University of the West of Scotland cuts jobs amidst funding crisis

Sources fear the first phase of the scheme will impact on up to 170 jobs from amongst the academic-related support staff, although management said the figure would not be that high. 

Read more: Are Scottish universities heading for a financial precipice? 

Those targeted in the first phase would include librarians, senior administrators, human resources, IT staff and other professional support workers.

The second phase, which has not yet been announced, is expected to look at academic staff if sufficient savings cannot be secured from the first phase.

Earlier this week, a major international report warned Scottish universities were in "sustained decline" because of public funding cuts.

Higher education funding saw a real terms cut of 1.79 per cent in the last Scottish Budget.

Universities are also facing financial pressure from changes to pensions contributions.

This follows decisions by the Treasury which has led to an increase in employer contributions this year of nearly seven per cent.

Read more: The Scottish universities struggling to make ends meet

In a letter to staff, Professor Steve Olivier, the deputy principal, said: "As you are aware, the principal initiated a rebalancing resources project to be led by me to ensure the university allocates the resources necessary to fully deliver on the ambitions of our corporate strategy in a changing environment.

"In recent months we have seen additional sector-wide challenges. The original challenges we faced still remain – the pressures of inflation, wage increases, a real terms decrease in our grant funding, and as yet unmet non-government income growth targets.

"We are also experiencing changing patterns of student demand, wider pressures across the rest of the UK and internationally, together with changes to the funding environment for research and commercial work – all are the drivers for this important project.

"However, the scale of the challenge has now grown. In addition to the existing pressures I have outlined above, we have recently been advised that the university is required to increase the contribution it makes to pension funds."

Mr Olivier said the pension changes involved an immediate cost of half a million pounds this year, increasing to nearly three million pounds next year.

He said: "When taken together with the existing pressures we were already experiencing, this means that in order to maintain and invest in our student experience we must now reduce costs across all areas of expenditure.

Read more: John Swinney dismisses university funding fears

"While there will be a reduction in overall staff numbers, we will seek to minimise the number of posts affected and we remain committed to achieving any reductions voluntarily wherever possible."

A more recent email to staff adds: "It has now been agreed to open phase one of a voluntary severance/early retirement scheme for all professional services staff in schools and departments."

It said details of phase two of the project would be sent to staff at a future date.

Dr Chris O’Donnell, secretary of the UCU's UWS branch secretary said it was "deeply worrying" the university was pressing ahead with plans to cut jobs.

He said: "It is also worrying the employer says increasing pension contributions are a driving force for these cuts.

"Staff are genuinely confused about this plan of action as they have seen staff-student ratios increase, research income increase and student numbers increase, but still university management claims we require rebalancing.

"It impossible to cut jobs without affecting the student experience, so UCU will be working to ensure that cuts are kept to a minimum and that there are no compulsory redundancies."