Although we recruit staff at GCU London, and will fight for the best conditions of staff and best experience for students at the London hub, campus unions have had serious issues over the strategy adopted by management regarding GCU London and its role within the overall strategy of the university.
We will continue to argue for the best for staff and students at all hubs and allied campuses and for the best strategic approach for our university in Glasgow and elsewhere.
21/03/2011 FOI request
We asked:
Please supply FTE figures for students enrolled on courses/programmes at GCU London at each of the following dates:
a. October 1st 2010
b. November 1st 2010
c. December 1st 2010
d. January 1st 2011
e. February 1st 2011
f. March 1st 2011
They answered:
a. October 1st 2010 22
b. November 1st 2010 26
c. December 1st 2010 26
d. January 1st 2011 26
e. February 1st 2011 55
f. March 1st 2011 66
04/03/2011: Planes, Trains and VW Campervans
Did you know that eight members of staff from GCU/GCU London traveled to Spitalfields Market in London over three Sundays in November 2010 to set up a stall to attract students? That’s right, GCU London was recruiting for Masters programmes at a Sunday market in London. And as if that wasn’t crazy enough, our intrepid gang hired a VW campervan for these events!
We have submitted two FOI requests for information relating to this adventure. Here’s what we found out:
The hire of the stall cost £4406.25 (inc VAT) for the three Sundays!
It cost £1200 to hire the campervan from VWBrides: www.vwbrides.co.uk*
*The first FOI response said that no VAT was charged for the hire of the campervan. When we probed further with the second FOI request, we were told: ‘VAT was charged at the usual rate. The campervan hire cost £1,021.28 in total for the three Sunday events. VAT was charged at 17.5%, making the total payable £1,200. This price was inclusive of insurance and a driver to take the van to and from the market.’ You may find it as odd as we do that the usual rate of VAT at November 2010 was 15% not 17.5%. And of course, responses to FOI requests are required by law to provide accurate information…
Of the eight staff who attended, five claimed expenses for travel (via plane and/or train – ‘inclement’ weather disrupted the travel plans… just like the film!) amounting to £1168.73 and five claimed expenses for accommodation amounting to £805.00 (no slumming it in the campervan then…)
The total spend on hire of stall, hire of campervan and staff travel and accommodation adds up to £7579.78. Let’s see if it was worth it…
According to the response to the FOI request approximately 50 people attended the stall on each of the three Sundays.
The response to our first FOI request claimed three confirmed applications to MBA/MSc programmes ‘…with a further individual indicating that their application for the MBA in Luxury Brand will be forthcoming. A number of other individuals who gave us their contact details at these events have also since been in touch.’ These applications had resulted in three unconditional offers. Big success then?
Our second FOI request asked how many of those applicants who had been made unconditional offers had not previously been in contact with GCU or GCU London. The answer … ONE!
Yes, that’s nearly £8000 and several days of eight staff members’ time(add on how much that costs GCU) for one additional student.
A comedy befitting Steve Martin…
caledonianunion 