by Fred Byrne, Ana Kolesnyk & Emily Reid.
Aberdeen alumni and lecturers have challenged Aberdeen university bosses on their financial management.
With distant sounds of dance music and cheering students at the annual rugby sevens outside, those inside King’s Auditorium faced a more serious Saturday at the General Council meeting.
Concerns over potentially damaging effects of restructuring proposals and perceived failures to generate more revenue were raised by University of Aberdeen alumni alongside current lecturers.
Professor Peter’s principals questioned
It was the first General Council meeting for Principal Pete Edwards, who has been criticised by staff for refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies and for his swift approach to pursuing cuts. Prof Edwards said, “Aberdeen University is often too slow to change.”
At the meeting, he touted his expertise in artificial intelligence and large scale data management, and said he had brought in over £20 million in funding while he was a researcher.
Professor Benjamin Martin challenged the Principal on staff mental health, pointing to the triple suicide of professors in the 1980s, one of which included was his cousin Dr Nicola Mackie.
On their way into the auditorium, attendees had picked up the print-outs of the article ‘Remember Nicola. Do not make the same mistake’ from Gaudie news bins.
Dismissing parallels between restructuring then and now, Principal Edwards insisted that questions on the deaths were not relevant to discussions about Adapting for Continued Success.
“Staff are the largest cost of the university,” the Principal told attendees when discussing the university’s need to cut costs.
This comment appeared to upset some staff members, who said their work did not feel appreciated. One lecturer told the Principal, “staff are the point… accusing staff of being the problem is unfair, unacceptable and unreasonable, and harms the culture here.”
Prof Pete responded, “I refute what has just been said.”
Despite numerous and persistent requests, The Gaudie has been unable to interview the Principal since his appointment in November.
Campus commercialisation discussed
An overview of the university’s finances and its challenges was presented by chief financial officer Mark White who pointed out that 47% of Scottish universities are currently projecting deficits.
The mantra “consolidate, commercialise, decarbonise” was repeated as the institution’s strategy to resolve underperforming finances. Information on student recruitment and research funding was shared, but many of the meeting’s participants were evidently keen to interrogate revenue generation through commercialisation.
“The finances seem to park income at student numbers,” observed one participant, asking, “Where was revenue generation lost historically and how much money will new initiatives make?”
Mr White blamed Covid, among other factors, for historic problems in generating university revenue through commercialisation.
Estates director Morag Beers highlighted recent initiatives to boost effective use of services on university-owned land and property. She presented how leasing university spaces to external partners, such as the Greens shop at Hillhead student village and the new operator of MacRobert café, aims to cut losses.
A recent move to generate revenue includes the university’s new ‘The Wee Shop’, opened as a gift retailer on High Street. It aims to make money by selling sweets and branded souvenirs to students and visitors alike.
In the near future, university bosses aim to make more plans to make money from tourists including a visitor centre and a whisky shop. This comes after pleas by staff members to monetise tourism on campus.
Looking forward, presented plans included transforming the Principal’s official accommodation at Chanonry Lodge into a reception space for dinners and events as Prof Edwards has chosen not to reside at the property.
Plans for ‘Reimagining the Campus’ as part of the Aberdeen 2040 strategy were also presented. Approved actions include reintroducing a university presence in the city centre at Marischal College, ‘King’s Innovation Quarter Hub’ which will aim to utilise unused property, ‘Labs for the Future’, and transformation of the MacRobert Building and its Business School.
Beyond the futuristic imagery and language of innovation, some staff members told The Gaudie they left with frustrations, disillusionment and questions about the university’s plans for the future.
‘Adapting for Continues Success’ fears
Professor Edwards presented the controversial Adapting for Continued Success programme at the meeting, stating the 12-school structure was “financially fragile” with a “gap between central administration and heads of school”.
The names of the proposed school faculties are illustrative and could be renamed. At present, the four school faculties are planned as such:
- Arts and Humanities
- Business, Law and Social Sciences
- Science and Engineering
- Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
University Court is to consider comments, which can be sent to gest@abdn.ac.uk, on the draft resolution for four faculties until 1st June, with the body meeting to make a final vote on June 26th.
The Gaudie understands that court members will also meet at the end of May to vote on controversial minimum student thresholds, which have been feared to threaten 200 jobs.