UCU York welcomes the decision to say no to INTO
An important step in the defence of public education
On Wednesday March 26th 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