STUDENTS at the University of Brighton occupied the vice-chancellor’s office today in solidarity with staff facing redundancy.

Earlier this month, university workers were told that 130 jobs will be cut due to a restructuring of the workforce by June 20, while the institution also looks at “growing student numbers.”

The students, organising under the group UoBSolidarity, said they were “horrified not only at the irreparable damage that is being done to our education but particularly also for the staff who will be losing their source of income during this ongoing cost-of-living crisis.”

A sign on the window of the office by the students reads: “We have one demand: No redundancies.

“This is a peaceful occupation. We do not intend on damaging anything.

“We are here indefinitely until our demands are met.”

Students said that some will see the choices they made for their futures either completely cut off or severely limited due to certain pathways, such as in humanities and social science subjects, being affected by cuts.

The university has said the redundancies are to save £17.9 million, but UoBSolidarity criticised management for investing more than £50m in building projects such as a new high-rise development on the Moulsecoomb campus.

One anonymous lecturer said: “Redundancies and cuts diminish expertise, limit course options, hinder research and increase the workload for remaining faculty, jeopardising the quality of education and the development of well-rounded students.

“I have witnessed first-hand the profound negative impact of this on my colleagues’ — and my own — mental health and wellbeing.

“These actions, driven by budget constraints and neoliberal restructuring efforts, also have far-reaching consequences for our curriculum, hampering both students’ ability to pursue their academic interests and the lecturers’ opportunity to undertake serious and meaningful research.”

University and College Union (UCU) chairman Mark Abel said that the vice-chancellor has “consistently mismanaged” the institution and is now attempting to make ordinary staff pay for her mistakes.

He said: “UCU calls on the vice-chancellor and the senior management team to resign.

“If they have mismanaged the university to such an extent that these cuts are truly necessary, then they should take responsibility.

“If the vice-chancellor insists on staying in post, the board of governors will be forced to consider dismissing her.

“Shiny buildings mean nothing if there’s no expertise for the students.”

The university was approached for comment.