UCC Research Staff Association

Welcome to the UCC Research Staff Association

UCC Research Staff Association - (Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh Taighde Comhlachas Foirne)

The UCC Research Staff Association was set up in December 2006 under the banner of the Association of Research Contract Staff to provide help, advice and a voice for this group of workers both within UCC and nationally.  More specifically, many contract researchers feel that there is no voice to represent them and that many of the problems that are unique to them have not been properly identified and addressed. By 2013, it was recognised that many of these same problems also extended to the wider research community as a whole. The decision was therefore taken to re-name the organisation to the UCC Research Staff Association (UCCRSA) to better reflect the wider membership.

UCCRSA works with UCC and other relevant bodies to help address these concerns. We hope that this page will serve as a useful portal that Researchers can use to learn more about the issues that concern them and also as a forum for putting forward their opinions.

Our association was set up by, and is run by Researchers on an entirely voluntary basis. Since September 2020, the international umbrella RSA, ICoRSA, is supporting us in our administrative tasks. UCCRSA will strive to equally represent research staff at all stages of their careers, and from all four UCC Colleges. We strongly welcome comments or questions and our administrator, Piotr Janus, can be contacted at pjanus@ucc.ie.

Is mise le meas,

UCCRSA

Join UCCRSA - Become a member

The UCC Research Staff Association (UCCRSA) is focused primarily on representing and promoting the interests of researchers in all research roles and career stages within UCC. Additionally, UCCRSA is a full member of other RSAs, both nationally (IrishRSA) and internationally (ICoRSA). Our common mission is to provide a voice for research staff on all matters to do with the welfare of our research staff. Our Board is working with University management to improve career development prospects and working conditions for researchers. We also aim to disseminate relevant information to researchers that is pertinent to them and actively represent researchers by inputting on policies pertaining to researchers’ working lives at local, regional, national and international level. Our aim is to ensure YOUR voice is heard at the decision-making tables.

Your membership is important to us! The more we are, the stronger our voice! Why join? UCCRSA promotes the interests of researchers in all research roles and career stages. The membership offers you relevant information on a regular basis. Becoming a member of UCCRSA, you will be represented at UCC and local/regional level.

Sign up to our mailing list today by completing this form Sing Up Form. In case of need for paper form please download the file from this link Form Download and return it to: 

Payroll office,
Main Quad,
East Wing,
UCC (Internal mail) 

It is open to all UCC research staff and those who support the aims of our association. The UCCRSA is dependent on research staff raising issues they want addressed or suggesting initiatives to improve research career development or job satisfaction for researchers and encourages participation from all researchers at UCC. Another benefit of being part of UCCRSA is that you automatically have membership of IrishRSA. The IrishRSA represents research staff in Ireland, including researchers within Research Staff Associations and individual researchers who lack representation through an RSA, and to advocate for their common interests at a national and international level in particular towards the goal of sustainable research careers. As UCCRSA is already a member of IrishRSA, you will also be represented by IrishRSA on a national level when becoming a member of UCCRSA.

A welcome from our Chair

It has been a great pleasure and privilege to be once again elected as Chair of UCCRSA. This Covid-19 has been a year like no other given all the changes endured vis-à-vis our daily work patterns and living arrangements. Yet, in spite of all the restrictions impeding ‘normal living’, we still managed to get through the year, and achieve most of what we set out to achieve. Nevertheless, UCCRSA’s first thoughts must go to our members and friends who lost family to Covid-19, or indeed, lost any relatives during this pandemic year, given nobody could mourn in a way we are traditionally accustomed to. That was very difficult indeed. UCCRSA’s next ‘shout out’ must go to all the heroic frontline workers, working in whatever capacity -  medical or otherwise - who kept the show on the road, ensuring everyone was kept safe and well, especially here at UCC. Many thanks to anyone who had any role to play in this regard.

Finally, a huge shout out must go to the research teams involved in the speedy delivery of a successful vaccine, to those who participated in the trials, and to those behind its delivery in a speedy and organised fashion for the benefit of society. UCCRSA says ‘Míle buíochas’ to you all. Despite the unusual circumstances, UCCRSA was kept very busy. Via ZOOM, email and other telecommunications, we engaged in three policy consultations, including with FHERIS, the RIA and the HEA (more details inside). UCCRSA worked closely with IFUT to further the cause of researchers at national fora including their AGM. The UCCRSA also participated in a National IrishRSA Forum – an online conference with many Irish and EU speakers and panalists -  to further explore issues that directly impact on researchers.

This was with the aim of developing policy briefs which we hope will influence government decision-making in relation to such matters as 1) the current development of a ‘Researcher Career Framework’ (RCF); 2) Precarity and precarious working conditions; 3) Designation of Researchers as ‘Trainees’; 4) Securing further Covid-19 pandemic funding to support grant extensions, etc. and 5) Researcher supports in grants, extensions, career development, teaching, etc. UCCRSA is also developing a social agenda to further support the integration of new researchers to UCC. UCCRSA is always keen to welcome and support new UCCRSA members. Please read below to see how you can participate, and benefit from membership of UCCRSA. Everyone is welcome.

Please be sure to send feedback or field questions about the UCCRSA to our admin support, Mr Piotr Janus on pjanus@ucc.ie

Many thanks,

Dr Rosarii Griffin

 

UCC Research Staff Association

C/O Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre, Pouladuff Rd, Togher (UCC Internal)

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