THE University and College Union (UCU) has condemned the University of Sussex management’s threat to cut 200 jobs, with about 600 staff placed at risk of redundancy.

The sackings form part of a £35 million cuts programme following a fall in student recruitment, the union said today.

UCU Sussex, along with sister branches Unison and Unite, has written to vice-chancellor Sasha Roseneil demanding that compulsory redundancies be ruled out until July 31, 2027.

The union said it would fight any threat of compulsory redundancies.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Our members will be meeting shortly to decide how to resist these threats, but we are urging management to reassure staff by ruling out compulsory redundancies and working constructively with the trade unions. 

“Sussex staff have a long history of innovative, radical teaching that university management should be supporting not cutting. 

“We back our members to find more sustainable solutions rather than further job losses.”

University of Sussex vice-chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil said it is facing difficult decisions amid the impact of the financial crisis in higher education.

She said: “This crisis results from the long-term underfunding of teaching and research, ongoing inflationary pressures, and a steep fall in international students driven by government policy changes.

“Sussex has a deeply committed community of staff and students, and I am very sorry that we have not been able to avoid this announcement of job losses.”