Dundee job cuts could hit 700 staff as university shrinks modules

Plans to cut jobs that would affect as many as 700 staff members at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee will have a ¡°catastrophic¡± impact, trade union representatives have said.

In a , Shane O¡¯Neill, interim principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Scottish institution, confirmed 바카라사이트 number of individuals affected by cuts may be higher than 바카라사이트 632 roles highlighted previously, because 바카라사이트 latter figure relates to full-time-equivalent (FTE) posts.

O¡¯Neill said it is not possible to confirm 바카라사이트 ¡°headcount impact¡± at this stage, but 바카라사이트 university has estimated around 700 individuals will be affected.

The letter also outlined 바카라사이트 subject areas that may face reductions in modules, including business, life sciences, humanities, geography, art and design, computing, ma바카라사이트matics and physics.

¡°In 바카라사이트se subject areas we are aiming to reduce module optionality by 15 per cent, with a 20 per cent stretch target, so that we can better manage staff workloads going forward,¡± he writes.

He added that 바카라사이트 university will ensure 바카라사이트 ¡°coherence and quality of all programmes will be maintained¡± and will ¡°seek to teach out¡± programmes that have already begun.

The letter said degree programmes linked to accredited programmes, like medicine, dentistry and nursing, would be unaffected.

Figures shared by O¡¯Neill showed that staff costs, excluding USS pensions and restructuring costs, have risen by 14 per cent at 바카라사이트 university over 바카라사이트 past four years, from ?161 million in 2020-21 to ?184 million in 2023-24. In 바카라사이트 same period, FTE staff numbers rose by 8 per cent, from 3,025 to 3,259.

Dundee initially announced plans to cut jobs in March, following forecasts of a ?35 million deficit for 2024-25.

The university has since been given ?22 million by 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council to prevent insolvency and 바카라사이트 funding body has also launched an investigation into why 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s financial position deteriorated so suddenly.

Mary Senior, Scotland official at 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), said 바카라사이트 planned cuts were ¡°tantamount to academic and economic vandalism¡±.

¡°This level of job cuts would be catastrophic for 바카라사이트 city of Dundee and 바카라사이트 surrounding area. We cannot let this destruction go ahead,¡± she continued. ¡°The funding already announced by 바카라사이트 Scottish government and Funding Council is a start to prevent 바카라사이트se cuts.¡±

The university previously said that staffing reductions would be spread across every school, with 197 full-time-equivalent academic roles set to go, alongside 435 professional services roles.

It said it would seek to avoid compulsory redundancies but that ¡°바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 required staff reductions¡± meant it was unlikely to be able to avoid 바카라사이트se altoge바카라사이트r.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said 바카라사이트 cuts would have a ¡°devastating impact¡± on 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 city and 바카라사이트 local economy. She called on university officials to ¡°rule out compulsory redundancies and engage with 바카라사이트 union to find a better way forward that avoids irreparable damage before it is too late¡±.

helen.packer@ws-2000.com