 January, 2009 With regards to you advice (or threat) of: "to all you critics of Prof Lee,I would look over my shoulder", you have to realise that we've been doing this for 6 years. It's possible some of the staff who taught your daughter are not fans of Prof Lee, but still tried to give her a decent education (which as you've pointed out she did very well in). re Adam Wheewall 16 January, 2009 History will show that Simon Lee took over LMU at a time when the coffers were full; the real estate was in need of revamping but we owned the land that the buildings stood upon and our revenue streams from a variety of sources were healthy. Student numbers were buoyant, faculties were in need of some realignments but the future was optimistic What has happened since then is incredible...the family silver has been either sold off or mortgaged to the hilt; the estate has been split over a number sites; our revenue streams have been constricted; faculties have been realigned and not always in the best interests of students; Tourism, Hospitality and Events a faculty in its own right taken over by a failing Language school! and bank rolling the VC's pet projects - go figure! Marketing strategies and related financial arrangements all allied to sport. The promotion of the "Carnegie Brand" - anyone around in the 90's will remember that Carnegie was almost mothballed so I dont blame them for basking in the sun in recent years. 2008, facing falling student numbers and spiralling debts something had to give! What next? Who knows? Simon Lee is a small price to pay for what will inevitably follow. Let's hope 16 January, 2009 For a swift replacement, when a dictator goes there is often a civil war. We could do without that here. Magik Druid 16 January, 2009 I wonder how many of the negative contributors to this blog have ever had to manage people like themselves? Or indeed have had the responsibility to run a muti million pound organisation, while at the same time deal with a multitude of poor performing staff, continual bickering, unenthusiastic co workers etc etc etc. Simon Lee has done what he could with the tools he was given, and, according to some of the well wishers above, done a pretty good job with those tools. I also wonder if given the same challenge, how many of them would approach such a senior role as a popularity contest rather than the tough, unpopular decision making and business management role it actually is. Grow up people, and if you didnt like Simon Lee's style, why are you still there? Better the devil you know perhaps? FAO Magik Druid 16 January, 2009 Many of us are still here because we believe in what we do, value education, and hope that in the future we will be able to do it more freely without the fear of persecution for not following the master plan. One size doesn't fit all, no matter how many times you get told it does. The McDonaldisation of Higher Education is not the way forward. Matthew Roberts 16 January, 2009 Re Adam: Unfortunatly student unions are unlike that anymore their primary (original) purpose was to provide representation and campaign on issues that were important to students. Now all student unions serve is as an extended marketing department of the university, glossy bars and having a reputation for getting the most drunk is sadly market capital for universities these days. Sure, there is campaigning, but it is glamourous, external issues campaigning that plays into the romantic stereotype of the radicalised, socialist student. My student union (Not Leeds Met) told me that 'when you come to university you sacrifice the right tofreedom of speech'. Something that would have been unheard of coming out a student union officers mouth five years ago. Re Magik Druid: being a manager is about making tough decisions, but those tough decisions can be made without bullying, intimidating and threatening staff and academics have to manage people as well they have 100 odd students per module, which is a lot more than any line manager has to'manage' and Magik Druid, you describe universities as a business management role, Universities arent business, they are public services, they recieve goverment money (Much more money than is recieved through tuition fees), 51Ƶ managers need to behave with an ethos of a public service, over that of a business, when you start behaving as a business standards begin to slip deep throat 16 January, 2009 Deep throat will provide a number of comments over coming days which will seek to remove the personality factor and replace it with a focus appropriate to the adage 'always follow the money'. From a position close to the bunker albeit semi-detached the first point is that this story will change in the next week or so. At the moment we are seeing emotional spasms, understandably perhaps and certainly therapuetic but ultimately of no use. This story has national significance and goes to the heart of how such public institutions are governed and led. Whatever the short-comings of the incumbent VC the ultimate failure lies with the hapless Board of Governors and the hands off taken by the