Research and academic staff included in recent GCU jobs cuts

The financial crisis at Glasgow Caledonian University reveals a deeper impact to ongoing issues facing the institution. As an internal email reveals, the number of staff facing redundancy has expanded.

The university financial difficulties, have been largely triggered from a sharp decline in international student recruitment. The institution has expanded the scope of cuts in an ambition to save £10 million, following a £33 million income loss. However, in exchange, the institution is set to cut 100 jobs, including key staff members such as professors and research fellows.

As Principal Mari Watson admitted “It is difficult to undertake processes like this, and it is particularly challenging for those directly affected.”

In March, a voluntary redundancy scheme was established to directly target departments affected by international recruitment. Now, redundancies could affect several areas across campus. These include GCU London – where staff located in the London Hub could face losing their job.

via Wikimedia Commons

As university spokesperson has noted “our priority is to support our staff and students while ensuring the university’s long-term sustainability. We need to reduce costs, including a planned reduction in posts across a limited number of academic, research and professional service areas.”

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While the university remains focused on reducing the number by 100 jobs,  it also describes cuts as structural changes. For outreach teams, they face merging teams and fastening efficency, combating percieved fragmentation. Consequently, this will crucially affect widening access initiatives that help students from non-traditional backgrounds enter university.

The current events come amid a ongoing national crisis towards university cuts, deeply affecting both students and staff.  GCU has insisted that research and the academic staff who contribute to the university are highly valued. Yet on campus, it remains tense. Staff and student solidarity groups have already held protests outside the university.

As a university spokesperson noted: “We have started a formal consultation to discuss proposals with trade union colleagues. We strongly encourage affected staff to engage fully in this process, as their insight and expertise are vital in helping inform the universities final position.”

Reports understand that a formal HR document – the official legal notice of the mass redundancies sent to the UK government – was submitted earlier this week.

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Featured image via Wikimedia Commons