A group of north university lecturers are demanding the government intervenes in a bitter row over course choices.
Teaching staff in the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) colleges say a curriculum review will harm students.
They are calling for bosses to instead put the spotlight on “grossly top heavy” management.
The UHI lecturers, anonymous in fear of losing their jobs, say each college in the university has its own principal and senior management team.
The university says two campuses on Shetland merged in the summer, and there are plans for another merger.
UHI: What we know so far
Principal Todd Walker announced earlier this year he would be ditching “vanity courses” at UHI.
His comments caused a storm and he later apologised and clarified what he meant.
But what he did stick to was plans for a curriculum review. He promised it would “examine what our students and communities want and need in the future”.
Now, five UHI lecturers from two different colleges have come together to fight against the review.
In correspondence with the P&J, they said the review will identify courses that can be cut, merged and shared by online delivery.
They said the “cost-cutting exercise” will “inevitably impact upon the quality of learning and teaching, the choices available to learners, the reputation of the university, and the north economy”.
UHI: How many principals are there?
Professor Todd Walker is the principal and vice-chancellor of UHI. He joined on the UHI’s tenth birthday in February this year.
The UHI website tells us that there are 12 individual colleges – from Shetland to Perth and Moray to Oban.
They are all under the UHI umbrella – and each of them has their own principal or director.
The website says each principal or director has “responsibilities to their own board or board of management”.
The top tier of staff across UHI can earn in excess of £100,000.
What do the lecturers say about this?
The anonymous group say the duplication of managers and administration across UHI is “breath-taking”.
They add: “We are deeply disappointed that the managers of the university and partner colleges did not look at the grossly top-heavy structure when it became clear that savings had to be made.
“Understandable perhaps; it would be akin to turkeys voting for Christmas.
“What they chose to look at is the curriculum, the learning and teaching, choices available to our learners, direct contact with students, and inevitably the quality of learning and teaching available.
“In short, they propose to cut the stuff that really matters.”
The UHI lecturers say although they are a small number, at a recent cross-college meeting, the consensus was that the institution was “grossly top heavy”.
What does UHI say?
A spokeswoman explained that UHI recently published a new strategic plan called ‘daring to be different’.
She said it sets “new ambitions” and addresses three areas.
- Improving UHI’s financial position by diversifying the income base including attracting international students to study at our colleges.
- Simplifying the partnership model. “This is already under way, with the two colleges in Shetland forming Shetland UHI in the summer. Three of our partners in rural and island areas are also currently looking at merger which will create a new college of scale that serves and supports around 9,000 students.
- Developing the curriculum to ensure it is “attractive, sustainable and accessible to learners”. “To do this, we are undertaking a review of our further and higher education modules. This will be a consultative process which includes the views of our staff, students and stakeholders over the course of five years. The process will free up time to help staff develop innovative learning content and provide an enhanced student experience.”
The spokeswoman added: “At our very core, our university partnership can only be as good as three things – our ambition, our students and our staff, whose passion and dedication will deliver our vision.”
Aren’t the merger plans enough?
The UHI lecturers say they welcome any mergers, but add: “This does not go far enough.”
“This will still leave one university with 12 principals, 12 senior management teams, 12 administrative teams and all other associated managers and administrators all drawing down handsome salaries, much of which is paid from the public purse.
“Speaking plainly, this seems absurd when savings are to be made.
“We urge the Scottish Government to intervene before it is too late.
“All we are asking is that there is a government inquiry into the structure of the UHI before the courses are cut, merged and shared.
“It is the students and economy of the Highlands and Islands that will suffer.”
Would the Scottish Government step in?
A government spokesman said: “UHI is an autonomous institution and has responsibility for its own subject provision and curriculum.
“We are therefore unable to intervene in internal institutional matters such as UHI’s Curriculum Review, although we would expect staff and students to be fully involved in this process.”
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