University of Gloucestershire staff fight back

The University of Gloucestershire (UoG) is £36 million in debt and plans £3 million of cuts by July 2010. Last week UoG staff and students demonstrated demanding an end to all compulsory redundancies, and a reversal of cuts to services.

Chris Moore

In December University and College Union (UCU) members unanimously backed strike action. The branch chair Gwen Chaney said: "instead of sacking staff the university should be putting pressure on the government to allow us to take more students."

UoG has been described as having a culture of "the higher the risk, the greater the reward" and of being "seduced by the ideology of enterprise." One example was the speculative purchase of the £8.3 million East London campus. Apparently a former dean, Keith Sharp, undertook numerous foreign trips to recruit students for it. The site is due for closure, as well as the vibrant Cheltenham-based art campus, with 30 enforced redundancies at the faculty of education, humanities and sciences.

Despite the funding crisis vice chancellor Patricia Broadfoot received a £34,000 increase in income to £202,000. Meanwhile 100 staff members have taken early retirement or voluntary redundancy. So staff and students are expected to pay for the mess.

Senior management are conducting an 'academic efficiency review'. Lecturer and UCU member Kate North says: "the ones that were responsible for the mismanagement of finances are now conducting the review." Consultants have been hired to manage these cuts, including the closure and amalgamation of courses, cuts to library services, restrictions on teaching materials and the axing of a free student bus service.

Many students back the lecturers' campaign. Liam Hamilton, an organiser of the 1,000 strong student Facebook site 'Support Our Lecturers' said: "I pay over £3,000 a year in fees, I don't think it's right that the university is cutting services and not fees." Unfortunately student union president Leigh Moore has refused to support any UCU strike action.

In universities like Wolverhampton and Plymouth, UCU has forced concessions from management. They can do the same at the UoG, but nationally coordinated UCU industrial action is vital in the fight to save the future of higher education.

UCU campaign: saveuog.com

Email support to:ucucampaigns@saveuog.com

Demo against cuts at Salford university

UCU joins 10 May strike - student solidarity needed

Brighton Uni: Socialist Students five votes from victory

Fighting Con-Dem attacks on education

14 March - Socialist Students get a response

Quebec: Students engage in 'indefinite' general strike action

Gloucester:

Unilever strikers condemn bosses' greed

1,000 march in Gloucester against 'scorched earth policy'

Firefighters on the march

Gloucestershire Socialist Party: Do we face a double dip recession

UCU:

London NUT and UCU pensions strike demonstration

Lecturers in colleges and 'post-92' universities will join 28 March pensions strike

UCU special conference

Students:

Strike at Sussex Downs College

Good result for Socialist Students candidates in NUS elections

NUS conference Support for left and for action

Education:

Our education under attack

Lincolnshire academies in crisis

Southampton TUSC and Socialist Party: Defend Education, No Academies, Restore EMA

Cheltenham:

Protester challenges Lib Dem MP to debate

Uprising in Egypt - Socialist Party public meetings

Physios protest at lack of jobs