Silence is not Golden

As the University wound up its operation for the first teaching block, there was still a deathly silence on the revised dates that were going to be given for new briefings on KU22, after the original KU22 Strategic Plan briefing sessions announced some time ago on the main website were suddenly postponed. Readers of the Dissenter’s Blog will recall that a few weeks ago it was announced in a big news splash that our ‘Gold Commander’ and selected members of his Senior Lack-of-Leadership Team (alternatively known as the Senior Mismanagement Team) were going to provide five (yes, five, by God!) special briefings on Steven ‘Mr. Bland’ Spier’s exciting vision of the Strategic Plan and what he calls ‘Our journey so far’.

Weary staff, who have been struggling valiantly under Covid pressures, were also invited to watch Blandy’s latest yawn-inducing short film to ‘hear first-hand’ from the VC all about the plan in a very short space of time, and about how all staff could ‘get involved’. It all sounded very consultative – which, if it happens, will be a genuine first under Blandy’s chaotic Vice Chancellorship so far.

But it was not to be. As we also noted, our ‘source’ in the know told us that the set of five briefings was postponed due to a last-minute dispute about who was going to present certain sessions. The controversy was caused by the astonishingly insensitive plan to have our old mate Prof. Simon ‘Moron’ Wortham co-present four of the sessions, two alongside the VC and two with two female Profs. But, given the fact that Moron-Worthless was involved in a sex scandal that was desperately covered up by the Uni (he was caught having ‘relations’ with his PA on Uni property, and now has a certain reputation with female colleagues), one of the female Profs who was due to co-present a session with the Promiscuous Prof had objected, throwing a spanner in the works. In fact, the word is that at least three of the women involved in the presentations expressed reservations about whether it was wise to have any females appear publicly alongside Morgan-Worthless, who has racked up quite a negative history on gender-related matters.

Our source in the know informed us that the VC then suddenly got cold feet over appearing himself with the Promiscuous Prof, who is known in KSA as the Professor of Sleeping Studies, and by his former students simply as ‘creepy’. The Gold Commander became worried about the possible further damage to KU’s image that this may cause, and was also shit-scared that his carefully nurtured message about KU’s ‘priorities and ambitions’ for the next three years would be watered down by a poor choice of co-presenter. Whether he likes it or not, the VC’s protection of the now toxic Simon Worthless has undermined his own authority and seriously alienated other members of the SMT/SLT.

So, have the five briefings been postponed indefinitely? Will we ever to get to hear more details about Mr. Bland’s unique brand of bluster and baloney, and the ‘rapid transformation’ of the University’s ‘delivery framework’ to bring about ‘the focus that is needed to our future goals’? Early in 2021 perhaps? Later in the new year? Don’t hold your breath. Merry Xmas.

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1 Response to Silence is not Golden

  1. B Leaguered says:

    It’s been some while since I left Kingston (with great relief). Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that the same old bullshit by the same old shits is going on at KU. Not that it’s so vastly different at other universities. Plenty of shits around elsewhere these days but Kingston seems to have them embedded throughout the management at all levels. Amazing how such a crap outfit keeps going.

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