Unions have called on Dundee University Principal Nigel Seaton to resign in a meeting attended by staff, students and politicians.
Last week, Principal Professor Nigel Seaton announced that a further 190 jobs were to be cut in order to save the university £20m.
Facilities such as the Botanic Gardens, the Chaplaincy and the Cooper Gallery are also under threat.
In response to this, students, staff, politicians and other concerned individuals met in Dundee Central Library’s Steps Theatre, which accommodated over 150 attendees.
On stage was Unite Branch Chair Stuart Fairweather, DUSA President Tánaiste Custance and DUCU Co-President Dr Melissa D’Ascenzio.
The politicians present were Heather Anderson (Dundee City West), and two regional MSPs for North East Scotland, Maggie Chapman and Michael Marra.
Upon the meeting’s conclusion, Stuart Fairweather announced “Principal Nigel has got to go” to widespread applause from the crowd.
A Lack of Governance
The clear consensus in the room was that people felt there was a lack of governance within the University Executive Group (UEG) and within Principal Seaton himself, with comparisons to troubles that plagued previous leadership at the university.
The audience drew upon issues of transparency, which students and staff experienced under ex-principals Shane O’Neill and Iain Gillespie.
Speaking on the Strategy to Recovery, Dr D’Ascenzio slammed the method in which news of the 190 proposed cuts was conveyed to staff.
“The message on Tuesday morning last week was delivered in less than five minutes,” she told the crowd.
“The principal read from a script, a statement where he announced that there would be hundreds of redundancies at the university.
“There was no right to reply or to ask questions.
“Once again, the employer showed very little concern for the well-being of the staff in the room that the DUCU had booked for staff to listen to the advancement in a safe space.”
She went on to say the Strategy to Recovery was “a funny name for a 64 page document that is filled with corporate jargon and very little strategic thinking.”
“Neither the Strategy to Recovery nor the 500 page business case include any financial information.”
The Strategy to Recovery consistently points to Appendix D, which, currently reads: “A summary of the Financial Forecast will be made available shortly.” Neither court nor senate has seen the Financial Forecast, leading Dr D’Ascenzio to blame governance.
“The crisis at the University of Dundee is first of all, and mainly, a governance one before a finance one,” she said. “This is not just bad engagement, it is an attempt to use engagement against participants.”
The member of student services made arguments against cuts to student support services.
“We’re here to keep the humanity and human connection at the university, we’ve lost our humanity if they go through,” they said, warning of “cutting the counselling service to just one counsellor... cutting the health service to one part-time nurse.
“We don’t just deliver pure education, we deliver the experience.”
Tánaiste Custance added that there hadn’t been enough consultation, especially student consultation.
“There has been no engagement. Nobody, no student has been asked what they think should be gone,” he said. “Governance at the University of Dundee… remains poor, and I think Dundee deserves better, students deserve better, staff deserve better.“
At one point the room erupted into chants of “Whose University?”, “Our University!”
Court member Emma Preston spoke about her experience and what she had been told about the proposed cuts.
“The chaplaincy, the botanic gardens, student services, disability services, the Cooper Gallery, the nursery. None of that was put in front of court,” she said.
Dr Carlo Morelli, who is also a court member, added: “For too long, this university has treated itself as if it’s on planet Zog.”
“When you take out mathematics, you take out philosophy… you become a university which is just about training for work.“
A student also spoke about her experience going forward because of the cuts to student services.
“I’m being abandoned, not because of staff, but because of the cuts that have happened,” she said.
She went on to add, on the volume of announcements coming out: “The way that they’re releasing all these announcements in such an overwhelming way is intentional, to overwhelm you.”
The Protests Begin
In wake of this meeting, students and staff are set to push forward in protest against Professor Seaton and the University executive Group’s proposals.
Already, the pillars before the University’s Tower Building have been etched with chalk in protest, with statements such as “save our uni”, “stop the cuts”, “Seaton must go”, and “UEG must go”.
An additional protest has been planned for July 16.