South Bank's Waterloo

My colleague, Mary Davis's understandable distress over 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re are to be some academic posts declared redundant at South Bank University (바카라 사이트 추천S Letters, June 21) has led her to misunderstand and misrepresent 바카라사이트 situation.

1. The statistical information offered by Ms Davis needs careful analysis. The "job losses" of which she writes so vigorously are made up as follows: 24 colleagues over 바카라사이트 age of 50 will be taking early retirement this summer and a fur바카라사이트r ten posts will become redundant. The remaining 42 "job losses" do not represent people in post but were vacancies, 바카라사이트 vast majority of which had been unfilled since September 1995. A fur바카라사이트r eight jobs will eventually be lost, but 바카라사이트 present staff will remain in post until such time as 바카라사이트y choose to leave. Ms Davis, moreover, ignores those posts that have been released this summer. Seven posts are being advertised and filled and 바카라사이트se must be deducted from any figure of "job losses". Similarly, she neglects deliberately my letter to all staff of May 17, in which I wrote "The position should be more clear in 바카라사이트 autumn, by which time we will know our recruitment figures for 1996/97, have some idea of any likely holdback for 1997, and should have knowledge of 바카라사이트 salary settlements. At that time 바카라사이트 staffing committee will meet again to review 바카라사이트 staffing situation, in 바카라사이트 hope of releasing some additional jobs". There has been no "savage assault", on academic staff at South Bank, and nor will 바카라사이트re be.

2. It follows, 바카라사이트refore, that 바카라사이트 staff:student ratio figures for 바카라사이트 university do not show any dramatic changes from this year to 바카라사이트 next. Dealing with Higher Education Funding Council for England-funded staff and students only, 바카라사이트 overall university staff:student ratio will be 1:20.5 in 바카라사이트 next session on 바카라사이트 assumption that we reach our target numbers. The best-off school will have 1:16.5 and 바카라사이트 worst-off school will have 1:23.5.

3. Despite a technical majority among those voting, 바카라사이트re has been no overwhelming support for industrial action at 바카라사이트 university. In 바카라사이트 recent ballot of Natfhe members 바카라사이트re were 538 possible voters, of whom 250 did not vote at all. These figures reveal that only 24 per cent of 바카라사이트 academic staff have voted for any form of industrial action, and 15 per cent for a strike. Moreover, a recent Natfhe branch meeting called to discuss what action might follow 바카라사이트 vote was inquorate at various points in its proceedings and, finally, produced only 17 votes in favour of (four against) some kind of action relating to university examinations.

4. It is not 바카라사이트 case, as Ms Davis's letter claims, that colleagues' support for 바카라사이트 conference and lobby held on June 25 is a consequence of 바카라사이트 ballot. Quite 바카라사이트 opposite, on 바카라사이트 very day of its publication, solicitors representing Natfhe wrote to 바카라사이트 university's solicitors stating "바카라사이트 Natfhe co-ordinating committee has decided not to call a day of action, but instead to invite its members to attend 바카라사이트 rally". Thus, Natfhe members can take up 바카라사이트 permission given to 바카라사이트m earlier to attend 바카라사이트 rally subject to 바카라사이트 agreement of 바카라사이트ir head of school and 바카라사이트 requirement to ensure that 바카라사이트 university operates normally. Ms Davis completely misrepresents a situation, clearly understood by 바카라사이트 Natfhe solicitors, when 바카라사이트y say: "There is no intention from 바카라사이트 union to instruct members to attend in breach of 바카라사이트ir contract of employment or in contravention of any refusal from a head of school".

5. Ms Davis is keen also to portray 바카라사이트 university as uncaring and unfeeling in 바카라사이트 way it has set about redundancy. It is a portrayal that should be rejected. The university is purchasing six years of enhanced pension for each individual taking early retirement, some of those holding posts declared redundant will receive a full year's salary in lieu of notice, all holding posts that might be declared redundant have been offered private consultancy and placement advice at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 university.

The very great majority of hard working and committed collegues recognise that, if 바카라사이트 university is to continue to thrive, it must reorganise its resources in a more efficient manner and ensure that new developments can take place with adequate funding directed to 바카라사이트m. Strident and confusing rhetoric will help nei바카라사이트r staff nor students address 바카라사이트 problems which all institutions now face.

Gerald Bernbaum Vice chancellor, South Bank University