Glasgow Caledonian University campus unions today (4th March 2024) voiced their regret regarding the launching of a new Mutual Severance Scheme which in the view of the unions will inevitably lead to a loss of staff and subsequent increases in the general student staff ratio in the university – quoted by the Daily mail as being the ‘4th worst amongst UK universities’

According to the Daily Mail, the average figure for student staff ratio, is just under 23 students to each member of academic staff, although this figure relates to 2021/22 and reports to recent meetings of Senate have shown this varies in the current academic year, from 6:1 in some subjects to approximately 100:1 in others.

The scheme was announced by the Principal Stephen Decent in a communication to all staff after the draft scheme had gone to the University Court, then was announced to University Senate, and then a briefing given to the campus unions late last week.

The main argument made by the University Executive Group through the Principal’s communication was that this was a good move given that the sector was facing a series of factors outwith the control of any individual university, such as widely publicised government funding cuts, and drops in international student recruitment (although the Principal also acknowledged that GCU had bucked the trend in the latter, due to recruitment at GCU London).

He stressed that the University presently had more employees than had been the case in the last ten years and that the aim was balance, in terms of how resources were allocated to enable growth in areas of strength and in general how resources were ‘rebalanced’ acknowledging that many staff were dealing with high workloads.

The campus unions, in their view (sent to the University Executive Board for comments before the staff communication was issued by the Principal) stated their belief that this scheme was ‘ill-considered’ given the current staffing levels at university. They had previously made the point to the University Executive Board, that although staff numbers had indeed gone up in the last ten years, student numbers had increased to a much greater extent.

They also stated their belief that successful workforce planning needed to be dependent upon detailed strategic planning for the short medium and long-term rather than a hasty response to short-term headwinds, and that this process ought to start with a detailed portfolio review carried out in consultation with staff and unions at GCU.

They also reiterated their request for an all-staff meeting to discuss the future of GCU, chaired by the Chair of Court, and with representatives of all campus unions sharing a platform with the Principal to discuss the future in a collegiate manner.

The campus unions were of the opinion that starting such a process of a Mutual Severance Scheme before the university knew the exact financial context facing us – details of the impact of Scottish Funding Council cuts to each university have not yet been made available – was a case of putting the cart before the horse.

Previous MSS schemes such as the ones undertaken at GCU in 2017 and 2018 had not resolved the university’s financial position in the short or the medium term. In general reducing the headcount would also put more stress and workload on existing staff at a time when absence levels due to stress at the university suggested workload was the most pressing issue for staff.

The campus unions finished by stating that although an MSS scheme might have some role to play in the future shape of GCU, this current scheme seemed hasty and ill-considered.

In their response to the joint unions’ statement, a university spokesperson stated that the unions’ views were ‘factually inaccurate’ (this was a point made rather astonishingly 19 times, in their response ).

The spokesperson’s views included inter alia that it was factually inaccurate to say that reducing the headcount in general would put more stress and workload on existing staff, and that it was conjecture that the Mutual Severance Scheme ‘can only make this situation worse’.

They also stated that contrary to the unions views that the previous MSS schemes had not resolved the university’s financial position in the short or the medium term, the previous MSS schemes had ‘helped rather a lot’ and in relation to the unions’ position that decisions were being taken without a full knowledge of the financial context facing us, it was stated that ‘we DO know the direction of travel’.

At the briefing given to the campus unions late last week, it was agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee would monitor the progress of the MSS scheme – something that the unions will do carefully, on behalf of their members.

Meanwhile the campus unions will be contributing to the debate on the current ‘refresh’ of the university’s 2030 vision.

The full statement of the campus unions can be found and downloaded here