On Tuesday 11 February, in an email to all university staff, Principal and Vice Chancellor Sir Peter Mathieson warned that “nothing is off the table” in regard to the university’s ongoing financial crisis.
Mathieson said in today’s email that the University of Edinburgh’s voluntary severance (VS) scheme application period, originally planned to close on Sunday 16 February, will be extended until Friday 28 February.
Voluntary severance is a pre-existing policy at the university, and is a service for staff to choose to leave their jobs during a period when the university is looking to control spending.
Edinburgh’s voluntary severance policy states that:
“The University is committed to avoiding making compulsory redundancies wherever reasonably possible, however if not enough people opt for VS, compulsory redundancies may be required.”
Mathieson’s email stated that “other measures will be needed in the near future” to “secure the University’s financial sustainability.”
These other measures “might include restructuring, possible closures of programmes or even Schools, mergers or shared services between Schools, centralisation of some services, outsourcing of others.”
Mathieson warned university staff to expect “selective voluntary and, if unavoidable, compulsory redundancy” in November 2024.
University executive management are yet to release confirmed details of how Edinburgh will address its financial issues.
At present, the University is failing to meet its financial sustainability goals, and is on track to record a deficit this financial year.
Mathieson’s email today said that senior staff will discuss the financial situation on 18 February and provide more information about redundancies after the date.
The University of Edinburgh’s autumn redundancies announcement has previously been strongly criticised by UCU Edinburgh. They say that “the numbers don’t add up” and any job cuts are “a decision, not a necessity.”
Mathieson’s email to staff concluded with a statement that “inaction would leave us rapidly heading towards the deficit position in which many universities already find themselves.”
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