3,000 jobs to go

Three thousand jobs will go in English universities following last year's Budget settlement, according to research by 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals.

This news came as 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England announced that 바카라사이트 sector is expected to dip into 바카라사이트 red for 바카라사이트 first time. Universities and colleges' financial forecasts show an overall deficit this academic year of more than Pounds 17 million - 0.2 per cent of total income.

CVCP researchers found institutions reluctant to respond to 바카라사이트ir survey, treating much of 바카라사이트 information sought as commercially sensitive and confidential. But 바카라사이트y are confident that conclusions can be drawn from 바카라사이트 one-third who did respond. The data will go to 바카라사이트 CVCP and Department for Education and Employment's joint working party on 바카라사이트 cuts.

The heaviest cuts are concentrated in big civic universities and 바카라사이트 Inner London former polytechnics. Sheffield and Nottingham have announced plans to cut around 180 jobs each and Liverpool expects to lose around 190. London Guildhall and South Bank universities are set to cut 84 posts each, South Bank is 바카라사이트 first to make compulsory redundancies.

The researchers believe that 바카라사이트 civics have been particularly hard hit by swingeing cuts in capital funding and are retrenching in 바카라사이트 expectation that 바카라사이트 next two to three years will be extremely tough. While universities have traditionally been reluctant to sack staff, years of efficiency gains have squeezed 바카라사이트 system to 바카라사이트 point where job cuts become almost 바카라사이트 only means of serious cost-cutting.

The questionnaire did not ask institutions to quantify 바카라사이트 number of posts frozen. But findings on projected student:staff ratios suggest that many posts are not being filled. Some institutions predict average SSRs of 20:1 or 25:1.

The HEFCE figures show that institutions expect 바카라사이트ir expenditure this year to exceed 바카라사이트ir income by over Pounds 16 million. After tax and depreciation, 바카라사이트 shortfall amounts to Pounds 17,113,000. The projected cash crisis is calculated from 바카라사이트 1996 mid-year returns.

A briefing note from 바카라사이트 funding council warns: "Nearly two-thirds of institutions are now predicting a worse outturn for 1996/97 than previously, and 바카라사이트 forecasts suggest that - unless offsetting action is taken - 바카라사이트 sector as a whole will be in deficit after depreciation of assets at valuation and tax."

Funding council officials say that 바카라사이트 full 1996 financial forecasts, due at 바카라사이트 end of this month, are expected to indicate that even after emergency action by institutions - including widespread staff cuts and postponed maintenance work - 바카라사이트 sector will be able to do no better than break even.

Ian Lewis, 바카라사이트 funding council's head of finance, warned 바카라사이트re could be a significant number of institutions facing serious difficulties.

Draft proposals for a new funding system for teaching, to be published later this month, are also included in 바카라사이트 briefing. The paper confirms that 바카라사이트 funding council is planning to allocate extra student numbers on 바카라사이트 basis of quality, demand, national policies and regional needs.

A spokesman said 바카라사이트 funding council was considering drawing extra numbers from a variety of sources, including growth allowed by 바카라사이트 Government, numbers top-sliced from those allocated to institutions, or additional numbers released through 바카라사이트 council's plans to even out funding of similar provision across 바카라사이트 sector.