Picture by @b_happy_luv_art from Twitter
Students occupying an office at the University of Brighton in protest at mass redundancies say they won’t come out until the threat of job losses is lifted.
The coalition of students want to stop the 110 redundancies planned for the end of the academic year.
A representative for the students said: “As students, we are horrified not only at the irreparable damage that is being done to our education but particularly also for the staff who will be losing their source of income during this ongoing cost of living crisis.
“A lack of employment security nurtures an unsafe and unstable work environment.
“The university’s complete lack of care or concern for the people whom they are most affecting by their financial mistakes to retain profit is unacceptable.
“Our staff are not disposable.”
Since the occupation of the vice chancellor’s office this morning, another group of students have occupied the entrance of the Cockroft building on the ground floor and a banner has been unfurled from the roof.
Brighton UCU Chair, Mark Abel said: “The vice chancellor has consistently mismanaged this institution and is now attempting to make ordinary staff pay for her mistakes.
“UCU calls on the vice chancellor and the senior management team to resign. If they have mismanaged the university to such an extent that these cuts are truly necessary, then they should take responsibility.
“If the vice chancellor insists on staying in post, the board of governors will be forced to consider dismissing her.”
On the redundancies a spokesperson for the University of Brighton said: “By addressing the immediate financial challenge we face, we can make the most of the opportunities available to us and continue to ensure our future sustainability and success.
“It is likely that at the end of this period, subject to the outcome of the consultation, approximately 110 colleagues will leave the University.
“We are hopeful that we can achieve the necessary changes in staff numbers through voluntary means, with compulsory redundancies only as a last resort.
“We recognise that this is a very difficult and concerning time for our staff and we will be doing all we can to support those colleagues impacted by these proposals.”
And this is also on top of most universities running through the courts at the moment as two expert firms in group litigation, Asserson and Harcus Parker, continue their representation of thousands of students under a Group Litigation Order over Covid and strikes disruption.
If the students want to disrput their own education let them.