The University of Dundee is revising its approach to job cuts following staff votes for strike action in response to proposed reductions. The university had initially forecast a 700 job loss due to a deficit of £35 million. As Shane O’Neill, the district’s interim principal, told the board in a contentious meeting last week, they will instead prioritize reducing about 300 positions through a voluntary program.
As the hour of the university court approached, staff members demonstrated outside of Caird Hall to show their outrage at the proposed cuts. Staff striking staff members expressed their outrage and frustration over the proposed legislation. From their perspective, these changes threaten the very foundation of education and other services that they see their institution providing.
In announcing the new direction, O’Neill stressed that a shared, regional approach is essential for any financial recovery. As he told us, the university is already proactively engaging with the Scottish Funding Council and other key stakeholders. They’re testing out a whole different kind of funding approach. Yet, he warned that this plan depends on raising a lot of new public funds.
“We have been continuing to have positive and constructive engagement with the Scottish Funding Council and other stakeholders to develop an alternative pathway towards financial recovery.” – Prof O’Neill
The University of Dundee recently ramped up their workforce, hiring 3,259 full-time equivalents and 271 vacant posts. That first estimate of a 700-person job-loss… [Read the full story here.] The lack of transparency around this concern led to outrage, protests and demands for transparency from the university’s leadership.
As O’Neill told the Holyrood education committee before taking these extreme steps, deep budget cuts forced her to make the cuts. The updated plan goes beyond the previous plan and addresses where to relieve the most pressure. It addresses the fiscal realities that the university is grappling with today.
In response, the university has convened a new and revised taskforce that would address these challenges. A former principal, Alan Langlands, will spearhead the drive. Nonetheless, O’Neill warned that a number of steps must be done well in order for the proposed initiatives to make a real impact.
“The proposed route forward will require significant additional public funding.” – Prof O’Neill
