Axe will fall on more jobs at UCLan

More jobs are on the line at the University of Central Lancashire.
More job cuts at UCLanMore job cuts at UCLan
More job cuts at UCLan

The Preston-based university has already lost more than 200 staff through voluntary redundancy and now says it needs to axe another 69 posts by March 2021.

The latest cuts are said to be part of an ongoing “restructuring” as the fast-growing institution battles to re-build depleted reserves - but says balances remain healthy.

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Over the past year nearly 250 jobs have gone through voluntary redundancy, bringing current staffing levels down to around 3,000.

UCLan regularly features highly in the league tables for it staff to student ratio and says the cuts are necessary to maintain future sustainability.

A spokesman for the university said: “Over 12 months ago, the University of Central Lancashire opened a voluntary severance scheme as part of a university-wide restructure to reduce staffing costs in some areas while continuing to be able to support and invest in areas of growth.

“Our approach to this restructure has been carefully considered at every stage and we hope to minimise the impact on staff through voluntary exits and redeployment to other vacancies.”

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But, the University College Union said student numbers have grown by as much as 2,000 in recent years and it has vowed to fight any more job cuts.

The union has called for a rethink and said the institution should be keeping hold of staff that students rely on, particularly during the current pandemic.

UCU regional official Martyn Moss said: “We urge the university to abandon a course of action which threatens to severely damage staff morale and student learning, and work with staff to steer through the challenges we are facing.”

He warned: “We remain, as always, open to negotiating a way forward, but the threat to our members’ jobs must be lifted before meaningful dialogue can take place.

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"At the moment we have no choice but to take whatever steps necessary to defend our members’ livelihoods, including balloting for industrial action."

The university pointed out that money set aside for the multi-million pound masterplan does not come from the same budget.

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