#USSbriefs109 (Medium)
The case for a credible evidence-based 2021 USS valuation
Neil Davies, University of Bristol
#USSbriefs108 (Medium)
The USS’s prudence: evidence-based or reverse-engineered?
Neil Davies, University of Bristol
#USSbriefs107 (Medium)
Fighting financialisation in USS
Deborah Mabbett, Birkbeck, University of London
#USSbriefs106 (Medium)
How extreme prudence and misguided risk-management sent the USS into crisis
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs105 (Medium)
What do two negative Lateral Flow tests tell you about your likelihood of being Covid-negative?
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
#USSbriefs104 (Medium)
Internet access deal allows Chinese government censorship in our UK university (virtual) classrooms
Matthieu Burnay, Queen Mary University of London
Harriet Evans, University of Westminster
Perry Keller, King’s College London
Eva Pils, King’s College London
Tim Pringle, SOAS University of London
Sophia Woodman, University of London
#USSbriefs103 (Medium)
How many students arriving at UK universities this term are Covid-positive?
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
#USSbriefs102 (Medium)
Disruptive force or Trojan horse? The political economy of online higher education
David Ridley, Journalist and Independent Researcher
#USSbriefs101 (Medium)
Revenge and Odium: university novels as protest
Chris Grocott, University of Leicester
#USSbriefs99 (Medium)
Why universities must move all teaching online this autumn
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Felicity Callard, University of Glasgow
Warren Pearce, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs98 (Medium)
University governance and the Charity Commission
Dermot Feenan, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
#USSbriefs97 (Medium)
Zoom Out: Why universities need autonomous technological capacities
Critical Business
#USSbriefs96 (Medium)
Why we need contested branch elections in UCU
Tom Cutterham, University of Birmingham
#USSbriefs95 (Medium)
Institutions at risk due to Covid-19: a tool kit for members and negotiators
James Brackley, University of Birmingham
Interactive tool download (Excel)
#USSbriefs94
Stockpiling students? Covid-19, caps, and growth inequalities in UK HE from 2014–5 to 2018–9 (Medium)
Appendix: Stockpiling students? Scotland edition (Medium)
Appendix: Stockpiling students? Undergraduate History and English edition
(Medium)
Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln
#USSbriefs93 (Medium)
After the pandemic: re-imagining our universities
Eric Lybeck, University of Manchester
Adam Ganz, Royal Holloway, University of London
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Jaya Jaya John, University of Oxford
Claire Marris, City, University of London
Warren Pearce, University of Sheffield
Philip Garnett, University of York
Gail Davies, University of Exeter
Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln
#USSbriefs92 (Medium / PDF)
Reputation over responsibility: UK HE and the Covid-19 crisis
Warren Pearce, University of Sheffield
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Gail Davies, University of Exeter
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Phil Garnett, University of York
#USSbriefs91 (Medium)
The 2020 USS valuation: history repeating?
