Hundreds are set to join a march on Saturday in the city to campaign against the 11 redundancies being proposed at the University of Brighton. University management announced plans to sack over a hundred members of staff. The university announced that around 110 members of staff would be made redundant, citing “generationally high” inflation and other financial pressures on the institution. A recent poll of approximately 1500 staff at the university found that 94 per cent of voters had no confidence in the vice chancellor’s leadership.
The university claims it needs to make £17.9m in savings. The cuts would mean a huge reduction in lecturers in subjects including art, media, education, architecture, engineering, humanities and sport science. Yet as pointed out by the UCU, University of Brighton has spent over £50m on building projects in the last two years.
Now, after an overwhelming vote of no confidence in vice chancellor Debra Humphris, it appears protesters will continue to call for an end to the job cuts and for the university’s leadership to resign. Students also spent over a week occupying the eighth floor of the Cockcroft Building in Moulsecoomb, including the vice chancellor’s office, in protest at the job cuts. Brighton UCU said members from London and Liverpool were expected to support the march which will also be attended by Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle.
Up to 1,000 people are expected to march in protest at proposed job losses at the University of Brighton this Saturday. Organisers welcome people to join the march and rally on Saturday 10 June at 11:00 at the Level in Brighton and and ask people to please bring local banners!
