Further job cuts are planned at Goldsmiths, University of London after it predicted a ¡°significant underlying deficit for 2025-26¡±, with the institution¡¯s leader blaming?recent policy decisions by the Labour government.

Frances Corner, Goldsmiths¡¯ vice-chancellor, said a decision earlier this month by education secretary Bridget Phillipson to cut the Office for Students¡¯ strategic priorities grant ¨C removing support for courses in media studies, journalism, publishing and information services ¨C will cost it ?87,000.

This is on top of a national insurance bill that has gone up by ?1.3 million and before the impact of a potential new levy on international student fees is felt.

Writing to staff on 28 May to outline why the institution is opening another voluntary severance scheme following last year¡¯s cuts, Corner says the announcement came against ¡°a critical backdrop of government interventions impacting universities¡±.?

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Goldsmiths is in a ¡°regrettable¡± financial position, Corner says, and the ¡°main reason¡± for its forecasted deficit is falling student numbers, leading to a lack of revenue to meet rising operational costs.

The university said it will be removing ¡°as many vacancies as possible¡±, will open a voluntary severance scheme to all employees in June and enact a promotion freeze for the current academic year.?

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It is also ¡°exploring further opportunities for savings and efficiencies within professional services departments and academic faculties¡±.

Last year the university announced plans?to cut 97 roles, prompting staff to call a marking boycott and students threatening?legal action?over course and module closures. The institution eventually rowed back on its plans, with about 60 staff leaving.

Reacting to the latest news, Goldmsmiths¡¯ University and College Union branch said it was ¡°dismayed and frustrated¡± that more cost-saving measures were proposed and it would ¡°fight against them with all the means at our disposal¡±.

The branch said it recognised that ¡°clearly the funding model for HE is broken¡±, highlighting how it had been behind a recent motion to UCU congress calling for an industrial dispute with the education minister.

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But it also accused senior leaders of ¡°self-destructive cost-cutting measures that have damaged institutions, overworked staff and impoverished resources for students¡±, adding that ¡°management must be held accountable¡±.

Corner writes in the email to staff that the aim is to ¡°to secure a balanced, break-even budget for the year¡±. Although international recruitment is ¡°looking positive¡±, she says the university is waiting to see what impact the government¡¯s?recent immigration White Paper will have. Meanwhile, its home student numbers are ¡°below target¡±.?

¡°As you will know, the whole university sector is facing considerable financial challenges with the issue now rarely out of the headlines¡­other organisations are looking at more serious challenges than us, with the action we have taken in recent years ensuring we are not as exposed as other providers,¡± she writes.

¡°However, we are not immune to these pressures and must continue to act to maintain balanced finances. This is becoming harder to do as we continue to rely heavily on students¡¯ tuition fees for the significant majority of our income ¨C??show some 76 per cent of our income came from this source.¡±

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juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com