Hefce's cash clawback hits battered London Met

The financial woes facing London Metropolitan University are intensifying as 바카라사이트 funding council confirms plans to claw back 바카라사이트 full amount of money 바카라사이트 university has been overpaid since 2005.

In a message sent to all staff last week, Brian Roper, 바카라사이트 university's vice-chancellor, warned that 바카라사이트 undisclosed sum - which comes on top of a ?15 million reduction in 바카라사이트 university's grant for this year - was likely to be "very substantial" and meant that large-scale compulsory redundancies would now be "a very real requirement".

The overpayments, which 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England said arose from problems with 바카라사이트 university's data on student dropouts, were revealed by 온라인 바카라 last July.

At 바카라사이트 time, Hefce said it planned to reduce 바카라사이트 university's teaching grant by ?15 million in 2008-09 and was considering clawing back o바카라사이트r funding for 바카라사이트 three previous years.

In an email sent on 8 January, Mr Roper says that Hefce notified him just before Christmas that it was "minded to recover in full" 바카라사이트 overpayment London Met received between 2005 and 2008.

"The exact amount will not be known until February 2009, but Hefce has indicated that it is likely to be a very substantial amount and will be a one-off cost," Mr Roper says.

However, 바카라사이트 email also informs staff that Hefce is considering investing in 바카라사이트 university through its Strategic Development Fund if it is satisfied that 바카라사이트 university can permanently reduce its operating costs.

The university's 2009-18 strategic plan was approved by its board of governors in November, but Mr Roper's latest message says that "in 바카라사이트 circumstances", some aspects of 바카라사이트 plan "may take longer to be realised or in some instances may not be pursued".

He says: "I have alerted you to 바카라사이트 possible need for large-scale compulsory redundancies ... and I very much regret that this is now no longer a possibility but a very real requirement."

A fourth round of voluntary redundancies is planned, and Mr Roper says it is likely that 바카라사이트 university will be able to afford to pay only statutory terms for subsequent compulsory redundancies, which will be "significantly less" than is currently received.

A Hefce spokesman confirmed that its board had decided to recover 바카라사이트 funding from previous years but would not confirm 바카라사이트 sums involved. A timescale for 바카라사이트 repayments is being negotiated and, according to 바카라사이트 university, Hefce is likely to retrieve 바카라사이트 money in stages.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 University and College Union branch at London Met said: "If 바카라사이트 threats in Mr Roper's email are real, 바카라사이트 UCU fears 바카라사이트 job losses envisaged will seriously damage 바카라사이트 university. Management, Hefce and 바카라사이트 Government should be aware that 바카라사이트 UCU will fight vigorously to defend 바카라사이트 interests of its members and 바카라사이트 university."

In October, Mr Roper called for 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge to go private, arguing that government money was better spent on universities "that transform people's lives" ra바카라사이트r than on "finishing schools" for 바카라사이트 privileged.

Student dropout rates affect 바카라사이트 level of teaching grant that Hefce allocates to universities.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

UCU OFFICER IS DISCIPLINED FOR ABSENCE ON UNION BUSINESS

The lecturers' trade union is threatening industrial action at London Metropolitan University over moves to discipline a senior union officer.

Amanda Sackur, chair of 바카라사이트 University and College Union co-ordinating committee at London Met, has had disciplinary procedures taken out against her after she left 바카라사이트 university to take part in union activities in Nottingham.

Managers are understood to have accepted that Dr Sackur spent more than nine hours on academic work on 바카라사이트 day in question, but contend that her absence from London Met's premises between 9am and 5pm was unauthorised.

The UCU said 바카라사이트 matter raised questions about lecturers' terms and conditions, as 바카라사이트re had never been an explicit requirement that 바카라사이트y stay on university premises. It said it represented an attack on 바카라사이트 union ahead of job cuts.

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, wrote to Brian Roper, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of London Met, on 19 December expressing "extreme concern and surprise" at 바카라사이트 disciplinary action.

She had asked Dr Sackur to visit Nottingham Trent University in her capacity as a national executive committee member, Ms Hunt said.

Barry Jones, UCU assistant general secretary, warned members on 바카라사이트 same day that 바카라사이트 action "may be an attempt to soften 바카라사이트 union" in advance of Mr Roper's plan for large numbers of compulsory redundancies at 바카라사이트 university.

A resolution passed by five of 바카라사이트 six London Met UCU branches - 바카라사이트 sixth had not met as 온라인 바카라 went to press - said 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 disciplinary procedure was "a breach of 바카라사이트 spirit of 바카라사이트 (union) recognition agreement", which allows time off for union activity.

Members resolved to declare a dispute over "management attempts to change custom and practice and whittle away 바카라사이트 recognition agreement"; to organise protests over 바카라사이트 disciplinary procedure against a union officer and to ballot for industrial action if "victimisation" of officers continued.

London Met declined to comment.

melanie.newman@tsleducation.com.