Bournemouth University has become the latest to be hit by strikes, with staff set to walk out for four days this month in an attempt to disrupt exams.
The University and College Union (UCU) has called the action in response to plans to cut more than 100 academic jobs, as part of efforts to save ?20 million.
Strikes will be held on the 11 and 12 June as well as the 23 and 24 June – coinciding with scheduled exam boards.
UCU said this will mean that “the university’s ability to award degrees is likely to be disrupted and delayed”.
Other forms of industrial action are also set to disrupt operations with union members promising not to undertake any voluntary activities or cover for absent colleagues. Lectures cancelled as a result of the strikes will not be rescheduled.?
It follows a vote by the union in favour of strikes, with 75 per cent voting yes on a turnout of 78 per cent.
UCU said Bournemouth’s plans will see 15 courses permanently closed including undergraduate degrees in English, politics and anthropology.
Taking into account cuts to professional services staff, the overall number of jobs being lost is over 200, the union claimed.
It further said that academics’ research time and other terms and conditions such as how workloads are managed is under threat.
Universities across the country have been forced to cut back due to a cocktail of rising costs and declining income.
But the union pointed to Bournemouth being in surplus and having ?150 million in net financial assets as reasons why the cuts were not needed. ?
General secretary Jo Grady said that vice-chancellor Alison Honour had “enjoyed a long career leading arts and humanities faculties, yet within months of becoming Bournemouth vice-chancellor is overseeing a devastating attack on just those subjects”.
Branch chair William Proctor added that the strikes were intending to stop management “destroying the institution that staff have done so much to build”.
The cuts would “render the university unrecognisable, irreparably harming students’ education” he added, comparing it to “an old polytechnic”.
Proctor said that the attempts to redraw terms and conditions “added insult to injury” and the branch had “reported the university to the Office for Students for breaching articles of governance and other agreements”.
A university spokesperson said:?“We are disappointed that this action is taking place at a time when we are concentrating on supporting the university’s future in consultation with our staff and trade unions.?
“Our priority is to minimise the impact this could have on our students and we have contingency plans ready for exam boards if needed.”?
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