Students say lecturers at risk of losing jobs 'treated with disregard'

UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED PROPOSALS THAT COULD SEE AROUND 265 REDUNDANCIES

- By OSCAR FISHER

FINAL-YEAR University of Derby students have shared their “deep concern” over the way university staff have been treated following redundancy proposals.

Last week, the university announced proposals that could see around 265 staff lose their jobs, prompting students from one course to write an open letter to bosses.

The letter was shared by BA journalism student Danielle Williams on behalf of her course mates to express their “collective outrage, sadness and deep concern” regarding the proposals, adding: “To see them treated with such disregard is nothing short of appalling.”

The letter continued: “We are shocked that, as tuition-paying students, paying £9,250 per year, we are now facing the very real risk of having the quality of our education compromised. This is not the experience we were promised.

“We are particularly dismayed that these cuts come at such a critical time in our education. This is our final year. Several of the lecturers facing redundancy are currently teaching the modules that are vital to the completion of our degrees.