To think that the redundancies at KCL are just the start of the landslide?

[NCForVObviousReasons]

I work at KCL. I've changed my username as I don't want to out myself. KCL is currently making compulsory redundancies. Their own staff and students are outraged and have gone to the press (read the comments below these two articles). There is likely to be strike action. The timing absolutely stinks and the methodology seems questionable.

I know from my own experience that KCL has many fantastic academics and admin staff but it is not well run at a more senior level. I don't know if it's worse than others. But is this the tip of the iceberg? Are other universities heading in the same direction?

[TheHoneyBadger]

the thing is education IS financially viable in the sense that industry would collapse without it - hell even tescos would collapse without it let alone technology or advertising or banking.

we're still charging the wrong people and ignoring who benefits and profits from the provision of education. we're allowing business' to come in, benefit from the education level of even low wage workers and contribute minimal taxes or investment into the communities they are relying on to man their business and buy from it.

i think we need to rethink who pays.

[TheHoneyBadger]

and so disingenuous really of a government to say that fees must be high, people must pay their own way etc. how would a country run without doctors, nurses, teachers, economists etc? why pretend that only the 'consumer' of education benefits from it?

[TheFirstOfHerName]

I did both of my degrees at KCL in the 1990s. I found the teaching very good, but the senior management was a bit hit-and-miss; they made a very serious misjudgement about something (not involving me) during my time studying at the Strand campus in the early 1990s. I hope they start making some good decisions now, because I have always been proud to be an alumnus of King's.

[DocDaneeka]

Damn! I thought. Brian from Hull was back and this was about Kingston Communications Limited.

Sorry to hear so many academics are having such a shite time of it.

[Deathraystare]

Those in such establishments have my sympathies. I have mainly worked in the teaching sector of Medical unis. My last redundancy was my fourth so like a lot of you I am at the moment filling in job application forms. Not exactly my most favourite occupation-infact I said to my brother if it was a toss between having my eyeballs lanced and filling in another bloody application - ohhh! tough call!!!

Yesterday I was 'kid'sitting whilst brother and SIL where out, kid had friend over and was enjoying you tube stuff. I was fending off inquisitive cats and filling in forms. I particualrly hated that once I had put down 'no' when asked if disabled, I then had to go through a long list and answer n/a if I had this disability or that one.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

This was published yesterday:
nokingslondon.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/classickings-why-does-kcl-hate-its-students/

[NCForVObviousReasons]

I thought that thread looked familiar... Yes, staff got an email the other day telling us about the change. It's been on the cards for years, but clearly from that blog nobody bothered to tell the students.

So now my employer is King's College London and internally we will still be allowed to say we work for KCL.

But externally all our marketing will be for King's London. This will be less confusing.

Yeah, right.

As the blogger says Are we really meant to believe that prospective students can’t differentiate between a college and a university? GOOGLE EXISTS. UCL don’t seem to have these issues, but then again, maybe they’re keeping their transition to University’s London quiet for another year, so there’s no chance the students can get incensed enough to stop it.

Meanwhile, as far as I can make out, after the disastrous publicity back in the summer over the redundancies, hardly anyone was actually made redundant. Brilliant PR!

[RojaGato]

KCL reputation in rest of (comparable level) university sector is that it is a bit chaotic and it doesn't pay well i.e. staff at other universities doing comparable jobs are on a different pay grade, even people outside London can get paid better for doing the same thing. Basically "if you're looking to move, don't go there".

[NoveltySlippers]

Wow...I'm an academic and I missed that memo about KCL over the summer! (My excuse...head buried in research...as opposed to just being clueless )

The amount universities spend tweaking their branding pointlessly makes me .

[cardamomginger]

Re-branding is so fucking pointless. I remember when they buggered up Imperial. Everyone loved the fact that it was ic.ac.uk. What's the point?

[Rosieposy4]

With respect though OP, KCL is known elsewhere for being excessively over staffed in relation to the IoP, the old "see a patient, write a paper about it"
Some wastage has always been needed in terms of consultant/academic to patient ratios.

[anonymous1982]

I worked at KCL IT few years ago and decided to leave for employment in private sector but still have good friends there. I have to say that KCL has the worst management structure ever. They have employed unqualified team leaders and IT is one of those groups whose team leaders cannot lead for s**t. Their team leaders don't know how to treat their staff, do not appreciate their talented staff and hide the reality of problems from what actually goes on in the field and the list goes on with numerous other problems. I don't know what makes senior managers think the team leaders they keep on hiring make good team leaders. Senior managers focused too much effort on expansion by outsourcing their jobs elsewhere in the country but the end customers and students in London are simply not getting their monies worth. I have no doubt they are secretly planning their next wave of redundancies in London and all for what - making bad recruitment mistakes by taking unqualified team leaders?!?