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs90 (Medium / PDF)
The JEP proposal for dual discount rates in USS: a critique
Tim Wilson, University of Dundee
#USSbriefs89 (Medium / PDF / Replies to Comments)
JEP2’s dual discount rate proposal for USS: an analysis and evaluation
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
#USSbriefs88 (Medium / PDF)
UCEA’s strategic ignorance of staff turnover in UK universities
Nicky Priaulx, Cardiff University
Gail Davies, University of Exeter
#USSbriefs87 (Medium / PDF)
University management tactics on strike and ASOS pay deductions—and ways to push back
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln
#USSbriefs86 (Medium / PDF)
Opening up UCU’s Democracy Commission
Claire Marris, City, University of London
Stan Papoulias, King’s College London
Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln
#USSbriefs85 (Medium / PDF)
All change: The rise of ‘agility’ in university management
Martin Nickson, University of Hull
Vice-chancellors’ emails sent in relation to #UCUStrikesBack (Medium)
Compiled by the USSbriefs team
#USSbriefs84 (Medium / PDF)
UCU and Brexit
Kirsten Forkert, Birmingham City University
#USSbriefs83 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
The Insider: Jane Hutton and USS
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Adam Ganz, Royal Holloway, University of London
Chris Grocott, University of Leicester
Jaya John John, University of Oxford
Claire Marris, City, University of London
Stan Papoulias, King’s College London
Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln
#USSbriefs82 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Why it’s essential we take a stand now over USS
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs81 (Medium / PDF)
Autocratic leadership and cowboy management: the case of David Eastwood and the ‘post’ neoliberal university
Anonymous Academic
#USSbriefs80 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Open letter to UUK regarding USS valuations
Jane Hutton, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs79 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
The 2018 USS valuation: a wholesale rejection of the Joint Expert Panel’s report
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs78 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
On the USS investment strategy: comments and calculations
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs77 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
On USS’s discount rate and long-term funding targets
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs76 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Approaches to risk: uncertainties in USS’s Test 1 and stochastic modelling
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Tim Wilson, University of Dundee
#USSbriefs75 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Why the JEP should not consider alternative scheme designs for USS
UCU’s National Dispute Committee for the USS Pensions Dispute
#USSbriefs74 (Medium / PDF)
What are UCU’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Higher Education Committee (HEC)?
Kirsten Forkert, University of Birmingham
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
#USSbriefs73 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Help USS avoid the ‘de-risking’ trap: a plea to the Joint Expert Panel
David Watts, University of Aberdeen
#USSbriefs72 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
USS: an abuse of power
Tim Wilson, University of Dundee
#OpenUPP2018 (Medium)
Submissions to the Joint Expert Panel Phase 2
Compiled by the USSbriefs team
VIDEO (Twitter / YouTube / Facebook)
Update on latest USS scandal: after The Pensions Regulator (TPR) corrected USS’s false claims about its views on risk, USS didn’t just cover it up—they repeated the claims in public
USSbriefs team
STATEMENT (Medium)
USSbriefs congratulates founding member Jo Grady on her historic victory as next General Secretary of the University and College Union
USSbriefs team
#USSbriefs71 (Medium / PDF)
Academic freedom under threat: What can UCU do?
Mike Finn, University of Exeter
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
STATEMENT (Medium)
The outcome of the USS 2018 valuation
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
STATEMENT (Medium / Timeline Graphic)
‘Absent any new evidence’: USS continues to disregard the JEP report
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Gail Davies, University of Exeter
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
Jaya John John, University of Oxford
Leon Rocha, University of Lincoln
#USSbriefs70 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Why we must change the leadership and trustees at USS
Deepa Govindarajan Driver, University of Reading
#USSbriefs69 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Acknowledging and learning from failures in USS governance
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
#OpenUPP2018 (Medium)
Employers’ responses to the 2019 UUK consultation on the USS 2018 valuation
Compiled by the USSbriefs team
#USSbriefs68 (Medium / PDF)
Why ‘Test 1’ must be dropped: a critique of its design and implementation
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Tim Wilson, University of Dundee
#USSbriefs67 (Medium / PDF)
Current UK pensions regulation lacks transparency and overstates risk: implications for USS
Dennis Leech, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs66 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Goodwill hunting after the USS strike
Gail Davies, University of Exeter
STATEMENT (Medium)
A statement from USSbriefs on the 2018 USS valuation
USSbriefs team
#USSbriefs65 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
USS pensions dispute: The state of play
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
#USSbriefs64 (Medium)
What’s inside the Times Higher Education World University Rankings’ ‘Academic Reputation Survey’?
