ARU UCU

Branch Chair – John Hogan

Branch Secretary and Faculty Rep for AHSS – Kerstin Hacker

Kerstin is the Branch Secretary. She is also one of the faculty reps for AHSS, with a particular focus on the Cambridge School of Art. She sits on the Educational Scenario Planning committee as a UCU rep. She is a new member of the Joint Consultative and Negotiating Group (JCNG). Kerstin joined the union when she was still on casual contracts and has been a member ever since. She joined the ARU UCU Branch Executive Committee in 2017. She is particularly interested in representing UCU members who suffer under poor and discriminatory management structures and in enhancing representation of our members’ voices at all levels of the university

Deputy Branch Chair (Casework coordinator) – Andrew Noble

Andy is the Deputy Branch Chair and Casework Coordinator for the ARU Branch Executive. He is also a Faculty Rep for the Faculty of Business & Law, sits on various University committees and bodies as a representative of the local branch of the union and its members, and is a member of the negotiation team for the JCNG. As a former lawyer, his motivation for being an active member of the union is to try to ensure that the terms and conditions under which members work are fair and reasonable, and their rights and protections as workers are respected. Please get in touch with Andy f you have any concerns or questions about your individual employment position or if you want to suggest ways in which working at ARU can be improved for the benefit of all.    

Assistant Branch Secretary (Memberships) – Parveen Afzaal

Parveen sits on the ARU UCU Branch Executive as Assistant Branch Secretary (Memberships). She is also part of the branch negotiating team – collectively bargaining for better, safer and healthier working practices. Join our UCU ARU Branch and have your voice heard. We are stronger together. 

Cambridge Campus Rep – Jane Aspell

Jane has been a member of the ARU Branch Executive for 9 years. She has served in several roles, including Branch Secretary, Membership Secretary, Equality Officer and as a member of the negotiating team. She is currently the representative for the Cambridge Campus, a faculty rep for FSE, and a Health and Safety Officer. She is also an experienced caseworker. Jane has contributed to several university and faculty committees and id particularly focussed on health and safety at work and promoting staff research. Please get in touch with her if you have any concerns about these or any other workplace issues.

Social Media Coordinator and Climate Emergency Rep – Felicity Clarke

Felicity Clarke is Social Media Coordinator and a Climate Emergency Rep. She is also part of the branch negotiating team. Sustainability and staff welfare are the core issues Felicity focuses her energy on. She sits on several committees on behalf of ARU UCU, including the Health & Wellbeing Steering Group, FSE Athena Swan, and Covid-19 Response Group. Felicity is also a professional staff rep on the Board of Governors, and a part-time PhD Researcher. As part of her role as a Workplace Health Champion she has undertaken Mental Health First Aid training, she is happy to be contacted by any members around their wellbeing, or to take comments and suggestions on issues affecting wider staff wellbeing. 

Chelmsford Rep – Adam Kenningham-Brown

Adam represents the Chelmsford campus and is also one of the Faculty reps for Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care. He also sits on the branch’s negotiating team. His other role at ARU is as a paramedic in the School of Allied Health. He got involved with UCU because he felt staff weren’t being listened to, and getting involved with my local branch executive was one of the best things he has chosen to do. He is happy to be contacted for any issues you have and will do what he can to help. 

Website coordinator and Climate Emergency Rep – Victoria Tait

Victoria is a Climate Emergency Rep and also updates and manages the website. Victoria has been on the Branch Exec since 2019, principally supporting our climate emergency work. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss anything related to sustainability and the climate emergency, or to find out more about the work the Branch does. 

Climate Emergency Rep – Lizzie Ludlow

Lizzie joined the UCU exec as a Climate Emergency Rep in March 2021. She has been a member of ARU’s UCU branch since she joined the university in 2014. She is looking forward to getting more involved with UCU and pushing for a more consistent response to the climate crises. Lizzie is happy to be contacted by members on matters including sustainability and green issues. 

Faculty Rep AHSS – Jade Moore

Jade is a Health and Safety officer and one of the Faculty Reps within AHSS. She has a passion for supporting both staff and students to wok in a safe environment, body and mind. Jade is also very passionate about inclusivity and ensuring a level playing field regardless of background so we can help everyone reach their full potential in education and beyond.

National Executive Committee – Sarah Brown

Sarah sits on the Branch Executive in an NEC (UCU National Executive Committee) role, having previously served as Branch Secretary and Branch Membership Secretary.  She would be happy to try to answer questions about national UCU issues – or more local concerns (she is based in AHSS where she teaches English Literature).   

Treasurer – Julian Constable

Equality Officer – Noah (Kofi) Karley

Anti-casualisation Officers – Meena Singh, Diane Keeble-Ramsay

Pensions Officer – David Skinner

Health and Safety Officers – Andreja Zivkovic, Jane Aspell, James Butler, Jade Moore

London Rep – Vacant

Peterborough Campus Rep – Vacant

Learning Officer – Vacant

The Branch negotiating team are: John Hogan, Andy Noble, Felicity Clarke, Kerstin Hacker, Parveen Afzaal and Adam Kenningham-Brown.