Newcastle College Group CEO to step down
24 October 2012
UCU has welcomed the announcement that the CEO of Newcastle College Group (NCG), Jackie Fisher, is to step down in the summer.
Newcastle College, the driving force and main part of NCG, has experienced an unprecedented level of industrial unrest since Fisher's arrival in the summer of 2000. By September of the same year, both the main unions (NATFHE and UNISON) were in dispute and had taken joint strike action as contract changes were imposed and over 100 staff faced redundancy.
The college's problems have not been solved in the intervening years with contract changes and rounds of restructuring a recurring theme of Fisher's tenure. In the last year alone there have been almost 200 job losses. Despite this, Fisher has been one of the most handsomely paid college leaders in the country.
This time last year Fisher was accused of 'de-Geordiefication' when she tried to rebrand Newcastle College Group to remove any reference to Newcastle. Just months later she was making headlines again after a 'dodgy dossier' questioned NCG's commitment to education in the north-east, which ultimately led to NCG's takeover of Northumberland College being stopped.
UCU regional official, Iain Owens, said: 'NCG and Newcastle College have been in the news recently for the way they deal with its staff and how they deal with other neighbouring educational establishments.
'We hope that the appointment of a new CEO will provide the opportunity for NCG and Newcastle College to begin a more collaborative and consultative agenda.'
The college's problems have not been solved in the intervening years with contract changes and rounds of restructuring a recurring theme of Fisher's tenure. In the last year alone there have been almost 200 job losses. Despite this, Fisher has been one of the most handsomely paid college leaders in the country.
This time last year Fisher was accused of 'de-Geordiefication' when she tried to rebrand Newcastle College Group to remove any reference to Newcastle. Just months later she was making headlines again after a 'dodgy dossier' questioned NCG's commitment to education in the north-east, which ultimately led to NCG's takeover of Northumberland College being stopped.
UCU regional official, Iain Owens, said: 'NCG and Newcastle College have been in the news recently for the way they deal with its staff and how they deal with other neighbouring educational establishments.
'We hope that the appointment of a new CEO will provide the opportunity for NCG and Newcastle College to begin a more collaborative and consultative agenda.'
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