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Michael Otsuka Profile picture
@MikeOtsuka
Oct 12, 2020 • 32 tweets • 13 min read • Read on X
Jaw-dropping @BBCRadio4 interview w VC of University of Manchester: surprised by rapidity of outbreaks!; claims the main problem was failure to sufficiently communicate to students the need to follow guidelines!
.@OfficialUoM VC: "I think we were surprised by the speed and scale of the numbers that tested positive. ...It was very much a feature of something that seemed to happen very fast about a week after they returned – a week to 10 days -- and now they're coming down." 1/
👆WTF? How could you have been surprised, given that *exactly the same thing* happened in university after university in the US in August & early September. 2/
.@OfficialUoM VC's attempt to shift blame to students: "We gave them the choice. We said: 'Would you prefer to study online or would you like to come back and study face to face?' The vast majority chose the latter." 3/
"We could have communicated better about the need for self-isolation if there are positive cases. ...What we hadn't done I think is communicated well enough the importance of adhering to those regulations." 4/
Note no mention👇of (1) the need to test all frequently to prevent asymptomatic spread & (2) the need to greatly reduce density of halls & eliminate shared bedrooms & bathrooms. 5/ Image
As if better communication of the need to wear face masks & keep 2m apart combined w disinfectant scrubbing was all that was needed to prevent outbreaks in halls! 6/
Given this parade of embarrassments from the VC @OfficialUoM & chair of the @RussellGroup, is it any surprise that @UniversitiesUK are now an international laughing stock?👇 7/7
Hard to rank, but these👇belong on top 5 list of most embarrassing @UniversitiesUK Covid-19 pronouncements:
--Man VC interview👆
--Eastwood's "Charlotte! Why aren't you at your desk?!"
--#2020MADEUS
--@registrarism's @Wonkhe piece
--@UofGCOO's deleted Covid-denialist tweet
Did the UoM VC realise how negatively her interview would be received by university staff & students? Did she nevertheless press ahead to impress a different audience? Who? @GavinWilliamson @michelledonelan @officestudentsm, were you impressed? @RussellGroup VCs?
Manchester Nightingale hospital placed on standby to admit Covid patients, as Deputy Chief Medical Officer warns "that coronavirus was spreading from younger age groups into the over 60s who are more vulnerable".
bbc.co.uk/news/health-54…
Because of @OfficialUoM's VC's puzzling ignorance of what happened in the US & failure to reduce occupany in halls & procure sufficient testing, she has helped drive Manchester to the verge of lockdown & breach of hospital capacity. 1/
...Forcing the city's council & public health officials to choose between letting the outbreaks spread to older & more vulnerable populations or locking down halls. Not surprising they chose the latter👇. 2/
When the VC asked students whether they'd prefer in person👇, did she mention it would be for just the 1st two days of term before the council forced teaching online, & only if you were lucky enough not already to have been locked down in hall by then? 3/3
See Duke Professor of Global Health & Public Policy @GYamey's reaction👇to👆thread. 1/
Here's one of the many reasons why @GYamey's views on this are worth paying attention to: the university where he works, & which he advises, is among the US success stories👇. 2/
Duke's success is down to significant reduction in university housing density & testing of all on arrival & at least weekly thereafter. 3/3
nytimes.com/2020/10/02/us/… Image
More on Duke's contrasting approach to that of most @UniversitiesUK employers:
According to this from 25 Sept👇, the former Director of Public Health for North-West England "warned that universities should be two-thirds empty in order to prevent massive spikes in coronavirus infections across campuses" 1/
theguardian.com/education/2020…
As this warning was issued before the massive spike in coronavirus infections at @OfficialUoM👇, this is yet one more reason why their VC should not have been caught by surprise. 2/ Image
Here's the former public health director's case for reducing the number of students👇. 3/ Image
Various US universities that @RussellGroup members such as @OfficialUoM regard as their peers took steps to extensively reduce student numbers in housing & on campus. E.g.👇. 4/
sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl… Image
In addition to the failure to provide sufficient testing, the failure to reduce occupancy in halls of residence displays a recklessness (or at best negligence) in the approach to re-opening universities in the UK. 5/5
On 1 Sept @bmj_latest published editorial "Covid-19: re-opening universities is high risk"👇, which noted: "Viral transmission between asymptomatic students can occur at lightning speed in these [congregate] settings [of university halls of residence]. 1/
bmj.com/content/370/bm…
Here's a plea to university leaders to read this, which I posted back then👇. 2/
The fact of spread at lightning speed through halls of residence came as no surprise to anyone in public health or who had been paying attention to US university re-openings in August & early Sept. 3/
Why isn't the VC of @OfficialUoM being held to accounts for inexcusable ignorance of what had & would happen in halls of residence & cause misery for students, combined w/ the risible claim that ineffective communication of regulations to students was the problem? 4/
Why, rather than👇, does the VC of @OfficialUofM remain in post & continue to serve as Chair of the @RussellGroup? Why is there no accountability at the top in this country? 5/5
nytimes.com/2020/10/15/nyr…

