Causeway Coast & Glens councillor calls for 'urgent attendance' of UU Vice Chancellor to discuss 450 job cuts
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is to debate a motion calling for the ‘urgent attendance’ of the Vice Chancellor of Ulster University to discuss the possible loss of 450 jobs.
DUP councillor Philip Anderson has tabled a Notice of Motion to be discussed at the full Council meeting on Tuesday, May 6.
The motion, seconded by his party colleague Councillor Tanya Elder, reads: “That this Council requests the urgent attendance of the Vice Chancellor of Ulster University to discuss the announcement that up to 450 staff could lose their jobs.
"Assurances must be given that Coleraine Campus will not suffer disproportionately, should these job cuts go ahead.”
Earlier this month, reports emerged that university staff were informed of a proposed voluntary scheme by Vice Chancellor Paul Bartholomew during an online meeting on Wednesday, April 15.
Ulster University in total has around 3,100 staff.
At the time, an Ulster University spokesperson said: “Redundancies across the Higher Education Sector have become unavoidable. To date, more than 100 institutions across the UK have downsized their staffing complement.
"Ulster University has sought to hold off on making redundancies while continuing to work with the Department for the Economy, through their reviews, on possible changes to the HE funding model in Northern Ireland.
"It has recently been made clear to us that a sustainable funding model is not going to be forthcoming, and regretfully we must now act to reduce our costs.”