funding council, HEFCE. Sadly those who populate these bodies will on the whole remain unaffected by this calamity; the individual Governors can probably 'walk away from it' and the Funding Council now has a new Chief Executive so he can say it is a new dawn or whatever. Question number 1 therefore is how come the management of the Uni were allowed to purchase a professional rugby club and why on earth was the Director of Finance of all people made a director? Did this not test the doctrine of 'ultra vires' and if it did who gave permission for it? What are the liabilities locked into this adventure? Assuming this is printed more later again urging people to move from the cult of the personality to the really important questions, although having said that there is one sense in which the personality factor does count, but that again is ultimately the fault of the Board. haylee 16 January, 2009 these people are lame, get a life. ratsmeller 16 January, 2009 Don Revie said to Simon Lee/What's gone on at Leeds Poly?/Simon Lee said to Don Revie/Its now a jock-school of PE..... (trad, rearr. Ratsmeller). It started going down hill with Patrick aka "squirrel" Nuttgens, imho. READ 16 January, 2009 LEEDS MET IS FAMOUS FOR NOT TEACHING STUDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN EXPRESSED AT MA LEVEL NOT JUST BA. THE ONLY INSTITUTIONS OFFERING QUALITY TEACHING ARE THE LOCAL COLLEGES OFFERING HE COURSES. to Steve W 16 January, 2009 if you are the Steve W I am thinking of, probably not. Sorry mate nowt personal! Shane 16 January, 2009 I'm not singing for the future. I'm not dreaming of the past. I'm not talking of the first time. I never think about the last. spiderman 17 January, 2009 Deep throat has it exactly right. Where have the governors, external auditors and the funding council been? A forensic audit of the accounts will show the extent of the misuse of taxpayers' money at a strategic level in leases, buildings and partnerships with the cricket, rugby and cultural organisations which simply could not be afforded and in spend on memberships, lavish entertainment, the misuse of university accommodation for family members, and inappropriate foreign travel. The whole of the top team is compromised and it is strongly recommended that in view of the lack of governance and control in place which is evidenced by the accounts then HEFCE must act now to remove the governors and whole of the senior team. There is no-one there who can stop cheques being signed for the big pay offs which will be coming and to prevent any further land or building or partnership deals being done. Daz 17 January, 2009 Very true Spiderman, a family member regularly has 90 bottles of Champagne at the stadium on the company account, and leaves them half full. Dr C Newman 17 January, 2009 Deep Throat is too sensible. LeedsMet is not the only institution with these problems just look at the possibly cover-up of the stress report at Leeds 51Ƶ elsewhere on THE commentaries. Universities are run as personal fiefdoms along Dickensian lines and it's time they were brought into the 20th (sic) Century. The management practices at my own institution are positively feudal. Bullying is endemic in Education, condoned and even encouraged by senior management. It is the tool of the incompetent manager. This LeedsMet commentary should be a wake up call to every establishment in the country or am I getting carried away now? deep throat 17 January, 2009 Resigations of Chief Executives are not private affairs and certainly not when they are accompanied by a press statement. And what a statement from the Chair of the Board, massively under-whelming. All connected with the 51Ƶ deserve to know more. Students have learning and ultimately reputational contracts; staff have all that sits with their employment; local suppliers and the innumerable people of Leeds with all sorts of connections need to know more, as do the so-called partners of the Met. Since the demise of the VC the bunker has received numerous calls from anxious partners about the security of their agreements. Cultural tours need to be paid for and promises to the rugby (both codes) and cricket and netball and whoever else caught the gravy train will have to be met, or will they? Perhaps the Dean (sic) of Sporting Partnerships could comment. Again you have to go back to the Board and ask why they approved these - or did they? Last year just under half a million of public money went to external organisations of which several members of the Board are directors. Small potatos and all above board of course but symptomatic of a failure by the Board to exercise oversight and to hold the Executive to account. In addition to this there is a six figure sum spent directly on partnerships in all sorts of ways favouring some staff and students but not the majority. Again self indulgence by senior managers, sorry 'advisors', can only be held in check and rendered reasonable if the Board is doing its job. More later. Talking of partnerships 17 January, 2009 Does this mean that we wont be taking over Leeds College of Music now? Or