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Dr Matt Barnard @matthewbarnard.phd · 23h

The first of @ucucommons.bsky.social new fortnightly newsletter bringing news and points of interest around the sector #ucu

UCU Commons @ucucommons.bsky.social · 1d

The first issue of our fortnightly newsletter has landed!

Featuring @markpendleton.bsky.social’s discussion paper to this Friday’s HEC, @hagenilda.bsky.social’s plea to Frances Corner’s successor and other interesting links and news. #UCU #UKHE #AcademicSky

ucucommons.substack.com/p/ucu-common...

UCU Commons newsletter #1

A new fortnightly round-up of union and sector specific news

ucucommons.substack.com

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Jo (unfunded hobbyist) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @hagenilda.bsky.social · 5d

#MedievalSky #EarlyModernists you may not be aware that I offer several services: transcription (no hand too tricky), archival visits and more. I’m happiest in the period 1200-1700 but will consider anything. Get in touch via my website!

joanneedge.co.uk/freelance-wo...

Freelance Work

Transcription, scholarly editing, archival visits Joanne is available for freelance work: transcriptions and editions of late medieval and early modern Latin, English and Anglo-Norman manuscript te…

joanneedge.co.uk

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Dr Matt Barnard @matthewbarnard.phd · 4d

Yes, I think that’s what she’s trying to communicate 🫠

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Dr Matt Barnard @matthewbarnard.phd · 4d

Well, at least i have a good excuse not to read GEB today

A tuxedo cat sat comfortably on a copy if gödel escher bach, a large softback book

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Dr Matt Barnard @matthewbarnard.phd · 5d

I think this is a psyop. Boosting how “bad” ai video generation is also boosts perception of it’s capabilities. Not to mention this has clearly been edited by a human. I’ll bet a whole pound on it. futurism.com/future-socie...

Sora 2 Is Creating Ads for "Epstein Island" Children's Toys

A viral video made on OpenAI's Sora 2 that looks like a 1990s toy ad makes fun of financier Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump.

futurism.com

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Laura Jedeed @laurajedeed.bsky.social · 6d

I'm sorry: "if I wish to see a virgin on-screen"?

My Favorite Actress Is Not Human
Tilly Norwood doesn’t need a hairstylist, has no regrettable posts, and if you wish to see a virgin on-screen, this is one of your better chances. That’s because she’s AI.

A picture of some AI girl standing on an AI landscape with an AI monster behind her. I'm gonna be so real: she looks about 14

By Tyler Cowen

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John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 6d

"Peasant Family on the Tramp"
c. 1652

Despite the softening tone of the title, this is pretty much a timeless depiction of hard unsettled life.

Rembrandt van Rijn

(Art Institute Chicago)

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David Hunter @dhunterto.bsky.social · 8d

My department will be hiring an assistant professor in ethics. I’ll post the PhilJobs ad when we have it. Help me spread the word! #PhilSky

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The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 8d

Read our response to the Government’s announcement that university maintenance grants will be reintroduced for certain courses, funded through a levy on international student fees
https://bit.ly/4gPz7uO

British Academy responds to government announcement on university maintenance grants

The British Academy has issued a response to the government's announcement on using a proposed levy on international students to fund maintenance grants.

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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Doug Aoki @nantanreikan.bsky.social · 8d

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Chris @multiplicityct.bsky.social · 8d

We have nothing to worry about from AI's hyper-persuasiveness...as long as we're truly masters of our own beliefs, the claims of social epistemology are wrong, and we can fully understand how & why models are influencing us. In other words, it's an issue. Great new @rbnmckenna.bsky.social article.

Robin McKenna, Sophistry on Steroids? The Ethics, Epistemology and Politics of Persuasive AI - PhilPapers

This paper examines the ethical, epistemological, and political implications of persuasive AI technologies. Recent research suggests that AI is roughly as persuasive as humans in many contexts. Should...

philpapers.org

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Al Yankovic @alyankovic.bsky.social · 9d

Always wonderful to bump into my old friend Daniel Radcliffe!

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Sally-Anne Wherry @sawherry.bsky.social · 9d

Congrats to the wonderful @matthewbarnard.phd and commiserations to the others who ran. Having people who care is vital for the Union, and I know that Matt is one of those who truly do. #UCU

UCU Commons @ucucommons.bsky.social · 16d

The #ucu NEC casual vacancy results are in! 🗳️

We are thrilled that our candidate @matthewbarnard.phd has been elected as a UK-wide rep! Matt will join existing Commons members on NEC immediately.

Results and scrutineers' reports available here:

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...

