Dundee University students used a rally on campus on Monday to voice their anger at the recovery plan putting 632 jobs at risk.
The protest took place after a tumultuous week at the institution in which the scale of potential job losses was set out.
The university has proposed the plan to help it plug a £35 million deficit in its finances.
More than 100 students gathered on the Campus Green at midday on Monday to protest against the plan and other cuts.
Speakers told of their anger and distress at the situation.
There were chants of “shame on you” directed at those who have presided over the crisis, while one banner said ‘cut exec salaries, not jobs’.
Four of the student protesters study work-based education at the university.
Dione Moodie, from Dundee, described the situation as “shocking”.
“There are future generations who won’t get the choice to do our course and other courses because they’re away to be cut”, she said.
“They initially cut the pantry and the breakfast as well.
“A lot of students relied on that and had to go without.”
Students hit out at university cuts
Dione continued: “All the help that we’re supposed to be getting from the university to study is disappearing.
“Most of us are not going to be able to stay here much longer.
“I’m not even an international student, but if I don’t get the help I need from the university, I won’t be able to stay here.”
Justine Campbell told The Courier she could feel how bad the staff morale was.
She said: “We don’t want to stay silent and be complicit in this.
“You can’t change anything if you’re not willing to speak.”
Anya Farnan, who is also a member of staff, added: “It’s really important to get involved and not sit back and think everything is going to be okay.”
Last week’s events at the university date back to November last year, when then principal Iain Gillespie revealed job losses would be inevitable.
When asked about the money that has been given to the university to help it during its recent struggles, Freya Wilson suggested it was “too little, too late”.
Last month it was given access to a £15m emergency loan through the Scottish Funding Council, the public body that supports the higher education sector.
The institution is in line for extra financial help after an additional £10m emergency support package for the sector was announced by the Scottish Government on Friday night.
It followed criticism of the SNP’s response to events in the City of Discovery.
But there have been calls for the Scottish Government to provide a £75m “industrial style bailout” to Dundee University to save jobs.
Justine urged former principal Mr Gillespie, replaced by Shane O’Neill in January, and other members of the University Executive Group (UEG) to take responsibility for the turmoil.
Dione added: “We don’t need all these people in fancy jobs.”
Staff redundancies plan is ‘cruel’
Staff also used the rally to criticise their employer.
Melissa D’Ascenzio, a senior lecturer in the School of Sciences, praised students for “standing up for their education”.
The academic demanded a full report into the “financial mismanagement” of the university was released.
She said: “How can they reconcile a 20% cut in academic provision in the recovery plan and the fact they say that your degree is secure?”
“When we held our strike action three weeks ago, we knew the university was going in this direction.
“We knew they were going for compulsory redundancies as its first measure.
“This is not only cruel, but it is against the university’s own policies.
“Staff numbers at the university have remained stagnant for the last five years and we’re back to staff numbers we have seen in 2020 and 2021.
“This is not a staff or student crisis. It’s a management crisis.”
‘No area of the university is likely to escape’
North East Scotland MSP Maggie Chapman, in the running to be the university’s next rector, has demanded answers on how the crisis was allowed to escalate.
She said: “No area of the university is likely to escape if the plan goes ahead.
“Why is it that so many people were kept in the dark about the scale and nature of the financial crisis?”
A Dundee University spokesperson said: “We remain committed to working towards a recovery plan to ensure the future sustainability of the University, working closely with the Scottish Funding Council and other stakeholders.
“We are also committed to a full external investigation into the factors which have contributed to the current crisis, working with the Scottish Funding Council and for which the terms of reference will be shared imminently.
“A period of collective consultation on proposed staffing reductions began last Tuesday, and will last for at least 45 days.”
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