Staff and unions held a protest outside of Glasgow Caledonian University on Wednesday morning amid plans to cut 100 jobs.
Last month GCU announced that it "urgently needs to reduce costs" due to a £33million loss of income.
While the establishment hopes to achieve this with a programme of "targeted voluntary redundancy", it has not ruled out compulsory redundancies.
The governing body of the University, the Court, met to discuss the future strategy of the institution.
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Unions argue that GCU has more than £90m in cash reserves, which it says is the second highest of any Scottish university, and could use that to prevent job losses.
Staff and unions gathered outside the meeting to protest the planned cuts on Wednesday.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Scything jobs cuts at Glasgow Caledonian University whilst top tier executives sit upon a £90 million mountain of cash reserves is as inexplicable as it is unacceptable.
“Staff are the lifeblood of our higher education institutions. Cutting numbers and expecting departments to deliver the world-class standards both staff and students expect is entirely incompatible.
“All unions involved – EIS/ULA, UCU, UNITE and UNISON – are fighting for an education system fit for purpose. To do so, both Scottish Government must fund it adequately and university management must cease and desist from a cuts agenda that serves no one, least of all the hardworking, dedicated staff that uphold our institutions."
A GCU spokesperson said: "A spokesperson for the University said: “The University is facing a £10m financial deficit next year following a substantial reduction in international student numbers leading to a £33m drop in income over two years. We therefore need to make urgent changes at the University, including to staffing levels, to adapt to this new reality. While some reserves may be used in the coming period, we must ensure that our costs are at a sustainable level to safeguard the University’s long-term future.
“We appreciate this is a difficult time for the staff directly involved in this process. We are continuing to work with them and our trade union colleagues to find ways to mitigate the impact of these changes, while maintaining a high-quality experience for our students.”
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