does it mean that we will.......and disbanding Innovation North as a cost saving measure? Oh I do love a good rumour. Albert Barden 17 January, 2009 Without absurdity we have nothing. Could we hear more from Shane and more from The Bard. I'd like to know more about Brutus Denton and Tillius Sally. Do you know these people Deep Throat. Magik Druid 17 January, 2009 I read with interest the view that Leeds Met has fallen away from its primary role as an educational provider to one that is being driven by the more capitalist longings of a commercial organisation. For this I also read that Simon Lee is wholly to blame. Perhaps those pointing the finger (and perhaps they should also reflect on the fact that Simon Lee has fought tirelessly to maintain the 2000 fees limit, as well as achieve a far higher level of positive publicity for the 51Ƶ through sponsorship and media deals than any amount of far more expensive advertising could achieve), should examine the current make up the board of governors: ex KPMG, ex KPMG (funny that) ex food and marketing, ex M&S, ex Merchant Banker(!!!),ex Du Pont...need I go on. It appears that as a fomer lecturer, and Professor in 51Ƶ courses at Oxford, London and Queens Belfast, that Mr Lee is actually one of the few members of the board whose background gives him the knowledge and understanding to run the organisation. I suggest the finger needs pointing elsewhere in this case. All of this information is readilly availalble on the 51Ƶ website, so I am surprised at the lack of knowledge displayed by those comments elsewhere on this blog! K Bates 17 January, 2009 I'm laughing all the way to the Leeds. Veronica Bombard 17 January, 2009 It isnt just Innovation North at risk. The word is out that the senior officers and their deputies [ self styled mafia ] have plans for the International faculty. They are not to be trusted. Simon made that mistake. Ged Mole 17 January, 2009 The word bullying has been used very liberally within this comment. I wonder to what extent those selecting this particular word have considered that being asked to i) do your job more effectively ii)be prepared to attend staff development workshops iii)change and enhance your approach, are simply being asked to do their job, for which many of them are very well paid. The old saying 'those who can do, those who can't (need I go on)' may well be applied here. The level of salary enjoyed by even the most junior university lecturer is way above that which they could command in the private sector. How many of those lecturing on business management, languages or law have actually demonstrated their knowledge and skills in practice? Very few I would suggest. Is it therefore being bullied simply because you have been challenged? In the commercial sector these people would fall like flies at the mere mention of a performance review. If none of us are preapared to be challenged in our job, and accept constructive criticism, we would not have made it out of the cave. Not so old curmudgeon 17 January, 2009 The vast majority of people at all levels within Leeds Met are honest, hard working, diligent, caring professionals. Over the last 6 years the right to question and to challenge decisions and the decision makers has been denied. It is evident from the number of postings on this subject that a large number of staff are taking the opportunity finally express their feelings. I wish the outgoing VC good luck, in whatever he does but I genuinely hope he doesn't go to another HEI to inflict what he has at Leeds Met I do not wish to see any departing gifts of an obelisk or a commissioned portrait hanging in the Gandhi Hall. I just want him to go quietly and without a fuss. Also, we must remember that he hasn't done this alone and he should not be solely accountable for the mess we may or may not be in. Senior Management the Three Stooges (Steves) and members of the Board should accept their responsibility and walk. Only following orders is not an excuse... I have no doubt that those who remain will do their absolute best to ensure that the students do not suffer and that the reputation, no matter how tarnished it is, is restored to a better standing. This is a messy divorce with linen being washed in public but lets hope that we can restore some dignity to the proceedings and that the kids do not suffer. The next VC has to be a consolidator and not an empire builder and he has to focus on Education being at the heart of eveything we do. As for the proposed rebrand, bloody waste of money...Leeds Met is fine. Looking into the crystal ball.... 17 January, 2009 Innovation North will go, the courses will be divided up between FBL and FAS, with Leeds College of Music picking up the music provision, there will be some redundancies. The International Faculty will go, divided up between FAS, FBL and CAR, with the international office being put under student services. What a bloody mess. G.K. CHESTERTON 17 January, 2009 The Secret People Smile at us, pay us, pass us; but do not quite forget, For we are the people of England, that never has spoken yet. There is many