National executive committee casual vacancies 2025

www.ucu.org.uk

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LSE Impact Blog @lseimpactblog.bsky.social · 12d

💥New: A new academic year has begun, but UK universities are still struggling to respond to AI

✍️ Mark Carrigan

#AcademicSky #HigherEd #EdTech

A new academic year has begun, but UK universities are still struggling to respond to AI - Impact of Social Sciences

Mark Carrigan argues university staff are still struggling to develop coherent, contextual and disciplinary responses to AI’s impact on teaching and learning.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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UCU University of Kent branch @ucukent.bsky.social · 12d

Scrolling through my BlueSky feed right now is depressing - it seems like every UCU branch across all of UK Higher Education is in dispute with their employers.
Our government NEED to give us some hope.
@labouruk.bsky.social it's your conference next week - PLEASE support Higher Education!

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Matilda Fitzmaurice @matildaf.bsky.social · 12d

Equalities work is a great way to get more involved in UCU. It's not a big time commitment, and more members feeding in their diverse expertise and lived experience can only be a good thing! All registration and nomination is on a self-ID basis. Do let me know if you have questions. #ucu

UCU Commons @ucucommons.bsky.social · 12d

New on our Substack: would you like to take part in UCU's extensive equality work? Here, we provide a breakdown of how to get involved in the annual Equality conference, and how to nominate for the Equalities Standing Committees. #ucu

open.substack.com/pub/ucucommo...

Your guide to UCU Equality Conference 2025: registration and nomination

How to participate in this year's Equality Conference.

open.substack.com

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Toby Buckle @polphilpod.bsky.social · 13d

"we don't owe anybody our vote"

you don't owe *politicians* your support, but you have moral obligations to other people that entail trying to avoid their death or oppression

Toby Buckle @polphilpod.bsky.social · 14d

new episode! - i'm against abstention threats*, but is trying to wrangle the online left a fool's errand?

with @lastpositivist.bsky.social

www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/message

Left-Abstention & Message Discipline with Liam Bright

Voting, & the herding of online cats.

www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com

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Dr Matt Barnard @matthewbarnard.phd · 13d

Aurgh. Writing is hard.

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Kevin Gannon (now a Moo Deng fan account) @thetattooedprof.bsky.social · 14d

My latest column for the Chronicle of Higher Ed is now live. It's an argument for including AI-critical voices in campus conversations and policymaking workgroups, and I'm proud to get this dissenting piece into the mainstream genAI/higher ed discourse. Please read and share if you're so inclined 🙂

Advice | Sometimes We Resist AI for Good Reasons

Why higher ed needs to listen to the contrarians in setting policies on using tools like ChatGPT in faculty work.

www.chronicle.com

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Jo (unfunded hobbyist) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @hagenilda.bsky.social · 15d

And who is gonna teach these students when staff are either being made redundant, leaving the sector because it is making them ill, or giving up because precarity is impossible?

Ruth Holliday @ruthholliday.bsky.social · 15d

I’m hearing one academic department has over-recruited 500 students. Double the planned number and not enough staff to teach them. Whilst another department has recruited 2 students even after clearing. Who is going to sort out the shitshow that is UK HE?

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Parody Keir Starmer @parodypm.bsky.social · 16d

Donald Trump announces that paracetamol can be very effective for treating outbreaks of people discussing the Epstein files.

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University of Nottingham UCU branch @uonucu.bsky.social · 16d

Absolute 🐐 on strike style. Making this union look GOOD.

Lisa Rullsenberg @rullsenberg.bsky.social · 17d

First picket pose of the day! @uonucu.bsky.social

Lisa @Jubilee campus in UCU colours and hand knitted picket armband

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Bijan Parsia @bparsia.bsky.social · 15d

It is an astonished result! Well done Matt!

Dr Matt Barnard @matthewbarnard.phd · 15d

I’m really blown away by this result. Being elected at all would mean a lot, so to have the support of over six thousand people and a majority of nearly 2.7k is overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who put their trust in me.

UCU Commons @ucucommons.bsky.social · 16d

The #ucu NEC casual vacancy results are in! 🗳️

We are thrilled that our candidate @matthewbarnard.phd has been elected as a UK-wide rep! Matt will join existing Commons members on NEC immediately.

Results and scrutineers' reports available here:

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...

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UCU Commons @ucucommons.bsky.social · 16d

The #ucu NEC casual vacancy results are in! 🗳️

We are thrilled that our candidate @matthewbarnard.phd has been elected as a UK-wide rep! Matt will join existing Commons members on NEC immediately.

Results and scrutineers' reports available here:

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...

National executive committee casual vacancies 2025

www.ucu.org.uk

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Reposted by Dr Matt Barnard

Lisa Rullsenberg @rullsenberg.bsky.social · 16d

So pleased that Matt is bringing his insightful and thoughtful approach to how we win for @ucu members - congratulations @matthewbarnard.phd

UCU Commons @ucucommons.bsky.social · 16d

The #ucu NEC casual vacancy results are in! 🗳️

We are thrilled that our candidate @matthewbarnard.phd has been elected as a UK-wide rep! Matt will join existing Commons members on NEC immediately.

Results and scrutineers' reports available here:

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1405...

National executive committee casual vacancies 2025

www.ucu.org.uk

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