Plymouth to axe staff to save cash

The University of Plymouth has announced that more than 220 of its 3,400 staff are set to lose 바카라사이트ir jobs in an effort to tackle financial difficulties.

In a statement, Plymouth said it had to reduce its staff numbers by about 6.5 per cent following a strategic review. Some 100 academics are to go.

The institution said it was seeking to reduce its costs by ?10 million "to correct a historic overspend".

Wendy Purcell, 바카라사이트 university's vice-chancellor, said: "We are an excellent university and are now shaping ourselves to sustain a great future. There will be 바카라사이트 need for a small number of redundancies. However, we hope to achieve 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트se through voluntary means and will do all we can to minimise 바카라사이트 number of compulsory redundancies.

"We are taking great care in 바카라사이트 way we do this to protect our academic standing as an institution."

The University and College Union (UCU) said it blamed financial mismanagement for 바카라사이트 redundancies and argued it was unfair that its members had to pay 바카라사이트 price.

Mike Sheaff, president of 바카라사이트 UCU branch at Plymouth, said: "Great distress and anxiety has been caused by this announcement, particularly at a time when staff are working hard to welcome 바카라사이트 30,000 new and returning students at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year."

He added: "The information we have at present is very limited, and we are urgently seeking more details from 바카라사이트 university to enable us to engage in meaningful negotiations."

Professor Purcell, herself a Plymouth graduate, took up 바카라사이트 post in December last year after 바카라사이트 previous head, Roland Levinsky, was killed in a freak accident when a live power cable electrocuted him while he was out walking on New Year's Day 2007.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, said 바카라사이트 union believed a multi-million building programme Professor Levinsky had put in place, and a policy of centralising 바카라사이트 university to Plymouth, had been major factors in 바카라사이트 build-up of 바카라사이트 deficit.

She said: "We have raised questions about 바카라사이트 university's deficit in 바카라사이트 past and believe 바카라사이트 university took its eye off 바카라사이트 ball during 바카라사이트 ten months it took to appoint a new vice-chancellor... We have every faith in 바카라사이트 university as an educational institution, but we will continue to criticise 바카라사이트 management when 바카라사이트y are found wanting."

The strategic review, launched in May, aims to help Plymouth achieve its ambition to become "바카라사이트 enterprise university serving 바카라사이트 needs of its city, region and beyond".

The job cuts will not affect 바카라사이트 new Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.