a fat farmer that drinks less cheerfully, There is many a free French peasant who is richer and sadder than we. There are no folk in the whole world so helpless or so wise. There is hunger in our bellies, there is laughter in our eyes; You laugh at us and love us, both mugs and eyes are wet: Only you do not know us. For we have not spoken yet. -------------------------------- The fine French kings came over in a flutter of flags and dames. We liked their smiles and battles, but we never could say their names. The blood ran red to Bosworth and the high French lords went down; There was naught but a naked people under a naked crown. And the eyes of the King's Servants turned terribly every way, And the gold of the King's Servants rose higher every day. They burnt the homes of the shaven men, that had been quaint and kind, Till there was no bed in a monk's house, nor food that man could find. The inns of God where no man paid, that were the wall of the weak, The King's Servants ate them all. And still we did not speak. ---------------------------------------- And the face of the King's Servants grew greater than the King: He tricked them, and they trapped him, and stood round him in a ring. The new grave lords closed round him, that had eaten the abbey's fruits, And the men of the new religion, with their Bibles in their boots, We saw their shoulders moving, to menace or discuss, And some were pure and some were vile; but none took heed of us. We saw the King as they killed him, and his face was proud and pale; And a few men talked of freedom, while England talked of ale. ------------------------------ A war that we understood not came over the world and woke Americans, Frenchmen, Irish; but we knew not the things they spoke. They talked about rights and nature and peace and the people's reign: And the squires, our masters, bade us fight; and never scorned us again. Weak if we be for ever, could none condemn us then; Men called us serfs and drudges; men knew that we were men. In foam and flame at Trafalgar, on Albuera plains, We did and died like lions, to keep ourselves in chains, We lay in living ruins; firing and fearing not The strange fierce face of the Frenchman who knew for what he fought, And the man who seemed to be more than man we strained against and broke; And we broke our own rights with him. And still we never spoke. ---------------------------------- Our path of glory ended; we never heard guns again. But the squire seemed struck in the saddle; he was foolish, as if in pain. He leaned on a staggering lawyer, he clutched a cringing Jew, He was stricken; it may be, after all, he was stricken at Waterloo. Or perhaps the shades of the shaven men, whose spoil is in his house, Come back in shining shapes at last to spoil his last carouse: We only know the last sad squires ride slowly towards the sea, And a new people takes the land: and still it is not we. ---------------------------------------- They have given us into the hands of the new unhappy lords, Lords without anger and honour, who dare not carry their swords. They fight by shuffling papers; they have bright dead alien eyes; They look at our labour and laughter as a tired man looks at flies. And the load of their loveless pity is worse than the ancient wrongs, Their doors are shut in the evenings; and they know no songs. ---------------------------------- We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet, Yet is there no man speaketh as we speak in the street. It may be we shall rise the last as Frenchmen rose the first, Our wrath come after Russia's wrath and our wrath be the worst. It may be we are meant to mark with our riot and our rest God's scorn for all men governing. It may be beer is best. But we are the people of England; and we have not spoken yet. Smile at us, pay us, pass us. But do not quite forget. Henry 17 January, 2009 The Innovation North suggestion is interesting; very interesting. The more I think about it the more it makes sense. I worked for the faculty for several years and saw the dumbing-down first hand. Student numbers going through the floor after the dotcom boom, then the faculty continually lowering their standards until they picked up again. It's all degrees in, "Jam Sessions", and, "Pretty Pictures", these days. A great quote from an INN graduate a few years ago was, "I know nothing about computers or how they work". Brilliant! One other chap I met there is a so-called "systems manager" who seems to bleed outrageous sums of money on crackpot ideas noone wants or needs. It's simply another world at LMU. about time 17 January, 2009 Deep throat- your way with words is hilarious, if only for the fact that the tone is obviously that of a VC reflects article. Anyway, it is evident that Prof. Lee's imminent departure has prompted a flurry of different opinions, from the continued toadying of over promoted professors to the downtrodden rank and file academics who now (under the cover of anonymity) speak out. Prof Lee overseen the institution on a transition from crumbling polytechnic to the largest landowner in the city, with lots of