Redundancies at Sussex

[louderthan]

Leaked this morning. I knew it was coming but I’m still absolutely reeling. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7v9ynd7m57o

We need a more US model (never thought I’d say that) where at one end you have Ivy Leagues with high fees, but large enough endownments so admission is needs blind, and at the other end local community colleges that are very cheap and provide simpler tertiary education but also a route into the more traditional universities after two years or for postgraduate.

the courses are harder. They just are. You cannot compare the difficulty at Cambridge to Coventry and believe they are equivalent.

I have moved between 4 RG universities, 2 at the very top of the pile and 2 at the middle (but still RG). The difference in the students' work was enormous.

@Blackcordoroys very much my experience too. Applies especially to the more old-fashioned academic uni degrees - straight subjects - rather than the more vocational which are often better at the newer unis. The difficulty in coursework reflects the ability (and expectations) of the intake - it has to, especially in the more consumer-driven context we have now.

Sad thing is that aside from the obvious impact on employees the students will be affected and this could potentially snowball issues for the university. I see a lot of videos on TikTok currently about Nottingham after that’s made the headlines for large scale redundancies. People who are meant to be going in Sept saying they won’t go now. They’ll go through clearing if necessary for somewhere else. They don’t want to take the risk that they start and modules are cancelled, courses merged, staff cuts mean less support. Other people a year younger saying they won’t apply next year.

Universities who cut costs, cut staff, etc will find that the students notice the change and they will vote with their feet in future years.

Dd had the choice between a few different RG universities last Sept and decided on Manchester. One of the things we considered was the financial position of the different choices.

Worrying times.

DP works in finance in HE (systems etc).

I am at a bottom of the league table university. My partner is at mid of the league table one. We teach the same subject which requires an empirical research report. The amount of support he gives his students is insane compared to mine and their work is of similar quality. We teach exactly the same modules and our students' work is comparable across the two but he tends to mark higher because of complaints.

I change my students' lives. He facilitates his students in a life they would lead anyway.

In the bustle of competition and ROI, we seem to have forgotten the broader civic role of universities and education more generally. It has become about individual rather than societal profit. My current students come from the lowest socio-economic demographic and mainly from non traditional backgrounds and I have published papers with them, been challenged intellectually by them and have been inspired every day by their commitment. My partner simply does not have the same experience.

I utterly reject the narrative that universities are not for the likes of the students I teach. Yes, some are not cut out for it and I hate that we are pushed by financial obligations to make offers we might not otherwise but please don't write off whole cohorts.