In the news this week: 1 April 2016

Hull College to ballot over pay and controversial lesson observations

Members at Hull College are to be balloted on strike action in an ongoing row over pay and lesson observations. A 0.7% pay rise for staff, agreed in September, has not yet been implemented and the college management has also failed to address concerns about a new system of lesson observations. Regional Official Julie Kelley told Hull Daily Mail that college staff had been 'given false hope and promises that have failed to materialise. Six months on, it is clear they were placated with warm words. We call on the college to pay the 0.7 per cent previously offered and to immediately suspend the observation system until we can get round the table and agree positive changes to it.'

Single honours degrees 'at risk' at Queen's University, Belfast

UCU responded to reports that plans by Queen's University Belfast to review courses and entry grades could result in degree programmes of fewer than 20 students being wound up.

UCU told the Irish News that the plans could 'restrict the options open to students and lead to the end of some single honours degrees. There is no consideration of the impact of these conditions on the ability of Northern Ireland students to study their preferred subject in Northern Ireland, of the employability of the graduates, of the views of employers or of the wishes of Northern Ireland politicians.'