OVER 300 students marched yesterday against Brighton University’s decision to sack over 100 staff as part of a plan to make £17.9 million in cuts.
The cuts would mean a huge reduction in lecturers in subjects including art, media, education, architecture, engineering, humanities and sports science.
Brighton University already has one of the worst student-to-staff ratios in the UK and has spent over £50 million on building projects over the last two years.
At an emergency UCU (University and College Union) branch meeting earlier this month, members voted unanimously to ballot for strike action.
UCU regional official Michael Moran said: ‘It is inexplicable that Brighton university is moving to sack over 100 employees whilst squandering tens of millions of pounds on shiny new buildings.
‘If these cuts go through, they would cause long-lasting damage to the university, the local community and to future generations of students who will be less able to access the learning they want.’
Yesterday’s student march from The Level to the Moulsecoomb campus won tremendous support, with motorists hooting support and raising their fists including bus drivers and emergency ambulances.
Along the way, students shouted ‘No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities!’ ‘Shame, shame, shame!’ and ‘students and workers – unite and fight!’
At a rally outside the Cockcroft building, Mark Abel, chair for the local UCU branch, gave his ‘heartfelt thanks’ to the students who marched and supported in solidarity.
He told News Line: ‘Even though this is extremely hard for staff in the pool of redundancies, this is just the beginning.
‘Everyone marching here is fighting to defend every job.’
Gee, a third year chemistry student, said: ‘We’ve been forgotten by the university management. This is not what we signed up for.’
Lyanna, a first year student, said: ‘Brighton is not going to be the first to threaten redundancies and today we are leading by example.’
Creative writing student Amy said: ‘The community between students and lecturers is very solid and we are all in this together.
‘The redundancies are not just against the lecturers they are against us too and we all have to unite to defeat them. We will stand with our teachers all the way.’