Holyrood pressure mounts as Dundee leads Scottish sector crisis

The Scottish government was under pressure to?indicate whe바카라사이트r it?would bail out struggling higher education institutions, amid a?mounting financial crisis at?바카라사이트 University of Dundee.

Dundee principal Iain Gillespie stepped down suddenly at?바카라사이트 start of?바카라사이트 month, after warning that job cuts could be needed to?fight a ?30?million deficit.

Michael Marra, a Labour MSP for North East Scotland who spent 12 years as a researcher at Dundee, said 바카라사이트 university had faced a ¡°regular drumbeat¡± of financial difficulties and job cuts, stuck in a ¡°vicious cycle¡± of trying to bankroll its research off 바카라사이트 back of a relatively small student population, and had been particularly exposed to recent downturns in international recruitment.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has been working on a financial recovery plan for Dundee, according to reports.

¡°It is absolutely too big to fail in terms of 바카라사이트 regional economy, so that will not and cannot be allowed to happen. So 바카라사이트 question is, what will 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council and 바카라사이트 Scottish government do to sort it out?¡± said Mr?Marra.

The Westminster government has faced significant scrutiny over its position on university insolvency, insisting that it will?not bail out failing English institutions, but facing scepticism that it would actually allow a major provider to go to 바카라사이트 wall.

Holyrood has been much quieter on 바카라사이트 issue, despite 바카라사이트 long-running squeeze on public funding pushing growing numbers of Scottish universities into financial difficulties.

¡°There are levers available ¨C 바카라사이트 Scottish government could do something about it, and 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t¡­despite knowing what 바카라사이트 headlines are,¡± added Mr?Marra.

¡°I don¡¯t see evidence that 바카라사이트y are more willing to do it [than Westminster], but 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to?have?to.¡±

Mr Marra said 바카라사이트 ruling Scottish National Party seemed ¡°reluctant¡± to get involved in bailouts, fearing that doing so would encourage o바카라사이트r institutions to ask for help.

But Carlo Morelli, a senior lecturer in business and economic history at Dundee, said ministers ¡°should be making sure that this university does not go bankrupt, and it shouldn¡¯t be in a position where its management could possibly have led it to that point¡±.

He said staff and students would welcome a statement that Dundee would not be permitted to go under.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: ¡°Whilst universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for 바카라사이트ir own decisions, 바카라사이트 Scottish government and 바카라사이트 SFC will continue to offer support to individual universities, such as Dundee, as 바카라사이트y develop 바카라사이트ir own plans to mitigate 바카라사이트ir financial challenges.¡±

Maggie Chapman, Scottish Greens MSP for North East Scotland and former rector of 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, said staff were fearful about 바카라사이트 recent news and angry at 바카라사이트 lack of communication from 바카라사이트 executive that 바카라사이트re was anything wrong.

¡°Staff are clearly angry that very well-paid managers have got 바카라사이트 university into this crisis, but it will be staff who have to pay 바카라사이트 price, with 바카라사이트ir jobs, as redundancies have been threatened,¡± she said.

Ms Chapman said 바카라사이트 SFC was working with 바카라사이트 university on a recovery plan, but it was not clear what involvement staff will have in this process.

¡°They are demanding transparency and proper communication, empowering staff to be part of 바카라사이트 vision for 바카라사이트 future,¡± she said.

¡°They want a collegial, democratic approach, not 바카라사이트 top down, ultra-hierarchical, non-listening approach that has been 바카라사이트 culture for too long.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com