With a four day weekend coming up you can afford to run three days and *still* volunteer at parkrun! What a thought! We need a few more people to make sure it goes ahead this weekend, so please let us know if you can help out. Thanks!

London based folk 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 twitter.com/pmpoc/status/9…

'Brand engagement' and 'student acquisition '. Would anyone imagine an applicant might be looking for an education? This is what is wrong with UK HE. twitter.com/UCASMedia/stat…

Let's show that the amazing solidarity of the #USSstrike extends to our outsourced colleagues.

If you can, please donate to IWGB's strike fund for precarious, migrant workers' action in just a few weeks' time. £2047 away from the target! crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/6487…

Last chance to apply for fully-funded PhD:
Transmitting in/equality across borders: Shifting inheritance practices and outcomes among Indian migrants in London (ESRC LISS-DTP with Runnymede Trust). Working with Kavita Datta Omar Khan and me. Deadline: 29 March 2018)

I work in an #altac role and pursue my academic research on the side. I've filled this survey in. Please do too if you have a similar profile! twitter.com/DrAnnaMack/sta…

For next person to say 'But DC is the norm in the private sector':

I came to academia to NOT be in private sector.
I could have made a LOT of money writing advertizing jingles.
I don't get private sector pay or perks
I just want to eat & have roof in lead up to death. That OK?

Potentially a gratuitous self RT, but cautionary lesson from the junior doctors dispute in this thread still relevant. This recent #USS proposal a massive advance, but not good enough. Let UUK spend Easter coming up with something acceptable. If they don’t, we strike again. twitter.com/drjogrady/stat…

To clarify: there is a win but it is only on pushing the timetable. There is no clear win in *substance* of offer. As many have pointed out, a) DB until April 2019 was guaranteed anyway, b) the Independent Panel is worded as within a) 'regulatory framework' and ...ctd.

Post-doc and PhD friends!
Here is a very useful list of 244 different funding opportunities worldwide

asntech.github.io/postdoc-fundin…

Thread to my fellow UCU members on what #USSstrikes have won, why we should accept this offer, but also prepare ourselves to fight harder (or why, when people focus on the offer’s loopholes, they are missing a bigger picture):

'Since you didn't like the excrement, here is a new offer.'
'What a beautiful box!... But it is empty inside. What will go inside?'
'We don't know yet. Will you take it or leave It?'
'Umm...'

UCL-UCU says REJECT UCEA 15% pay cut package #NoCapitulation #USSstrike s #USSstrike #NoDetriment

Result of consultative ballot of SOAS UNISON #USS members: 95.2% REJECTION of Universities UK proposed changes to the USS scheme. Turnout: 60%. Members will now be formally balloted for industrial action to #DefendUSS alongside SOAS UCU. #solidarity #USS strike

On passports, I still think the best idea is to let people choose their own colour:

Maroon passport = you can continue to travel freely, work and live across the EU.
Blue passport = you can’t do any of that but you have a blue passport.

Everyone’s happy!

No snow!! Definitely a week to volunteer 😆 twitter.com/hackneyparkrun…

If universities 'manage without' externals this year, then none of us should ever external ever again. Either it's essential or it's not. twitter.com/LancasterUCU/s…

The president of Universities UK doubles down: tries to cut pensions for entire sector; now tries to sack 220+ of her own academic staff! skwawkbox.org/2018/03/21/exc…

It is absolutely right that the Govt is raising pay for #NHS workers, though it's long overdue and not as much as they deserve.

But what about teachers, police and the armed forces?

It's time all public sector workers were given a serious pay boost.
#PMQs

.@QMUL_UCU showcasing our musical talent again as we wrap up THIS phase of the #USSstrike ! #QMULstrike

Does your HEI make hiring/promotion decisions using student evaluations? This may be discriminatory: Gender bias in student evaluations #womeninstem cambridge.org/core/services/…