Lecturers at Perth College are concerned plans by bosses to review course offerings will damage students’ learning and harm the local community.
Perth College is one of 13 partner colleges in the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) network, with a curriculum review underway which some fear will be used to cut costs at the expense of learning.
But a letter from a group of “concerned lecturers” seen by The Courier said UHI should instead focus on cutting its “top-heavy” senior management team.
They highlighted three recent vacancies for vice principals which they say offered candidates a salary upwards of £100,000 per year.
New UHI principal attracts controversy
New principal Professor Todd Walker attracted controversy recently after stating the days of “vanity courses” at the institution were over.
He told The Inverness Courier: “I’d go on the record as saying the days of having a vanity course, unit or subject are over.
“We’re not here to study something for which there is no direct employment, growing market or sector.”
Later clarifying his comments, Prof Walker apologised for any distress his comments caused after concerns were raised by students, staff and local politicians.
“There is no hidden agenda, or message in this article from me that some courses or subject areas are more important than others,” he said.
‘Cut managers not courses’ lecturers tell UHI
But despite the reassurances, some lecturers are still concerned about the cost-saving plans.
One lecturer in Perth, who asked to remain anonymous through fear for their position, said that they hoped UHI would not cut courses just they are not “highly regarded”.
“The communities we serve will be poorer if we start cutting courses just because they aren’t the most highly regarded,” the lecturer said.
Others pointed to potential savings in UHI’s management structure, which includes Professor Todd Walker and a team of 16 senior managers responsible for the “overall operation” of the university.
Each of the 13 partner colleges, including Perth, also has its own principal and management team, with many roles seemingly duplicated across the network despite commanding large salaries.
‘Breath-taking’ duplication of senior managers, college lecturers claim
A letter sent to The Courier from staff at Perth College said the duplication of managers and administration across the UHI was “breath-taking”.
It said they were “deeply disappointed” management did not look at the “grossly top-heavy” management structure.
The group called for an independent inquiry into the structure of the college’s senior management before any cuts to the courses offered were made.
The anonymous lecturer who spoke to The Courier added: “It does seem obvious to most of us that if there are savings to be made it shouldn’t be learning that is targeted first.
Professor Walker’s comments about ‘vanity courses’ were ignorant at best
Perth College lecturer
“[Professor Walker’s] comments about ‘vanity courses’ were ignorant at best. I was glad he tried to clarify what he meant because lots of people were worried by them if that is the direction they intend to take.”
Responding to the letter from concerned staff, a spokeswoman for UHI said they had recently published a new strategic plan entitled “daring to be different”.
UHI respond to concern
UHI have also said the new plan addresses three important areas for the institution, including its financial position.
“We need to improve our financial position by diversifying our income base including attracting international students to study at our colleges – thereby enriching the student and staff experience as well as bringing people to our communities and address population decline in some parts of our region,” a spokeswoman said.
Mergers will also form part of UHI’s new approach under a partnership model.
We are undertaking a review of our further and higher education modules. This will be a consultative process which includes the views of our staff, students and stakeholders
University of the Highlands and Islands
“This is already underway, with the two colleges in Shetland forming Shetland UHI in summer this year.
Addressing curriculum changes, UHI said it wanted to provide courses that were “attractive, sustainable and accessible to learners across our partnership”.
Process will ‘free up staff time’ to innovate learning
“To do this, we are undertaking a review of our further and higher education modules. This will be a consultative process which includes the views of our staff, students and stakeholders over the course of five years.
“At our very core, our university partnership can only be as good as three things – our ambition, our students and our staff, whose passion and dedication will deliver our vision.”
UHI did not respond to questions from The Courier about the salaries paid to its senior management.
A spokesman for education union EIS said the union was aware of the “cost cutting” at UHI and Perth College and it will fight any compulsory redundancies.
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