From the archives: 'Eight 'til late'
Following the recent news that the University are considering extending the working day to end at 7pm, we look at an earlier attempt to extend the working day from 8-6.
In 1990, the teaching day was 9-5, compared to 9-6 now. However, in February 1990 an article was published in Epigram which describes the ‘extraordinary proposals’ placed before the Senate to extend this working day from 8-6. In the article, the University claimed ‘the extra two hours each day are required in order to ease pressure on bulging timetables, especially in science and engineering subjects’.
The news that the university was considering introducing an 8am was met with disbelief across the university. One university professor said: ‘its already hard enough getting students to attend 9 o’clock lectures. I see no prospect of this programme being feasible’.
The article also interviews catering staff at Wills Hall, one said: ‘how will be staff get buses that reality in the morning? they will have to come in before 6am to prepare breakfast’.
This mirrors a proposal recently put before the Senate to extend our current working day to 7pm. As the debate on the proposal was due to be on a strike day, UCU successfully campaigned for this to be postponed.
Even if our working day does get extended to 7pm, at least we won’t be faced with the prospect of an 8am.
First published in Epigram (15th February 1990).
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