University staff cuts blamed on SNP budget

Over 100 jobs are to be lost at Dundee University in the first case of staff cutbacks blamed directly on insufficient government funding for higher education.

Faced with a budget shortfall of £3 million over the next two years, Dundee University Principal and Vice-Chancellor Sir Alan Langlands says he has been forced to instigate the current restructuring program as a result of the “poor” funding settlement offered to universities in this year’s Scottish Budget.

“Given the disappointing outcome from the government's comprehensive spending review and the pressures on pay, pensions and utility budgets, the action taken following the university's own sustainability review and delivery of the targets set in our strategic framework will move us towards a break-even position,” said Mr Langlands.

The cuts at one of the country’s foremost centres for biomedical research and training have raised fears of financial difficulties damaging Scottish universities’ ability to compete for talent in the global arena.

Speaking exclusively to The Journal, the Scottish Labour Deputy Party Spokesperson on Higher Education, Richard Baker, said: “Dundee University is at the leading edge of Scotland’s knowledge-based economy.

“We want to see urgent action to prevent similar cuts at other universities before more damage is done to Scotland’s standing as a centre for excellence.

“To this end we will be calling for a full independent review of the way higher education is funded.”

His sentiments were echoed by the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ spokesman for education, Jeremy Purvis MSP.

“There seems to be a feeling in the SNP that the only things students are concerned with is the cost of university,” he said.

“In reality, students seek not only cheap education, but the best academic environment possible.

“Professors and students are sensitive to the research environment of the institution in which they work, and there is a danger that without proper funding, the best talent could leak out of Scotland to the detriment of academic quality.”

Mr Macintosh, whose represents Dundee as a regional MSP for North East Scotland, suggested that there could also be wider economic repercussions as a result of the decision.

“Students and staff make an important contribution to local communities in areas like Dundee. This will not be welcome news to residents,” he said.

The funding settlement for universities included in this year’s budget represents a fall in funding of 0.2 per cent, a figure debated by the SNP but supported by both the Liberal Democrats and Labour.

Scotland’s universities had requested £168 million in the run up to the budget, but are now unlikely to see anything approaching that figure with the budget having already been approved.

“The SNP has promised to make universities a priority if any end-of-year flexibility funds become available,” said Mr Macintosh.

“However, the government has also promised to use these funds – which are only a possibility in the instance of surplus revenue – to reduce business duties.

“Certainly, universities do not feel prioritised.”

In blaming its decision on the SNP’s funding provision for higher education Dundee University has broken ranks with fellow institutions and representative bodies.

Universities Scotland – the umbrella organisation for Scottish higher education – has failed to endorse Sir Alan Langland’s judgement in finding the government at fault, instead adopting a conciliatory tone.

In a letter to the Scotsman on Thursday 21 February, David Caldwell, Director of Universities Scotland, said: “We welcome with... warmth the positive and constructive engagement we have had with the Scottish Government in recent months.”

Speaking to The Journal, a spokesman added: "Universities Scotland has explained to the Scottish Government that the budget settlement will leave the sector facing financial pressures in the next three years.

“We have had a sympathetic hearing, and welcome the fact that the Cabinet Secretary has already found £10m of extra investment. This is a good start and we will continue to work with the Government to address the cost pressures.

“People are the most valuable resource in universities, and we hope to be able to address the cost pressures without the need for significant job losses."

The decision to implement staff cuts has also come in for criticism from the main lecturers’ union.

Tony Axon, speaking for the UCU, said: "[Dundee] shouldn't be so quick to react to this budget, particularly in the first and second year of this funding, because there is opportunity to get better funding in the future and to ride the storm."

The Dundee University has attempted to limit the damage to its image caused by the staff cuts.

A spokesman for Dundee said: "We expect that, come 2010-11, we will have roughly the same number of staff working at Dundee as we do now.

"The point is that, in many cases, they will be funded through different routes than central funding from government, such as research council funding.”

The situation at Dundee University has already demonstrated its potential to have serious political consequences for the current administration at Holyrood.

SNP First Minister Alex Salmond has touted his first budget in charge as a red-letter achievement in which many of his flagship policy are enshrined; during question time at the Scottish Parliament on Monday 25 February, he faced sustained attack from his rivals.

Former Deputy First Minister and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen asked: "Is this an efficiency saving or a cut?

"And will the lecturers and students who suffer as a result be able to tell the difference?"

Unsatisfied with Mr Salmond’s response that “an institution... is facing up to a difficult budgetary situation in a responsible manner,” Mr Stephen continued: "The truth is that Scottish universities are facing a record cash crisis.

“Never since the creation of this parliament has there been a real-terms cash cut in university funding until now."

Of Edinburgh’s five universities, only Edinburgh University offered comment on the matter of staff cuts when contacted by The Journal.

A spokesman said: "There are currently no plans for redundancies at the university."

Elsewhere in Scotland, the picture is more bleak.

Strathclyde University has confirmed it will go ahead with the 250 redundancies announced before the new budget.

Glasgow University announced on Friday 22 February that it may have to reduce staff numbers in its School of Modern Languages as a result of a downturn in the number of student studying in certain of its subject areas, particularly German.

According to the Glasgow Herald the prestigious research body, Scottish Centre for Research in Education, is also under threat of closure.

The Scottish Education Minister, Fiona Hyslop MSP, was unavailable for comment when contacted by The Journal.