UCU York welcomes the decision to say no to INTO

An important step in the defence of public education

On Wednesday March 26^th the Vice-Chancellor announced the decision. There will be no joint venture with INTO.

“Instead our energies will be focused on developing and delivering a new University Strategy.”

News of the proposed joint venture with INTO had only emerged after the departure of VC Brian Cantor.  It was looking like a done deal. In the current disempowering idiom of austerity, we were told “There is no alternative.”

The more we discovered about INTO, the less we liked it.  In particular, we didn’t like the fact that informed local debate, on such a vital issue, was being stifled by the imperatives of commercial confidentiality. Was this the shape of things to come? Why would our university risk its accumulated social capital in a thirty year partnership with private financial interests?  The proposed joint venture was going to fragment the University community.

Alongside the other campus unions, UCU has campaigned strongly against the INTO proposal.  We have argued from principle, but we have also argued on pragmatic grounds.

The University’s decision to abandon the joint venture tells us that our campaigning makes a difference.

Speaking out and acting together we can protect our collective values.

Stephen Minta

Geoffrey Wall

Acting Joint Presidents

UCU York

UCU was very pleased to receive the information from the Vice-Chancellor’s office that the University will not now be going into partnership with the private education provider INTO.

This is the relevant extract from the VC’s blog of the 27th March:

“As some of you know, we have been considering establishing an INTO Foundation College on our campus, offering international students a pre-degree year. After careful consideration, the Senior Management Group took the decision on Wednesday not to take this proposal any further. I want to thank all colleagues who have invested time and effort in investigating the proposal and helping us decide whether it was the right development for the University.”

As far as UCU is aware, there will not be any re-emergence of the bid and consequent consideration in the future, although there is of course no guarantee.

A formal YUCU statement will follow.