Senior research staff at Glasgow Caledonian University face the prospect of having their contributions assessed through a “blunt” scoring exercise, which union leaders have called “humiliating” and akin to applying for their own jobs.
Following a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme in March, the university announced in May the launch of a further savings programme as it continues to pursue its goal of reducing around 100 posts in response to a £36 million drop in income.
Although some posts were cut during the initial voluntary scheme, the university did not make enough progress and expanded its savings plan to include potential cuts in outreach, estates, research and the GCU London campus.
Union representatives from the University College Union (UCU) and the EIS University Lecturers Association (EIS/ULA) have spoken out about the decision to target research staff in particular, which they say is potentially damaging to both staff and the university.
Dr Nick McKerrell, a senior lecturer and branch secretary of EIS/ULA at the university, whose members are on strike this week, said the process proposed by management could encourage voluntary departure.
“It’s scaring people, and they feel it is going to be humiliating,” he said. “It’s not because they think they’re untouchable but because the role they have in the university is so central, and now it’s just been boiled down to cost.
“The process is designed to make people not want to be there anymore.”
Although the university is still consulting on the exact course of action it will take, it has sent communications to staff outlining potential criteria and processes that could be used if compulsory redundancies become necessary.
Included in this is what Dr McKerrell described as an evaluation process by which senior researchers and professors will be “marked out of 10” based on their performance and output — a process he said is difficult, if not impossible, to carry out objectively across disciplines.
He said much of the process amounted to a punishment and “a humiliation that people might want to avoid,” expecting that it would encourage many to depart voluntarily rather than “apply for their own job."
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A spokesman for the university directly refuted the interpretation that researchers would be scored out of 10, although he confirmed that GCU management has shared the criteria and selection process for identifying posts “that could be subject to compulsory redundancy.”
“This does not include research staff being scored out of 10, although each member’s contribution will be evaluated across a set of objective criteria, including strategic alignment, contribution to citizenship and leadership, and contribution to education.
“This evidence-based process will be undertaken by an independent panel.
The spokesman added that professors who are seconded into a managerial role are not part of this process, because they are not expected to carry out research while seconded.
The university also said it has not confirmed the number of research positions it plans to cut, nor does it have subject- or discipline-specific targets for savings.
Asked whether there would be universal assessment criteria or whether researchers would be evaluated according to their disciplines, the spokesman said the proposals are “still subject to consultation”.
He added: “However, discipline-specific context will be gathered through a robust data collection process that staff will fully input into.”
One of the concerns raised by Dr McKerrell is that the evaluation process will be emotionally and professionally taxing enough to encourage senior staff to depart — potentially for other jobs within the sector.
Asked whether the university had concerns that this approach might lead to the loss of staff it wishes to keep or who would have made it through the evaluation process, the spokesman said:
“We appreciate this is an extremely difficult process. The University values the dedication, professionalism and expertise of our research community and we are totally committed to continuing to deliver high-quality research which delivers economic and social benefits for Glasgow, Scotland and globally.
“With the need to identify staff savings following the substantial drop in income, the proposal relating to research posts seeks to ensure the University’s research focuses on areas of strength, impact, and excellence which are financially sustainable in the future.”
Dr Karen Lorimer, University and College Union (UCU) branch president at GCU, raised concerns about the structure of the research cuts under the current proposals and the long-term effects they could have on the university.
“Many of our members have told us they find the prospect of having decades of academic achievement reduced to a blunt scoring exercise deeply distressing,” she said.
“This is damaging staff morale and undermining confidence in the fairness of the consultation.”
Dr Lorimer said the union found it particularly concerning that staff were being subjected to a performance assessment during a redundancy consultation.
“Redundancy is about a diminished need for work, not judging the performance of individuals,” she said.
“We continue to urge the University to extend the consultation period, engage meaningfully with the trade unions on alternatives that could avoid compulsory redundancies, and provide the evidence demonstrating that these proposals are both necessary and sustainable.”
Dr Lorimer added: “Research excellence is built over many years but can be dismantled very quickly.
“Across the higher education sector there is growing recognition that short-term responses to financial pressures should not undermine universities’ long-term capacity to deliver outstanding research, high-quality education and their wider civic mission.”
