Various central processes are also in need of urgent review as these are significant pain points, particularly SoRAs which are difficult to navigate and where there are some cases when the requests for adjustments do not feel 'reasonable', as well as support for managing students who submit continuous EC claims for long-term conditions.

Further central guidance is also needed on the Support to Study regulations (including the requirements for direct referrals), the Academic Misconduct procedure (including investigatory vivas), as well as acceptable EC evidence (e.g. evidence that seems too generic, made to order, from online medical services instead of a physical letter etc.).

Being based in departments is also great for team cohesion generally and getting to know each other in smaller groups.

SoRAs need to be more specific in terms of the support required for individual students - and to be developed in coordination with departments to consider what is feasible within individual disciplines. The method for sharing SoRAs also needs updating. Currently module tutors cannot view SoRAs in Portico without being given permissions in Portico which is at odds with anonymous marking etc.

The ability to better communicate around EC or Academic Misconduct between departments - e.g. via a notes section or similar in Portico which is not tied specifically to webmark entry or similar - would also be helpful.

Changes to my JD which will make me less happy in my role.

Loss of connection to my department and team.

People leaving UCL due to fears such as those expressed above and the impact this will have over the coming year / years.

This is particularly important as we have had a high turnover of staff and new staff are not being given the training or shadowing opportunities they need to feel confident in post.

Reducing staff without changing/adjusting/updating the system seems not the final solution.

-service to students

-service to staff

across departments?

Any goals / standards we wish to retain / enhance? What the KPIs in these areas?

That should be the final aim no? (together with us feeling possibly gratified about our job / having manageable workloads)

We have had repeated assurances that every effort will be made to minimise stress on staff. 

Staff have indicated, repeatedly, that introducing the new structure during the autumn would have the worst possible impact on everyone.   We know this from experience.  I’ve been through that twice and the impact on both staff and students was appalling each time, with ramifications for a long time afterwards.  The fact that it is even being suggested now indicates that the assurances about wanting to minimise stress are worthless.

Has any other Faculty implemented their restructure during the autumn term?  If so, what is their feedback on the experience?   If not, then why is it being suggested fur SHS?

Could the changes be introduced more flexibly and gradually?  For example, if, when the final model is in place , in May, it is clear that for G6 there will mostly be a need to transition to a new role rather than a need to interview, could their transition, from overstaffed areas to understaffed, take place during July, so in place ahead of start of year and ready to provide better support to programmes during the busiest phase?  That should give an early indication of how well the new structure was likely to work, and allow more time for planning and fine-tuning before implementing change for the higher staff grades – maybe interviewing in November/December, with the aim that the whole transition is complete by the end of February?  (January, as the beginning of term 2, is another peak for workload so big changes are best avoided.)  A changeover finishing in April seems even better, and it will be interesting to see the feedback to Science from the student surveys.

I realise that there is a huge amount of concern about the restructure.  A clear assurance that no one will be changing roles between September and November, except in any isolated case where it happens to be a logical time to move, would go a long way towards alleviating that.