Today's musings

... began with this lovely view out of our North-facing window:-

I then took Bella out for a walk.  This is her with her favourite big stick.  She has been playing with this for about 6 months.  I stash it under a bush when we leave and it has not disappeared, even when we have not been to the park for 3 weeks!

Then off to work to teach the first day of new Computing, Audio and Music module which went really well.  I have got the students working on making original, distinctive ringtones for their mobile phone sas a first minor assessment.  They seemed to enjoy this.  WHen they are all submitted, I will sequence them up (possibly in a random* fashion to make a ringtone symphony (which will get played in a lecture as a world premiere:-)!)

Went to a union meeting yesterday to discuss the university squeeze on posts.  Starting from the top (apart from the highest level of management of course, which-has increased in numbers) they are seeking to reduce the number of people at any given salary level.  People who do not get a job at their existing level can either :-

• drop down a level and apply for jobs at that level (on protected salary for up to 4 years
• take "enhanced voluntary severance" and leave the university

This is going to cascade all the way down to part-time staff. The union is calling this management approach "Down and Out"!

After the union meeting, I had a meeting with someone from personnel about my options for bidding to get a job at my existing lowly management grade. I kept saying, "Oh, we've just been discussing that at the union meeting", which may not have been the wisest thing in the circumstances.

The whole process is also very drawn out - all the university's restructuring was announced initially as being complete by April 2010, but is now being timetabled for 1st August 2011.  I won't find out if I have got one of the possible jobs i am allowed to express a preference for by the beginning of November until February next year.  This is a great way to motivate people and get them to perform at their highest level, and to build loyalty and commitment to an organisation - NOT! I look forward to seeing how much the university would pay me to go away!!!

Never mind, tomorrow is a day teaching Multimedia Systems to final year students before the weekend begins.  Just planning to go for dim sum on Sunday - one of Su & my regular haunts in Bristol.