Principal Pete Edwards’ end-of-year message has been criticised by staff for its “tin ear” regarding the university’s 25/26 academic year.
At the start of this week, the University of Aberdeen’s leader issued a message to staff at the conclusion of the graduation ceremonies. Hailing the moment as a time to “pause and reflect”, the address contained over 1,500 words detailing the university’s “significant progress” across the Aberdeen 2040 strategic priorities this year.
The message highlights the university’s successes in research, quality of education, regional engagement, and global partnerships, emphasising the institution’s ties to China and India, with the university’s Mumbai campus still set to open this September.
However, the message forgets to mention the troubles that have faced the university across the academic year, including two sets of industrial actions, significant job losses, course reductions, and millions of pounds of financial cuts.
The omission of these setbacks has not been received well, with one member of teaching staff saying that the principal’s words reflected an “alternate reality” from the real state of the university.
Remaining anonymous, this staff member shared their opinion with The Gaudie:
“It seems the principal is reflecting an alternative reality where jobs, disciplines, and the integrity of our governance structures are not under attack.
“I’m sure the summer will be far more relaxing for those in senior management, whose own jobs are never on the line.”
Another senior member of staff spoke anonymously to The Gaudie, stating the principal’s message was “exactly what they had expected”.
“It’s clear to everyone that he’s just not up to the job, so he needs to patronise university staff until he at least feels that he is.
“Unfortunately, I think that’s how he’s making decisions too, taking courses of action that offer him reassurance that he’s the man in charge.
“It’s a rolling disaster that everyone wonders how long it can continue.”
The university’s staff and students are currently feeling the impacts of a £10 million saving plan in order to pull a planned surplus of £4 million. University court proposals in May announced that 111 FTE staff would be made redundant, as well as implementing other saving measures such as student:staff ratios, restructuring individual schools into larger umbrella faculties, and cutting smaller courses.
These changes have not been received positively.
The University and College Union (UCU) reported a staff health and wellbeing crisis seeing staff morale drop 35% in the last year.
An open letter to the university garnered over 1600 signatures, directing UoA to treat staff as “assets, not liabilities.”
Amidst these financial troubles, this week the university announced a £200k spending plan to convert the historic Chanonry Lodge into an events space, as well as four new ‘executive dean’ positions to manage the institution’s restructured four faculties.
This senior management shuffle is part of the £10 million saving plan, intended to “streamline the decision making” according to principal Edwards in his recent interview with The Gaudie.
The Gaudie’s exclusive interview with Pete Edwards is available to listen to now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-aberdeen-uni-in-safe-hands/id1526758768?i=1000775817312&l=zh-Hant-TW
