Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
There is a growing sense of unease at Cardiff University as staff and unions reveal concerns that hundreds of jobs may be under threat. Academic departments have been summoned to give briefings to managers, with the suggestion that some departments may be merged and subjects affected in the process. While staff have undergone meetings with executives to try to ease their concerns, a “lack of communication” from university leaders is still putting them on edge. Estimates from the Vice-Chancellor suggest that the number of people affected could easily be in the “hundreds”.
This climate of uncertainty comes as Cardiff University has been struggling with a £30m deficit in its budget. This is partly due to the pressure of increased costs and falling numbers of international students affecting higher education across the board. The University has already approved voluntary severance for 155 staff, with a second round of offers closing earlier in April 2021. Despite this, the current announcement is much more concerning for staff, who now worry that they may be part of job losses that could extend to a much larger number of the university’s 7000 employees.
The Vice-Chancellor, Wendy Larner, has hinted that while she does not want to rule out compulsory redundancies, the University will be exploring new sources of income as well as various ways of delivering courses, alongside a review on the usage of the university’s buildings. Plans for international partnerships are being made, with proposals to open the first overseas branch of the university in Astana, Kazakhstan. Staff have received invitations to attend meetings addressing their “academic futures”, with an acknowledgement that this will cause anxiety and providing access to a support programme if necessary.
The University and College Union (UCU) Cymru has accused Cardiff University of a “real lack of engagement with alternatives”. According to the Chair of the UCU, Estelle Hart, the University is potentially deepening the anxiety and speculation by avoiding open communication about the extent of potential job losses. As large scale “town hall” meetings are scheduled for this week, the University spokesperson has only reiterated that any proposed changes will be communicated to staff and students first
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.