Leon Rocha, University of Liverpool
#OpenUPP2018 (Medium)
Employers’ responses to the 2018 UUK consultation on the JEP report
Compiled by the USSbriefs team
#USSbriefs63 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Summary of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests for responses to the September UUK USS consultation
Neil Davies, University of Bristol
Alison Cameron, Bangor University
Joanna Smith, Bangor University
#USSbriefs62 (Medium / PDF)
Lecture Capture: dubious scholarship and market forces
David Huyssen, University of York
#USSbriefs61 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / Google Doc / PDF)
Resile and Resubmit: USS consultation response template
USSbriefs team, collaborators and friends
#USSbriefs60 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
‘An holistic view’ of risk? Universities UK’s leaked response to USS’s September 2017 employer consultation
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs59 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
‘There must be something missing here’: Sam Marsh exposes new problems in the USS valuation
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
Jaya John John, University of Oxford
Nicky Priaulx, Cardiff University
Ruth Stirton, University of Sussex
#USSbriefs58 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
A flawed valuation: the layperson’s guide to my findings on USS’s ‘Test 1’
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs57 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Risk and de-risking: implications for the USS valuation
Marion Hersh, University of Glasgow
#USSbriefs56 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
USS crisis: can the pension system be reformed?
Mervyn King and John Kay
#USSbriefs55 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Response to David Miles’ analysis of the role of Test 1 in USS valuation
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs54 (Medium / PDF)
Portability and redundancy in REF 2021
Anonymous Academic
#USSbriefs53 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Pensions trusts and the potential liabilities of the USS trustee
Alastair Hudson, University of Strathclyde and Academics for Pensions Justice
#USSbriefs52 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The JEP report has vindicated the UCU strike, but where next for the USS dispute?
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Deepa Govindarajan Driver, University of Reading
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
Jaya John John, University of Oxford
Claire Marris, City, University of London
Leon Rocha, University of Liverpool
#USSbriefs51 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Addendum to ‘Understanding “Test 1”: a submission to the USS Joint Expert Panel’
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs50 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Financialisation imposes constraints on the USS Joint Expert Panel but a UCU success is still possible
Paul Bridgen, University of Southampton
#USSbriefs49 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
On de-risking and self-sufficiency in relation to USS
Woon Wong, Cardiff Business School
#USSbriefs48 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Not even wrong: why arguments for closing the USS based on its deficit are so badly flawed
Tim Wilkinson, formerly of RPMI Railpen
#USSbriefs47 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Pensions and the USS dispute: a sustainable social contract
Dennis Leech, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs46 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
The USS analysis of reliance is seriously flawed and biased against the scheme
Dennis Leech, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs45 #OpenUPP2018 (YouTube / Medium)
A talkthrough of a model of the USS valuation
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs44 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
A manifesto on the USS valuation —present and future — from members and friends of USSbriefs
USSbriefs Members and Friends
#USSbriefs43 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
A breach of trust: employer underpayments, the deficit, and the role of the USS trustee
Deepa Govindarajan Driver, University of Reading
#USSbriefs42 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
European pension regulation: the ending of retirement and the political economy of USS
Carlo Morelli, University of Dundee
#USSbriefs41 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Crucial questions on the 2017 USS valuation
Richard Farndale, University of Cambridge — in consultation with Cambridge UCU Executive
#USSbriefs40 (Medium / PDF)
Number crunching: transforming higher education into ‘performance data’
Ben Williamson, University of Stirling
#USSbriefs39 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Why USS’s Test 1 is not too risky and how Test 2 should be changed
Michael Otsuka, London School of Economics
#USSbriefs38 (Medium / PDF)
The ‘Hostile Environment’, racism, and the value of migrants in UK universities
Unis Resist Border Controls
#USSbriefs37 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Defending pensions: a fight for all our futures
Megan Povey, University of Leeds
#USSbriefs36 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
The state of USS: some observations
David Miles, Imperial College London
#USSbriefs35 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Reckless prudence: how investment sponsor risk-aversion is breaking USS
George Cooper, Chief Investment Officer, Equitile Investments
#USSbriefs34 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Industry debate and USS’s phantom deficit
Woon Wong, Cardiff Business School
#USSbriefs33 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Staying vigilant: leaked documents reveal new rift between UUK and USS over contribution increases and the future of the pension scheme
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Philip Garnett, University of York
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
Jaya John John, University of Oxford
Leon Rocha, University of Liverpool
#USSbriefs32 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Understanding ‘Test 1’: a submission to the USS Joint Expert Panel
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
[Ed. note 1 September 2018: Readers may also wish to consult #USSbriefs51 below, the Addendum to this USSbrief.]
