The University of Huddersfield announced yet another round of redundancies this week, this time in the School of Human and Health Sciences. 35 jobs (34 academic and one technical) are identified as at risk as the university seeks to cut 16 posts in Politics, Sociology, Psychology, and Social Work and Social Care. These redundancies follow on from 3 rounds of redundancies and restructurings in 3 years in the School of Arts and Humanities, and one round of redundancies earlier this year in Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (RIKE).
According to the university’s most recent financial statement (dated July 2022), it currently sits on over £85M in cash and cash equivalent reserves, up from £81.5M the previous year. The university has also seen extensive building projects over many years, with tens of millions of pounds spent on new buildings and renovation projects. Indeed, the estate is now so extensive that the Edith Kay building current stands entirely empty.
At a UCU meeting with staff on Wednesday one at-risk member, who asked not to be named, said that the university is now a “toxic place to work” and an environment where buildings are valued more highly than staff. There were also claims that the school had failed to properly market and promote courses and that some of the areas identified for cuts had actually seen an increase in applications in the current round. Fears were also expressed that these cuts, like the ones in Arts and Humanities last summer, disproportionately target liberal arts degrees, leading to a belief that the university no longer wishes to support these subjects.
UCU will continue to fight for members’ jobs, rights, and working conditions.
HudUCU 