lovely buildings and aesthetically pleasing facilities which sit well with the rhetoric and PR nonsense. The fact that this has been achieved with sorely limited interpersonal skills on his part, a "management" team woefully unsuited to the needs of the 51Ƶ, and despite his nonsensical Inaugural Lecture and frankly absurd VC reflects blog is laughable. Simon Lee cares nothing about the students, the quality of teaching or even the longevity of sporting success. Simon Lee cares only about Simon Lee, and if the rumours are true his next move will be to the US, where superficiality is a prerequisite for success. Some posters have pointed to the culture of cronyism employed at Leeds Met, the marginalisation of the student body through a succession of puppet SU presidents (no Adam, not you), and a failure of the governors etc. to hold Prof. Lee to account. These are all contributory factors to a situation which leaves a student body of up to 50,000 students facing a level of uncertainty, as fees are capped at 2k until 2010, funding has already been cut due to undersubscription and the balance sheet, given the declining property market, will only get worse, especially as funds are already committed new projects and sponsorship. The quality of teaching has diminished during Prof. Lee's tenure, and his departure may encourage the institution to refocus away from festivals/conferences/wasting time and money and back to what it should be doing well. It is to be hoped that Leeds Met is not left in a similar mess to Prof. Lee's previous employer, Liverpool Hope. Whether or not the student union produces a good newspaper, who owns the shop or whether the people carriers were imported from the USA isn't reallly relevant to Leeds Met's needs right now, although I fear a Civil War may ensue, as those appointed above their ability seek to shift blame around. The members of staff with ridiculous job titles (Director of Student Centred Change Management??? just an example...), the "three S's" and those employed for their PR value only will be like rats down a drainpipe in the next few months. Those who truly value the needs of the students will be the ones who will hopefully steady the sinking ship. An objective outsider 17 January, 2009 Some of you like the departing VC and some of you don't. But what of the 51Ƶ itself? Leeds Met ranked 96th out of 113 in the 2008 Times league tables. Even Bolton 51Ƶ has a higher ranking. Leeds Met is characterised by low entry standards and a pityfully low level of research quality (scoring just 0.8 out of a possible 7). Quite frankly, the objective assessment from outside is that it is not much of a 51Ƶ at all. Little Boots 17 January, 2009 What I want to know, what I really want to know, is which little boy finally dared to say out loud that the emperor was indeed naked? Re: little boots 17 January, 2009 If some Brutus has indeed felled Caesar; you'd be brave indeed to march before the Brutus even if he declared himself a friend. Daphne 17 January, 2009 Re An Objective outsider Anyone who actually understood the concept of objectivity would never cite a single league table from a commercial entityas an objective source let alone fail to also give an account, or directions to an account, of how the table was constructed. You may be an outsider but you are certainly not objective - you may even be a little dim.. An objective outsider 17 January, 2009 Dear Daphne. Cite whatever league table you like but the objective fact remains that Leeds Met is consistently towards the bottom. Curious how institutions love to boast when they score highly in such league tables but then attack their methodology when they score poorly. The Times gives an explanation as to how scores are calculated. It is not I who is dim but you who have the proverbial mote in your eye. You are also clearly rather rude. From Leeds Met perhaps? A little bit off topic 17 January, 2009 Dear Objective Outsider, I assume that you are from one of our more august institutions? What you fail to realise is the very real brick wall academics in new universities (not just Leeds Met) are banging their head against. Very heavy teaching loads, i.e. fourteen contact hours per week per semester, plus course-leadership, plus tutorials, dissertation students, module-administration, etc, etc. Most of us use our weekends to try and get research done. Almost continual staff development; meetings; curriculum development, the rest of the time, ensures we are left with very little time to hone our research. We do the best we can under difficult circumstances. The reality is that many of the older universities are privileged in all sorts of ways that we are not, from financial benefits through to the calibre of students that you teach occasionally. We have some great students at Leeds Met, usually first-generation university, from good working-class and lower middle-class families, who frankly don't get to go to your university because they are not privileged enough. But we also have some very weak students, from the same backgrounds, who shouldn't be at university at