Connor Bertie, Nick Whelan & Eva Milne
University announces release of ‘improved’ recovery plan which promises 300 Full Time Employment (FTE) redundancies on a voluntary level only.
After the announcement of the original recovery plan which proposed 632.4 FTE mandatory redundancies, outrage was rife among staff and students.
Arguing on the necessity of the cuts, Principal Shane O’Neill was adamant that they needed to go ahead, prompting a meeting with the Scottish Parliament’s Education committee.
The recovery plan was met with strong criticism in Holyrood from convener Douglas Ross, as well as the other members of the committee. Upon its conclusion, they grilled the UEG’s proposal into ash, and sent them back to revise it to an acceptable format.
Today, campus unions, as well as staff and students marched in protest of the proposal.
Melissa D’Ascenzio, Co-President of UCU Dundee, expressed that management were clearly feeling the heat of the fight-back from staff, students and politicians and this is reflected by the fact there is now a revised recovery plan.
D’Ascenzio stated there could be ‘no doubt’, that university management had been forced to reconsider their plans after the reaction given by those set to be most affected. something which was not previously on the table during the initial stages of notification to staff of the crisis.
‘When the first plan was presented to us, it was presented to us with no alternatives’.
However, D’Ascenzio relayed a feeling that despite the UEGs frequent engagement with the Scottish government, the Scottish Funding Council and other official bodies, they were still not in ‘listening mode’ when it came to staff and unions.
Speaking at today’s march was DUSA President-Elect Tánaiste Custance. Afterwards he said:
“Students and staff have so many allies here. Last week we saw Dundee City Council unanimously oppose what management has done to the university.
“One of the speakers did say that what they [the UEG] listen to is power, and I think what we’ve shown here is a lot of power.
“I’m quite confident now that everyone at the university has a future.”
This afternoon, in an all-staff email titled: ‘an alternative pathway to financial recovery’ Interim Principal, Shane O’Neill announced a reduction of FTE redundancies from 632.4 FTE to 300.
Presented this morning, the UEG set out their amendments of the financial recovery plan to the University Court. The Court endorsed the following proposals:
- Reduction of up to 300 staff FTE through a voluntary severance programme, which will follow Fair Work principles
- Continue the ongoing work on a range of non-staff cost reductions
- Move to a new operating model based on the reconfiguration of our academic units and professional services, following best practice in the sector to ensure effective leadership, integration and collaboration
- Engagement with the Advisory Task Force to ensure that opportunities to bolster income generation are grasped and that the reputation of the University is enhanced
- Consolidate efficiencies through delivery of a revised estates strategy
- Working with lenders to secure access to commercial finance
- University to review at key milestones on the proposed pathway progress on cost control, student numbers and income resilience
- University to reset the vision and approach to financial recovery should further actions to address any residual structural deficit be necessary.
O’Neill noted that these proposals will require more public funding, despite the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) giving the University £22m last month. Additional funding to secure support over the next two years is being discussed, the University reports.
Commenting on the announcement of an alternative recovery plan for the University of Dundee, Dundee UCU branch co-president Melissa D’Ascenzio said:
“It is a relief that University management has backed away from the brutal plans to cut up to 700 jobs. This backtracking is in no doubt down to the relentless pressure from UCU, from all the campus unions and the support they’ve received from the city of Dundee, local communities and from across the political spectrum.
“Given the news of this new plan, we’re urging the employer to take compulsory redundancies off the table, so as we can work with the employer towards a sustainable, successful university that values its staff and students, and continues to deliver the world class teaching and research”.
Similar to earlier announcements, the UEG are still headstrong on the offsetting of assets and the restructuring of the 8 academic schools into smaller faculties.
The new academic structure will mean a ‘new operating model’ for each faculty, to which the logistics are yet to be announced. There is no indication of when the restructuring of schools into faculties will come into effect and students are still unsure as to what form their studies will take come September.
The reduction from 632 FTE redundancies to 300 remains on a voluntary basis as opposed to involuntary redundancies. However, more than 300 people will still be impacted. The total will equate to 300 full time positions, but will affect many more people as part-time roles, for example, may amount to 2 or 3 full time roles, depending on hours worked.
Although the revision is an improvement from the 632.4 redundancies, this will still have a vast impact on staff, students, and the wider city. Although the UEG have revised their initial plan to axe over 700 jobs, it is still staff and students who are unfairly paying for the mistakes and mismanagement by the UEG.
O’Neill persisted that the UEG will “continue to engage with staff, students and union leaders” moving forward. However, certainly from a student perspective, there has been little to no ‘‘consultation.’ Students are made aware of updates through these emails but there is little opportunity to engage and contribute meaningfully to the path forward of our university.
Taking in students perspectives, Luke Carroll, 2nd-Year English and Film student, said:
“I think its incredibly positive because the University being in a shambles is not the staff’s fault, but they have been bearing the brunt of it. I think opening-up the redundancies as ‘optional’ and halfling the number is a much better plan.”
Shane O’Neill’s interview with the Courier on the new recovery plan can be viewed here: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/5232826/dundee-university-principal-interview-recovery-plan/