Union officials say hardly a department will be left unaffected after Staffordshire University revealed around 100 jobs are set to be cut.
A mix of management, academic, professional and support services posts are expected to go early next year. The university says it is doing what it can to minimise compulsory job redundancies.
It is understood that increased wages, the lack of uptake of some subjects – by both domestic and overseas students – and other rising costs were to blame.
It comes not long after the university – which has campuses in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and London – announced it was spending £3 million on its Esport degree course, which would include a new gaming arena.
It also recently revealed plans for a new student village, to accommodate 700 people, as part of a multi-million-pound campus transformation proposal.
A Staffordshire University spokesperson said the organisation was having to face challenges impacting higher education as a whole. These included a “turbulent student recruitment market at home and abroad, and the financial impacts of rising salary expenditure and broader cost increases”.
The spokesperson said: “On Friday 17th November 2023, we shared with our staff a set of proposals that would address some in year financial rebalancing, which builds upon our strong, proactive track record of financial stability.
“Within these proposals we are planning to reduce our staffing base by circa 100 roles, against an overall staffing composition of circa 1900 staff.
“These reductions will be achieved by realigning our academic staff numbers with subject demand, efficiency in some professional services and a reduction in some management posts, through the restructuring of our academic schools.
“The impact of these proportionally small reductions are not anticipated to impact on the student experience.”
Alun Thomas, Chair of the Staffordshire University Branch of the University and College Union (UCU), said people would be leaving their posts by early spring.
He said: “The scale of this is huge – hardly a department will be left unaffected.
“As well as a number of academics who will go, there is going to be a 10 per cent cut to professional services staff, which will have a big effect on day-to-day operations at the university.”
Alun added: “The university is inviting applications for voluntary redundancy now, then in the new year compulsory redundancies will be decided on and those people will go by March.
“The speed at which this is moving is concerning and the fact it is happening just before Christmas is very upsetting to our members.”
Jim Price, Regional Officer for Unison, which represents many of the professional services and supports staff involved, said: “We are clearly dismayed and shocked about this and, as a union, will oppose any complusory redundancies that are proposed and are calling for an extension to the consultation period.
“There certainly is a pattern for fewer international students taking up university courses in the current climate, but we do think Staffordshire University could have forseen this and protected jobs.”
A Staffordshire University spokesperson added: “We recognise that this is a difficult time for staff of the University, who are directly impacted by these proposals, and have shared with them a wide range of support that is available to them, at this time.
“We remain committed to working through the consultation period to attempt to mitigate the need for any compulsory job losses.”