all, but are pushed through a dumbed-down education system. Many of these work very hard, but they are challenging to teach. Its the hard-faced academics of places like Leeds Met who pick up the pieces. Daphne 17 January, 2009 Dear Objective Outsider. Your assumption is not correct - I am not from Leeds Met. I am irritated by unqualified citing of one league table only and I am aware that the Times table measures of research quality that you cite are based on the 2001 RAE. A number of universities, including Leeds Met, have improved their research scores in the 2008 RAE. It is less than wise, and potentially damaging, to publically denigrate any institution using outdated data. An objective outsider 17 January, 2009 Dear Daphne Nothing you say alters the fact that Leeds met has always appeared near the bottom of league tables. I used the Times one as an example - and it is one widely known and cited. Dear 'A little bit off topic' - no, I am not from a more august institution, so the point you raise simply do not apply. The point I was making was that in all this discussion about the departing VC, the academic standing of the institution was being overlooked. To read the comments which have been written here to date one might be forgiven for thinking Leeds Met was some incredibly high ranking international instiution either because of or inspite of the departing VC. The fact is that its standing in the UK is pretty low and this is what the Governors, the new VC and everyone else connected with it should be addressing. 2008 RAE 17 January, 2009 We fared much better, especially in 'sport' (which actually includes tourism, hospitality and events). We were being told internally that this would put us in prime position for when we merge with other Yorkshire universities......... Brutus to G. k. Chesterton 18 January, 2009 Could you please explain the relevance of your blog to me. Can I just point out to all you crumblies 18 January, 2009 This isn't a blog, it's become an unthreaded discussion forum. Blogs are freely available at http://www.blogger.com, and I cant believe that nobody has kept one on happenings at 'Lees Met'. Maybe the time is nigh? An objective outsider 18 January, 2009 To 2008 RAE: 'Sport' alone does not a 51Ƶ make.... Tourism and hospitality have a long way to go before they are accepted as trully mainstream business/management areas of research and study. All these posts about the departing VC reflect the fact that Leeds Met is so low in rankings that it seems unable to attract a VC of the calibre necesary to transform it into a highly attractive and internationally competiitive 51Ƶ. The departing VC came from Liverpool Hope which was at the very bottom of the 2008 league table and for him the appointment to the post of Leeds Met VC was presumably a promotion . If you want to make Leeds Met into a world-class institution (which will take more than just one VC's lifetime) then you do not "promote" someone into the VC post; you poach the very best from elsewhere- but the job has got to be attractive to them in the first place. This one isn't! G. k. Chesterton 18 January, 2009 The poem in question seemed to have a certain relevance to the situation in hand and further than that I leave the interpretation to those on here - maybe The Bard would like to interpret it for us? Chief Operating Officers 18 January, 2009 Close the door on your way out. Dr C Newman 18 January 2009 Is it a technical problem or something more odious? Deep Throat where are you? Fuse 18 January 2009 I think the exceptional number of postings reflects the pent up frustrations of the majority, who feared free speech within the university. 'Leeds Met Listens' still ultimately goes to the top, so was ineffective for criticisms towards the regime. If you didn't agree with 'the vision' you were labeled a 'neighsayer'. Amusing typo 18 January 2009 Whatever you do, don't frighten the horses! 'Neighsayer'? That's 'naysayer', surely? Helen Davis 18 January 2009 It is well known that the VC has tried to stop the carving up of Innovation North and International faculties. The VC all along has tried to protect the faculties, staff and student experience. The three Steves and their stooges are discussing their plans for re-structure. I suspect they will want massive re-structuring in Arts and Society faculty also.Questions.?. Yes there are lots. Answers. On the back of a post card from Willis. Dr F Hughes 18 January 2009 I dont think Sally is Tillius. The three Steves tried to get her out a few years ago. There is a rumour that the VC intervened to save her. If she has joined the conspirators it will be interesting to see what they have promised to give her. Fuse 18 January 2009 Bugger! It's such a non-used word I couldn't decide which way to spell it.As for the above to posts, my views: The VC created the International Faculty, so yes he will want to protect it, but when you look at the courses in it, they could easily sit elsewhere, and the international office could go under student services or the met office. I have heard (and I don't know if this is true) that a