University of Portsmouth lecturers and students hold online rally over proposed redundancies

The university’s executive board are due to meet on Monday (July 27) to make a final decision on a the proposal to cut the number staff from 13 to five. University leaders have previously cited a ‘24 per cent reduction in applicants for English Literature’ and a ‘constant decline in applicants since 2015/16’ as the reason for the proposed redundancies.

However the School of Area Studies, History, Politics and Literature (SASHPL) United group dispute this and said that while the number of applicants has decreased the number of first-year students starting English literature courses ‘are up by 29 per cent’.

The online rally is due to take place at 4pm tomorrow (July 23) with speakers including labour councillor, Cal Corkery, and University and College Union general secretary, Dr Jo Grady.

A member of the SASHPL group commented: ‘We just want to raise awareness of what’s happening, put our voice forward and put pressure on the university. We want to be able to look in the mirror and know we did everything we could.’

The rally will also include English literature professors from other universities.

The SASHPL member added: ‘It’s not just about the proposed redundancies but about promoting the importance of English literature and the other humanities and arts subjects. There’s a fear this could possibly happen at other universities.’

Click here to take part in the online rally.

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