Staff and students lunchtime protest at University of Sussex
26 November 2009
Students and staff at the University of Sussex today protested outside the library over proposals to axe 115 jobs. On Tuesday evening the university announced plans to make 'significant savings in targeted areas', which, in real terms, means 115 jobs are at risk.
The response from the academic community at Sussex has been swift and demonstrates a united opposition to the cuts from the people who will be hit the hardest. The lunchtime protest has been organised by the University of Sussex Students' Union and will feature speakers from the students' union, UCU and the other campus trade unions.
Ahead of the protest members of UCU warned that they would be fighting any threat of compulsory redundancies. The union said its initial analysis of the planned cuts revealed that they were unworkable and would significantly damage the quality of education at the university.
UCU said it was working closely with the students' union and the other campus unions to preserve the University of Sussex's excellent reputation, which saw it ranked as one of the fastest improving universities in the most recent National Student Survey results, and warned the university not to ignore its staff or students.
University of Sussex UCU representative, Paul Cecil, said: 'We are unconvinced that these plans will do anything other than harm the reputation for excellence that the university has built up. Good results in the recent National Student Survey were a testament to the hard work of the staff.
'We are delighted that the students have been so swift to demonstrate their support for the staff and have organised today's protest. If the University of Sussex wants to maintain or enhance its reputation it needs to think very carefully about the impact cutting staff will have. It also has to listen to the joint voice and concerns of staff and students.'
Ahead of the protest members of UCU warned that they would be fighting any threat of compulsory redundancies. The union said its initial analysis of the planned cuts revealed that they were unworkable and would significantly damage the quality of education at the university.
UCU said it was working closely with the students' union and the other campus unions to preserve the University of Sussex's excellent reputation, which saw it ranked as one of the fastest improving universities in the most recent National Student Survey results, and warned the university not to ignore its staff or students.
University of Sussex UCU representative, Paul Cecil, said: 'We are unconvinced that these plans will do anything other than harm the reputation for excellence that the university has built up. Good results in the recent National Student Survey were a testament to the hard work of the staff.
'We are delighted that the students have been so swift to demonstrate their support for the staff and have organised today's protest. If the University of Sussex wants to maintain or enhance its reputation it needs to think very carefully about the impact cutting staff will have. It also has to listen to the joint voice and concerns of staff and students.'
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