certain recently made Professor is the wife of one of his old school chums???? Apologies if that's untrue, I don't know for sure, which is why I'm not stating it as fact, but if it is true, it might explain why he would want to protect that particular faculty. Just another theory. The courses within the int faculty (THE and Languages) are largely healthy, and could flourish elsewhere, I don't think most international academics should necessarily worry, but some of the admin might be in a tricky position. The only academic area within Int which might be at risk is SAGE, and I say that, because I don't think it attracts large student numbers, and is also one of his playthings. On a semi-related note, I recently was told that we are building a 'Gospel Church' as part of Broadcasting Place. Can anyone tell me if this is true or not please? If it is true WHY? How will it benefit most students at Leeds Met? badthroat 18 January 2009 Shortly after Simon Lee left Liverpool Hope a senior member of staff there reportedly reflected that had he stayed a further 12 months then the 51Ƶ would be facing bankruptcy and closure rather than just redundancies. They explained that colleagues there referred to Simon Lee's time in charge as the cappuccino years. Sadly history seems to have repeated itself at Leeds Met with resources directed away from the core business of supporting learning to the froth of spin, celebrity, dubious sporting and other partnerships, unconvincing festivals and superficial hype. Who's next in line for some expensive frothy coffee? Intrigued 18 January 2009 As a former employee of Leedsmet, I have been reading this thread with interest for the last few days. The sheer volume of traffic regarding this matter and the emotive language of the posts clearly reflects how important it is for people to feel able to express their thoughts and feelings in an open forum, without fear of being labelled 'negative' or ''cynical'. Simon Lee has done many good things for Leedsmet, though time will tell at what cost. However, the cult-like mania surrounding Simon's pet projects and rise of a management doctrine that stifled reasonable objection, or even discussion, was misguided at best and dangerously single-minded at worst. Like any over-confident empire, it was bound to fall eventually. I just hope for the sake of all still striving to do their jobs well at Leedsmet that lessons have been learnt and the new regime will focus a little more on the substance and a little less on the style. Good luck to them because a weaker Leedsmet will be a loss to the region. Student 18 January 2009 If there are any students wishing to do a Art Degree, where they will get proper support and excellent teaching they need to be looking at doing their Degree at Batley School of Art and Design, part of Kirklees College.A proper Art and Design College, with students gaining jobs, and winning major are prizes, plus many going onto Post Graduate studies in London. Look at the website, not great but you get information about courses. http://www.dewsbury.ac.uk/site01/Default.aspx?tabid=87 deep throat 18 January 2009 Reading financial accounts is tedious. Nonetheless it is an essential part of what needs to be done in order to understand the shambles that is now the Met. Often the problem with such accounts is that they are a mosaic of numbers and technical language difficult for the lay person to understand. However on this occasion the task is made easier by the fullness and style of the extensive commentary which accompanies them. By applying normal critical faculties the full and dreadful meaning of what they represent will become clear.The best and closest analogy is with the melt-down still happening in the financial sector. A very good Financial Times writer called Gillian Tett put the point well in a recent article. She pointed out that the financial community simply did not understand what was actually happening in the City of London despite the fact that it was so huge, and as a result for years did not print it. It was the original elephant in the room. Enormous institutions dabbled in derivatives few if any of their senior managers really understood and relied upon complex mathematical models beyond the understanding of those other than the specialists who designed them. As a result when nemesis came as it had to, they were clueless as to what to do.Deep throat will return to this later but as observed especially over the last 18 months it has become starkly clear that nobody at all in the VC's team, including the Director of Finance, really understood what they were by then into, let alone how to get out. No Dean had a clue nor bothered to ask deepening the irony of the Univrsity appointing an emigre from the 70% state owned Royal Bank of Scotland as Dean of the Business School; by definition he was clueless when he was on bonus time in the City! And our hapless friends on the Board, including elected staff members, did not know what questions to ask for fear of embarrasment. Tragic and yet avoidable. 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