This thread is about Edinburgh. Which means if you're trying to parse their claim to need £140 MILLION saved, we need to think about covenants and capital expenditure decisions taken by very senior management behind closed doors, for years now. No accountability exists at the top of our sector. - ThreadSky

davehitchcock.bsky.social • 1 day ago

This thread is about Edinburgh. Which means if you're trying to parse their claim to need £140 MILLION saved, we need to think about covenants and capital expenditure decisions taken by very senior management behind closed doors, for years now.

No accountability exists at the top of our sector.

Reposted from Nina Markl 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

student numbers up, staff costs down, income up, the only issue is capital expenditure

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davehitchcock.bsky.social•1 day ago

The only way accountability can be created in those boardrooms is by politically forcing it, not "on campus" in some devolved decision, but centrally, via parliament collectively saying "what the FUCK" to these situations. All the other levers have been pulled or are about to be.

Break the glass.

davehitchcock.bsky.social•1 day ago

The basic power structure of these places is totally borked now. The echo chamber at the top, the level of self-satisfied short term decision making, has reached institution ruining levels. These senior teams are literally accountable to no one but banks now, and even then not directly.

oldnorthroad.bsky.social•1 day ago

The inside story of how £250m came to be spent on restoring an old hospital riddled with asbestos and dry rot, purchased before the uni had any clue what to put in it, is both farcical and hair-raising. The senior managers responsible are now long gone, of course, and no doubt still doing nicely.

davehitchcock.bsky.social•1 day ago

We bought a listed former prison property next door to campus, now entirely unsellable and entirely too expensive to renovate. Thank all the powers it cost a fraction of this hospital thing. Even that relatively conservative capex move is clearly running our table here now.

hagenilda.bsky.social•1 day ago

Who remembers this banger from the Uni of Chester?

https://www.ibblaw.co.uk/insights/blog/council-orders-university-demolish-hazardous-%C2%A3120m-science-park

hagenilda.bsky.social•1 day ago

It’s enraging.

hannahkateboast.bsky.social•11 hours ago

Agreed! It's totally outrageous that these people move between institutions, driving them into the ground and wrecking teaching and research. We need to demand accountability and changes to governance as part of our (surely imminent) strikes over jobs.

hagenilda.bsky.social•11 hours ago

Senate and Court are supposed to be there for some level of accountability, but I gather Senate is routinely ignored.

hannahkateboast.bsky.social•11 hours ago

I hear that being on Senate is a frustrating but enlightening experience!

mrfw17thc.bsky.social•1 day ago

Somehow managing to find new ways of making bad covenants in Edinburgh.

davehitchcock.bsky.social•1 day ago

I mean, that takes some real special doing, doesn't it.

mrfw17thc.bsky.social•1 day ago

Covenants that fuck up generations for the sake of hard-line adherence to a damaging ideology and a total absence of proper leadership.

And the National Covenant of 1638.

hagenilda.bsky.social•1 day ago

lol sob

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