Image: Terry Robinson
Students at the University of Sheffield have written a letter to the Vice-Chancellor in support of their lecturers’ strikes, over concerns staff will face compulsory redundancies.
Final year Modern Languages and Cultures students sent a firmly worded email to senior management demanding they are reimbursed for any missed tuition due to the industrial action, which has been taking place for the last four weeks.
They said they feel frustrated that, despite plans for a new £86 million STEM building, their tutors may lose their jobs.
This comes after the University revealed they are still navigating financial challenges.
As well as being concerned about her own education, one student, Beatris, 21, said: “The main cause of concern is the welfare of the staff. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’re going to be paid or not, or if they are about to lose their job from an institution they have been so loyal to.”
The students are trying to balance their allegiances to their lectures with the importance of their final year studies.
They have voiced concerns their education will suffer due to the ongoing disputes, stating in the letter: “We feel uncomfortable paying into a system that does not fairly reward or recognise the efforts of our lecturers.”
In response to the strikes, the University has proposed lecturers should make up missed teaching hours in January. They otherwise risk losing 100% of their pay for the hours spent on strike.
Modern Languages and Cultures student, Kirsten, 23, said. “The University’s decision to find a loophole so they don’t have to pay out compensation to the students says to me that they don’t even care for the students they are supposedly serving.”
The University claims these cuts are being made due to financial strain, saying they need to save £50.7 million.
Though it has offered “to commit to there being no compulsory redundancies before 31 October 2026 and an additional pause on all new restructures until April 2026,” the UCU have refused to settle.
In response, the UCU stated: “A good risk management process will identify and make these changes gradually without disrupting the operations or resorting to large scale human/financial costs (like firing or massive restructuring of employees).”
Beatris and Kirsten fear potential redundancies will follow a growing trend at UK universities, including Cardiff and Nottingham, where arts and humanities degrees are being cut.
Another student, Lucy, 21, said: “This affirms the view that the arts in general are being neglected. It shows the increasing demand for STEM-based careers and the arts are being sidelined.”
Potential redundancies have been announced despite plans for a new £86 million Central Teaching Laboratory in the Faculty of Science to ‘attract high quality students to Sheffield.
Esme, 22, also a Modern Languages and Cultures student, said: “It makes us feel undervalued. We pay the same fees as STEM students.”
