Islington Tribune - News: University deficit fuels job loss fears

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Islington Tribune - by SIMON WROE
Published: 4 May 2007

University deficit fuels job loss fears

LECTURERS at London Metropolitan University in Holloway fear a £10-million budget deficit will mean job losses.
The cash shortfall has been blamed on a sharp drop in the number of student admissions.
London Metropolitan is the capital’s biggest university, with a major site in Holloway Road.
Staff there fear that they will be made redundant as university executives desperately try to save money.
Professor Cliff Smith, who teaches law, said: “Everybody feels as if they’re in the dark, even though we know there is a big problem.
“There have been no redundancies yet, but various redundancy rumours stoked by management. At the moment it is a generalised threat.”
Student numbers at the university have fallen steadily over the last couple of years – the numbers in mid-March were nearly 3,000 under target, according to a briefing note to London Met staff issued by Vice-Chancellor Brian Roper.
His report found that recruitment of full-time undergraduates and overseas postgraduate students was down by about 1,000 people in each category.
The shortfalls have created a deficit of between £8 million and £10 million in fees, further compounded by a loss of about £1 million in grants. Although posts have been cut at the university already, London Met plans further reductions of 70 jobs, a cut in education schemes and a reduction in severance pay for employees.
Dan Ashley, a spokesman for the University and Colleges Union (UCU), said that, as well as facing the threat of redundancy, staff could be asked to take on more duties.
London Met declined to comment.

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