Students worrying about staff cuts and looming strike action have been assured that their education will be prioritised.
The University of East Anglia (UEA) contacted students about proposed staff redundancies to appease fears about the remainder of the academic year.
Vice-chancellor David Richardson, in an email, said: “it is unlikely that savings can be made without redundancies and staff have now been informed of this.
“We want to reassure you that the university has procedures in place to support you in completing your course.”
The message followed the announcement that redundancies would be made following a £13.9m loss during its 2021-22 financial year.
Student recruitment is said to have suffered due to a lack of on-campus open days due to Covid restrictions and higher-ranking universities attracting more students.
Ongoing challenges for international students also contributed to a drop in the numbers travelling abroad for their university education.
More than 3,700 staff work at the UEA and employee costs amount to 60% of its total expenditure.
Details about the number of job losses and the affected departments have not been revealed yet.
An anonymous staff member told this newspaper: “Staff urgently need to know the facts as we are all in a state of fear.”
Students have also spoken out, with UEA staff set to strike in February and March following the rejection of a 3% pay rise.
Politics student Tom Ingall, 20, said: “There is no UEA without its staff.
“The university is prioritising swanky new buildings and glossy advertising over student and staff welfare.
“Cutting staff will reduce student satisfaction and intake.
“Unsatisfactory working conditions for lecturers will be much more disruptive to our education than strike action.”
The industrial is set to see staff from 61 other universities walking out in strikes that are planned to last 18 days.
Student nurse Darcey Hillard added: “We are being subjected to a lower quality teaching experience.
“The government not addressing the needs of nurses and lecturers combined means that our time in class and in practice is affected.
“With the price of a degree and the number of students at the UEA, it is hard to grasp the number of shortcomings here.”
- Additional reporting by Emily Goodwin
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