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More from @MikeOtsuka

Michael Otsuka Profile picture
Jul 4, 2023
.@ucu says👇they've "received a letter from UCEA confirming their willingness to enter urgent negotiations..." However, the letter from @ucea1 says "the purpose of such a meeting is to explore ... whether a basis can be identified for the resumption of negotiations..." 1/
@ucu @UCEA1 That appears to fall short of the expression of a willingness to enter into urgent negotiations. The linked👇@ucea1 letter also says "As we have consistently stated, our mandate from the sector does not permit us to improve upon the 2023-24 pay uplift." 2/
ucea.ac.uk/our-work/colle…
@ucu @UCEA1 It continues: "In addition, our ability to continue negotiations on the pay-related issues from phase two of the negotiating round was contingent upon there being an acceptance of the Acas terms of reference and there being no further industrial action." 3/
Read 5 tweets
Michael Otsuka Profile picture
May 30, 2023
Now that @ucu's Congress is back in person (it went online during Covid), union policy is set by about 300 of its 120,000 members who are prepared to spend all 3 days of the spring bank holiday weekend in a conference center somewhere in the UK.... 1/
...listening to speeches on dozens of motions on a range of topics which needn't have any apparent relevance to the work of a UK University and College Union. The drafters of the notorious Ukraine motion didn't even bother to draw some tenuous connection to higher education. 2/
These 300 conference delegates who set union policy are largely unelected, since the number who put themselves forward in branch meetings typically doesn't exceed the number of delegates alloted to the branch. 3/
Read 12 tweets
Michael Otsuka Profile picture
May 27, 2023
🧵on the @ucu candidates for USS negotiator whom Congress delegates will elect. Here's the list of candidates👇. The three who are elected negotiators become UCU-appointed members of USS's JNC & the 2 reserves = alternates. 1/
ucu.org.uk/media/13818/El… Image
Mark Taylor-Batty (@cupofassam) & Jackie Grant are currently elected negotiators & JNC members. They have been instrumental in putting things on track for a full restoration of benefits👇. They clearly merit reappointment. 2/
ucu.org.uk/article/12962/…
Renee Prendergast is currently an elected alternate on JNC. As a past chair of UCU negotiators, she has a lot of negotiating experience & a realistic & well-informed approach. It would be ideal if Renee is elected alongside Jackie & Mark to serve on JNC in 2023-24. 3/
Read 11 tweets
Michael Otsuka Profile picture
Dec 1, 2021
🧵explaining what's so wrong with @USSEmployers VC Alistair Fitt's claim on @BBCr4today that "Modelling published by the @USSpensions trustee themselves shows that impact [of UUK's proposed pension cuts] is likely to be between 10% & 18% for the vast majority of members." 1/
As I've drawn to @USSEmployers's attention on more than one occasion👇, the 10-18% range is based on an outdated & otherwise indefensible assumption which understates the detrimental effect of the 2.5% cap on CPI revaluation. Please read🧵👇. 2/
.@ucu noted that this assumption was so indefensible that persisting with it would expose the consultation to legal challenge. We maintained that our actuary @FirstActuarial's modelling of the inflation cap was far more accurate. 3/
Read 28 tweets
Michael Otsuka Profile picture
Oct 21, 2021
In his 18 Oct letter to @ucu GS @DrJoGrady, @AlistairJarvis repeats this false £860 claim.👇 He writes: "a university staff member earning £40,000 per annum would be paying an additional £860 in pension contributions next year for the same benefits". 1/
The actual annual increase is +£550, not +£860. When we break this down by month, paying an extra £40 per month from April to Oct 2022 would make it possible for this member to retain current pension benefits rather than take the hit of the UUK cuts.👇2/
The extra £40 per month = a rise from £327 to £367 paid each month. That's a 12% increase to avoid UUK's reduction in their future accrual from 1/75 to 1/85 during that period, PLUS UUK's reduction in the upper limit of inflation protection from 10% to 2.5%. 3/
Read 28 tweets
Michael Otsuka Profile picture
Jun 5, 2021
🚨🚨🚨The SAUL pension scheme announces that it is in SURPLUS -- 109% funded -- as at 31 April 2021. It was, however, in deficit -- 94% funded -- as at 31 March 2020 triennial valuation date. (@JosephineCumbo) 1/
saul.org.uk/#/page/sauls-h… Image
It appears that SAUL's actuary has certified the Schedule of Contributions at 30 April 2021 date of signing rather than 31 March 2020 valuation date. Hence the schedule assumes a surplus & therefore no deficit recovery contributions. 2/
While past pensions promises are more than fully funded, the cost of making pension promises in future years is now estimated to cost 35% if benefits and investment strategy remains the same. This is 13% above the current 22% contribution rate (6% member, 16% employer). 3/
Read 11 tweets

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