Ins and outcomes

In common with other university staff I have spoken to, I am appalled at the recent consultation document from the Institute for Learning and Teaching.

From the start membership of this institute was viewed with considerable scepticism by most of us. I was distressed to discover that the Association of University Teachers was apparently supporting the membership idea, allowing your correspondent last week to claim that "most stakeholders" supported these developments ("Accredit account", THES, April 16). I find it hard to believe this was the case. No realistic attempt has been made to discover lecturers' views, and I am sure that most would oppose the idea of the ILT as a membership body even without the recent consultation document. Now, I am certain that almost all will be highly suspicious after this inauspicious start.

The proposals specify 24 so-called "outcomes" that are not outcomes at all. Assembling and commenting on the required evidence for these "outcomes" would take days of work. Who is to read this material? Are we to document all the discussions and reflections we have on our teaching? If I give lectures without notes or written plans, am I to be told that they are invalid? The list does not allow for the wide variety of teaching formats used. Renewal every three years also is inappropriate, even for much better-founded requirements.

These proposals astound and offend even those who are committed to teaching. If implemented, they will be paid lip-service and/or just waste time and paper. They ignore the balance between teaching and research in most universities.

It is right that teaching should have a higher status, but this is not the way to go about it. It will add another layer of costs and contribute yet more to the myth that anything worth while can and should be measured.

I do not believe in industrial action that affects students, but I would be delighted if everyone refused to have anything to do with the ILT membership aspects in their current form.

Department of engineering mathematics, University of Newcastle.