#USSbriefs31 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Precarity in the neoliberal university: some notes on the plight of early career academics
Josh Bowsher
#USSbriefs30 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Beyond 40 years, here be dragons: how to meet USS’s rationale for Test 1 without ‘de-risking’ the portfolio for at least 30 years
Michael Otsuka, London School of Economics
#USSbriefs29 (Medium / PDF)
Organising for the future: what next after the USS strikes?
Jane Holgate, University of Leeds
Melanie Simms, University of Glasgow
#USSbriefs28 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
USS is a special case: 17 questions for the Joint Expert Panel
Dennis Leech, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs27 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Four key issues for the USS Joint Expert Panel
John Murray, formerly of Zurich Insurance
#USSbriefs26 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Open letter from Academics for Pensions Justice
Academics for Pensions Justice
#USSbriefs25 #OpenUPP2018 (Medium / PDF)
Opening up the USS Joint Expert Panel
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
#USSbriefs24 (Medium / PDF)
The ‘Hostile Environment’ in British universities
The International and Broke Campaign
#USSbriefs23 (Medium / PDF)
UCU’s national democratic structures: a case for reform
Rachel Cohen, City, University of London
#USSbriefs22 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud / Infographic)
Is this the JEP (Joint Expert Panel) you voted for?
Chris Grocott, University of Leicester
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
Stan Papoulias, King’s College London
#USSbriefs21 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Brief of Briefs (1-20)
Nick Hardy, University of Birmingham
#USSbriefs20 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
From 2010 to 2018: some observations about occupations
Dan Davison, National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC)
#USSbriefs19 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
How to constitute a Joint Expert Panel
Warren Pearce, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs18 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Pressing ‘pause’ on strike action: historical context for the Joint Expert Panel
Jack Saunders, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs17 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Protecting Defined Benefit: managers, trustees, regulators, and the possibility of a pension scheme that works for us
John Murray, formerly of Zurich Insurance
#USSbriefs16 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The financialisation of Higher Education and the USS dispute
Clive Barnett, University of Exeter
#USSbriefs15 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Who rules our universities?
Eric Lybeck, University of Exeter
#USSbriefs14 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The UUK offer: context and analysis
Deepa Govindarajan Driver, University of Reading
Kurt Mills, University of Dundee
#USSbriefs13 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Cambridge and Oxford in the USS pensions dispute
Sam Dolan, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs12 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Employers vs. UUK? Evolving positions in the USS pensions dispute
Susanne Hakenbeck, University of Cambridge
#USSbriefs11 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Debunking Sally Hunt’s email
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
Claire Marris, City, University of London
Jess Meacham, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs10 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Why I have voted Yes to accept UUK proposal
Amanda Williams, University of East Anglia
#USSbriefs9 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Academic collective action and the future of our movement
Andy Balmer, University of Manchester
#USSbriefs8 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Misleading communication: case studies from Universities UK and the Employers Pension Forum
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
#USSbriefs7 (Medium / PDF)
Is there really a USS deficit?
Dennis Leech, University of Warwick
#USSbriefs6 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Why which way to vote on the latest UUK proposal should be an easy decision
Sam Marsh, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs5 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The role of consultancies in the USS dispute
Gail Davies, University of Exeter
#USSbriefs4 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
Why USS pension cuts will not be spread equally
Claire Marris, City, University of London
#USSbriefs3 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The pensions dispute and the marketisation of Higher Education
John Holmwood, University of Nottingham
Gurminder K Bhambra, University of Sussex
#USSbriefs2 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The USS dispute and the dynamics of industrial action
Jo Grady, University of Sheffield
#USSbriefs1 (Medium / PDF / SoundCloud)
The drive to convert to DC: a short history
Felicity Callard, Birkbeck, University of London
USSbriefs 
