The scale of management failures at London Met "is unprecedented in higher education in this country"

Further news coverage follows the forced resignation of the Board of Governors. You can see reports in the Guardian here, and the Independent here.
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Board of Governors announce their resignations

The resignations of the Board of Governors has today been announced, via a Joint Statement between London Metropolitan University and HEFCE.

You can view the statement here:
http://bit.ly/6CHDvt
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News coverage follows major protest outside Board of Governors meeting

A major protest organised by staff and students outside the Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday evening, urging them to accept culpability for their handling of the university's financial crisis and resign, has provoked national press coverage. You can see reports in the Independent, the Times Higher Education Supplement, the BBC, and the Guardian
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VIDEO: Lobby of London Met Governors 15th Dec 09

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Protest Board of Governors - 15th December - resign now!

The Board of Governors of London Metropolitan University are meeting on 15th December to consider their response to the recent reports into the financial fiasco they got us into. Both staff unions, UNISON and UCU, and London Met students union, are now calling for their resignations and for a Fresh start at London Met.

We will be presenting them with our petition. Come and join our final lobby/ rally/ protest for 2009 and give them a last push:

• Tuesday 15th December,
• 4.00pm Moorgate Building, (see map)

Note change of time to 4pm start - get there early; 3.45pm

Download the student union leaflet.

Sign the on-line petition.

This is now a matter of survival - the government has threatened to close London Metropolitan University if they don't go. Bring banners, placards, tell everyone you know to leave work/ lectures early - this is our university, we value it highly, and they've got to go. They've done enough damage already, it's time for a Fresh start for London Met!

Join the Lobby - please forward to all your contacts.
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Joint petition between students and staff

The students union at London Metropolitan University is now supporting the call for resignations.

Download the new petition here.
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Uncensored version of Deloitte report

The uncensored version of the Deloitte report has also been published by Wikileaks in full. Go here to download as a pdf. See the summary of this report here by Sir David Melville.
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Joint union petition calling on London Met Governors and Exec to resign now

Both unions have launched a petition demanding the board of governors and exec group resign immediately. If you work or study at London Metropolitan University, print this petition, sign it, pass it round to everyone you know, and return it to a union rep ASAP.

The government, meanwhile has issued an ultimatum:

London Met warned that it could be closed

Governors' refusal to resign over university's £36m 'scam' could lead to funding being withdrawn

The university accused of a £36m scam involving false funding claims for thousands of students was told by ministers last night to take "urgent" action after its governors refused to resign.

Read the full article here in the Independent.

Read the letter from London Met Uni staff and union reps published in the Independent.
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Melville Report summary 'Wikileak'

'Wikileaks' have published the report here. Download as a pdf.

We feel completely vindicated in our position that the management at London Met must take responsibility for this crisis: not front line staff. What we have said about a bullying management culture at London Met is backed up by this report which describes the widely-held perception of:

“A highly centralised and dictatorial executive led by the vice-chancellor, which was incapable of listening to what was going on in the university, discouraged or ignored criticism and made decisions without consultation.”

We notice that nobody has yet resigned over this, and that the deadline given by HEFCE (last Friday) has not been met with the expected response. If the funding body has no confidence in the management, we the staff have no confidence, who on earth does? When will heads be rolling over this?

Watch this space for the results of a vote of no confidence organised by both unions. A petition is already being circulated calling for resignations and a 'Fresh Start' for London Met.

It's worth asking why, when the Nursery in Hornsey Rd got a 'Good' or 'Outstanding' in their OFSTED report of 2008, do they have to close down in 2010? Compare that to the Board of Governors and senior staff at London Met getting a 'no confidence letter' from HEFCE: can some one explain why they're all still in place?
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