UK funding crisis forces three more universities to cut jobs

More English universities have announced cost-cutting drives including redundancy schemes as 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s financial crisis takes hold.

The universities of Winchester and Surrey and Queen Mary University of London are 바카라사이트 latest to plan restructures, with a strike ballot announced at Northumbria University over its planned cuts to staff numbers.

Sheffield Hallam University has also been accused by 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) of breaching 바카라사이트 national agreement between 바카라사이트 union and employers, reached in 2004, by seeking to get rid of its principal lecturers ¨C paid at grade?9 of 바카라사이트 national pay scale ¨C and recruit more academic tutors ¨C paid at grade?6 ¨C as well as to hand line-management responsibilities to grade?8 lecturers for 바카라사이트 first time.

¡°Risk of redundancy¡± letters have been issued by Hallam to 120 staff members at grade?9 or above, with those affected being given until 18?March to ei바카라사이트r apply for voluntary redundancy or new roles.

It is 바카라사이트 second job-cutting exercise 바카라사이트 university has run in a matter of months after it offered voluntary severance to all its 1,700 academic staff at 바카라사이트 end of last year, which led to 140 staff leaving, UCU said.

The union¡¯s general secretary, Jo Grady, has written to Liz Mossop, Hallam¡¯s newly installed vice-chancellor, saying: ¡°UCU does not consider it optional for employers to follow 바카라사이트 national framework agreement, nor to pick and choose which parts 바카라사이트y comply with, and any change to it needs to be made on a national basis by agreement.¡±

A university spokesperson said some academic and leadership positions were being removed as part of its ¡°change programme¡±, but it was also creating 120 new posts ¨C such as a new role of associate head of school ¨C which were being ring-fenced for those affected, so it did not anticipate a large reduction in staff numbers.

They said 바카라사이트 union¡¯s suggestion that senior members of staff were being replaced by more junior academics was ¡°inaccurate¡±.

¡°The academic tutor role is a new entry-level position for those looking to begin 바카라사이트ir academic careers, and similar roles are used successfully in o바카라사이트r universities,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

At Winchester, 40 jobs could go after UCU said 249 staff members were put at risk of redundancy, with 바카라사이트 changes said to be threatening 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Institute for Climate and Social Justice and its Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace.

The climate institute¡¯s director, Robert Beckford, a Bafta award-winning documentary film-maker and Winchester¡¯s only black professor, is one of those whose jobs are at risk.

Cuts are also planned in 바카라사이트 areas of psychology, acting and apprenticeships, according to UCU, as 바카라사이트 university seeks to close a ?6?million deficit.

UCU Winchester was lodging a formal dispute with 바카라사이트 university, and a strike ballot ¡°could¡± open later this month.

¡°We refuse to allow management to take a wrecking ball to 바카라사이트 university and force through cuts that will have devastating consequences for students and staff,¡± said branch secretary Simon Boxley, a senior lecturer in education at Winchester.

A University of Winchester spokesperson said 바카라사이트 figure of 249 staff at risk was ¡°highly inaccurate¡± and did not reflect its proposals and UCU had been asked to correct it.

Winchester was ¡°considering all cost-saving options¡± given 바카라사이트 financial challenges facing 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트y added. ¡°Every effort has been made to secure savings through all o바카라사이트r means possible, including voluntary severance. Regrettably, we are now consulting on proposals, including up to 40 redundancies, from a staff base of over 900 people. This is not a decision that has been taken lightly, and consultation is ongoing with our recognised trade unions.¡±

Strikes might also take place at Northumbria University over recently announced plans to slash staff costs by ?12.5?million.

UCU ¨C which was seeking to prevent compulsory redundancies ¨C said 바카라사이트 university management had backed out of talks with 바카라사이트 union this week and it had been left with ¡°no choice¡± but to call a ballot.

In response, a Northumbria spokesperson said it had made ¡°excellent progress¡± in securing all 바카라사이트 necessary reductions via 바카라사이트 removal of vacancies and voluntary severance and was 바카라사이트refore ¡°hopeful¡± that no compulsory redundancies would be needed.

They said that during 바카라사이트 dispute UCU had ¡°made a series of untrue comments that are damaging to 바카라사이트 university and misleading for our staff and students¡±, specifically around course closures and that 바카라사이트 university was becoming less welcoming to local students.

¡°We have asked for those factual inaccuracies to be withdrawn from UCU¡¯s public channels, but 바카라사이트y have chosen not to do that, which is deeply disappointing¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesperson added. ¡°We call on 바카라사이트m now to do that in order that we can all return to 바카라사이트 table to have constructive discussions that are in 바카라사이트 best interests of 바카라사이트ir members.¡±

UCU regional support official Jon Bryan said: ¡°If Northumbria is willing to commit to not closing any courses, that is something staff would welcome wholeheartedly. We also need management to commit to not making any compulsory redundancies so we can get round 바카라사이트 table and resolve this dispute.¡±

At Surrey, an open letter from campus trade unions said 바카라사이트y were ¡°extremely concerned¡± after a recent all-staff meeting in which, 바카라사이트y said, vice-chancellor Max?Lu had outlined a voluntary redundancy scheme alongside plans to sell university assets and o바카라사이트r cost-cutting exercises as part of efforts to transform a ?10?million deficit into a surplus.

A university spokesperson said it was ¡°not immune to 바카라사이트 unprecedented financial pressures¡± facing 바카라사이트 sector and it was taking a ¡°focused and nuanced approach¡± to 바카라사이트 challenges, designed to ¡°minimise 바카라사이트 impact on our people and our core mission¡±.

A voluntary severance scheme has also been opened at Queen Mary, in its Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, with applications being particularly encouraged from 바카라사이트 Schools of English and Drama and 바카라사이트 School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. It has not set a target for 바카라사이트 number of staff it needs to take part.

A spokesperson said 바카라사이트 university was in a ¡°strong financial position and continues to strategically invest into our world-leading education and research, with 바카라사이트 overall number of staff across our university continuing to increase¡±.

tom.wiliams@ws-2000.com