Currently there are two staff Governors on Court – Douglas Chalmers, former president of UCU at both a Scottish and UK level, and currently Vice President of the local branch of UCU represents Academic Staff. David Halliday, head of Security at GCU, currently holds the seat representing Professional and Support Staff at GCU.
Below you will find the election address of Douglas Chalmers, the successful candidate for Academic Staff Governor, who stood for the post supported by the joint unions at GCU in 2013. Douglas was subsequently reappointed unopposed at the next election. In 2019 Douglas was re-appointed for his final term against a field of four candidates. Douglas remits the post in July 2022.
Why I am standing for the position of Staff Governor
The Combined Union Committee at GCU comprising UCU; EIS; Unison and Unite are supporting myself as a staff governor in the election to court on Thursday 13th June. Below I outline the type of reforms I would like to support to the existing governance structure; why I think the current governance is not working at GCU; and why I believe I would be a good staff governor.
The video is approximately 3 minutes 20 seconds long
Trade Union Nominees on GCU Court
Following the successful campaign by campus unions throughout Scotland to get legislation passed in Scotland’s Parliament to democratise the governance of Scottish universities, the campus unions at GCU subsequently nominated EIS member Dr Nick McKerrell, and Unison member Ellen Gibson as the current nominees of the joint Trade Unions at GCU. These posts are decided periodically after a democratic discussion amongst the joint trade unions and within the Combined Union Committee at GCU.
Dr Nick McKerrell
Nick is the first Academic Trade Union Nominated Governor at GCU. He has held this position since September 2020. He is also on the People Committee of Court and is the Union nominated representative on the Selection Committee for the new Principal.
Nick is the local branch convenor of the EIS/University Lecturers’ Association at GCU and has been a union activist since he joined the University in 1996. He is a Senior Lecturer in Law and regularly appears on the media rambling on about different legal things.
Ellen Gibson
Ellen is the first Professional and Support Staff Trade Union Nominated Governor at GCU. She has held this position since September 2020 and she is also on the People Committee.
Ellen has been active in the GCU UNISON branch since joining the university 16 years ago and is a careers adviser at GCU.
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