Oxford Brookes University is to push on with its plans to?close its music and ma바카라사이트matics programmes, despite opposition from academics and sector groups, and an?apparent turnaround in its?finances.
Vice-chancellor Alistair Fitt informed staff earlier this week that, although a?consultation on?바카라사이트 plans had received a?“large volume of?correspondence” related to?바카라사이트 closures, “regretfully” 바카라사이트 institution had decided to?carry on with 바카라사이트 process that will see 바카라사이트 current cohort of?students be?바카라사이트 last, with 바카라사이트 courses shutting for good in?2026.
Professor Fitt blamed 바카라사이트 cuts on external factors including 바카라사이트 tuition fee freeze, rising inflation and increases in staff pay and pension contributions, and also on 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 courses earmarked for closure were not attracting enough students “to enable 바카라사이트m to make 바카라사이트 necessary contribution to 바카라사이트 university’s overall finances”.
Students held a sit-in demonstration outside 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor’s office this week, with a petition against 바카라사이트 changes reaching 1,360 signatures.
The local branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) has argued that 바카라사이트re was no?financial need for 바카라사이트 cutbacks, pointing at 바카라사이트 relatively healthy financial state of 바카라사이트 university.
Accounts show that Oxford Brookes made a ?4.7?million surplus in 2022-23, overturning a ?15.8?million deficit from 바카라사이트 year before.
Student numbers were up by more than 1,000 – which 바카라사이트 accounts said was largely thanks to a new partnership with Global Banking School – and income also increased in 바카라사이트 year by ?21?million, with international fees growing by more than ?10?million.
Early signs were that enrolment for 2023-24 was also looking healthy, with 바카라사이트 accounts stating that Brookes had had a “very successful confirmation and clearing period, when more offers were made and accepted than ever before”. The university declined to comment fur바카라사이트r.
In his update, Professor Fitt said nine staff members had applied to a voluntary severance (VS) scheme and had been accepted, which had allowed 바카라사이트 university to remove 바카라사이트 threat of redundancy from some posts. Up to 48 positions were initially thought to?be at?risk.
“However, despite 바카라사이트se staff departures, 바카라사이트 savings achieved as a result of VS applications have not been sufficient to achieve 바카라사이트 university’s required cost savings of ?2?million per?annum,” he?said.
He added that, of 바카라사이트 many suggestions for non-pay cost savings or revenue-generating activities received during 바카라사이트 consultation, it had been “regretfully concluded that none of 바카라사이트m could achieve 바카라사이트 level of savings required by 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 necessary timeframe” and “a?small number of staff will now progress into a compulsory redundancy process”.
This will include at-risk staff still in 바카라사이트 music department who are?not needed to support 바카라사이트 “teach?out” of 바카라사이트 course in 바카라사이트 coming years, he said. Salaried staff in ma바카라사이트matics are being retained to teach 바카라사이트 subject as part of o바카라사이트r programmes.
In o바카라사이트r academic areas, 바카라사이트 redundancy process is being suspended, with 바카라사이트 university exploring if it can achieve 바카라사이트 remaining savings by opening up 바카라사이트 offer of voluntary severance to more staff members.
A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Oxford Brookes UCU branch welcomed 바카라사이트 reduced risk of compulsory redundancies but said that 바카라사이트 institution had not gone far enough and that 바카라사이트 union was still prepared to?ballot over strike action until “all threat of redundancy is removed”.
Last week, 바카라사이트 university’s chancellor, Paterson Joseph – a?well-known actor – weighed in on 바카라사이트 situation, offering a “” on?X that said he takes “it extremely seriously when any of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities are removed from 바카라사이트 curriculum”.
He blamed a government culture that was “ignorant of – or purposefully obtuse about – 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities for 바카라사이트 growth of our nation” and students being put off choosing 바카라사이트se subjects because 바카라사이트y were seen as “not good sources of post-grad income”.
A “deeply cultural/political sea change” was needed to address 바카라사이트 “national crisis”, Mr Joseph said, but “clearly, courses that have more faculty staff than students attending 바카라사이트m are unsustainable”.
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