Dundee City Council to discuss university crisis

Dundee City Councillors are to discuss the crisis at the University of Dundee at its City Governance Committee following the Liberal Democrat Group placing an item about the matter on the agenda of its next meeting.

 Group Leader Councillor Fraser Macpherson, whose West End Ward includes the university campus, said:

“Although some councillors have been meeting with staff, students and the university leadership – I myself have met staff and students on the picket line and met Blair Grubb, the university's Vice-Principal (Education) last Friday – the Liberal Democrat Group felt that given the scale of the crisis and the possible huge loss of jobs, it was vital that the matter was discussed by all city councillors at the City Governance Committee.” 

“I would add that I have also written to the other council group leaders seeking cross-party support for this. This is a time for everyone no matter their political affiliation to be speaking with one voice in defence of the staff and students at the University of Dundee.”

The Liberal Democrat Group said that all steps had to be taken to take the proposed large numbers of staff redundancies are taken off the table and that jobs are protected.

 Councillor Michael Crichton, also a West End Ward councillor, added:

 “The Scottish Government's  initial response to the crisis appeared tardy and the initial loan of £15 million was hugely insufficient to avoid job losses. I welcome the additional support of £10 million announced on Friday but there is still a huge funding gap.

“There is a need for the Scottish Government to step up further and assist the university far more positively than it has to date."

 “There is also a need for a review of student financing in Scotland and Willie Rennie MSP and others made this clear in the parliament last week. We have to remember that the income Scottish universities receive per home student is around £2000 less per annum than the equivalents in England and this needs to be addressed. The University of Dundee situation is not unique and there is a funding crisis right across higher education in Scotland."

“There is also an acceptance that independent review of the university’s leadership, executive and governance arrangements is now inevitable.”

Councillor Macpherson added that he was very critical of the comments made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves in Fife on Friday that the international students’ visa issue played no part in the funding crisis. The University of Dundee’s international students intake has dropped from 1650 two years ago to just 700 today.  

He added:

 “It is self-evident that removing the right of international students to bring their spouse and dependents for their period of study has had a devastating effect on international student numbers and has cost the university – and other universities – millions. Rachel Reeves’ comments were simply erroneous.”