Economies exercise
The recession and increasing pressure on public expenditure mean that we are facing a projected shortfall of £35m by the academic year 2011-12. We need to start planning now how we are going to make savings to bring our costs in line with the level of income we expect.
No firm plans have been formulated yet. We are at the beginning of the planning process; at this stage, we are simply gathering information, ideas, proposals and options to inform planning.
It is too soon to say how many or what type of job losses there might be. University policy is to reduce staffing by voluntary means wherever possible. Working with the unions, we will do all in our power to avoid compulsory redundancies; they are and will remain a last resort, and are certainly not imminent.
All parts of the University – schools, faculties and services – have to identify possible savings to help us to meet the shortfall. Our mission and strategy – world class excellence in teaching and learning, research and scholarship – is unchanged, and safeguarding these core activities remains our priority.
Below is a summary of the key dates for the next 9 months and this page will be updated as more detail becomes available.
| Date | University | External event |
| 2009 | ||
| 16 November | Faculty, school and service planning instructions released | |
| 26 November | Vice-Chancellor’s web cast | |
| 9 December | Government’s pre-Budget report | |
| 2010 | ||
| 8 January | Submission of activity analyse s and initial options for change for services and schools and draft school strategies | |
| 13 & 15 January | VCEG* and change steering group# consider initial corporate service options for change and activity analyses | |
| 19, 20 & 22 January | VCEG and change steering group consider school and faculties’ draft strategies and initial options for change and activity analyses | |
| 21 January | Council | |
| 22 January | Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) board meet to discuss Government grant letter setting out funding for 2010-11 (subject to letter being received by meeting) | |
| Late January | HEFCE grant letter to sector outlining funding for 2010-11 | |
| 3 February | Senate (Progress update on economies exercise) | |
| 4 March | HEFCE board meet to agree institutional funding allocations for 2010-11 | |
| 10 March | Senate | |
| 12 March | HEFCE grant letter received by University for 2010-11 | |
| 18 March | Council | |
| 31 March | Submission of faculty and school plans | |
| April | Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget speech | |
| 13 - 30 April | VCEG and change steering group review faculty plans | |
| May | General election (likely month) | |
| 13 May | Council | |
| June | Provisional meeting to reconsider reviewed plans, if required | |
| 9 June | Senate | |
| 21 July | Special meeting of the Senate | |
| 1 August | Start of University financial year 2010-11 | |
* Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group, # change steering group (Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching, University Secretary, Director of Finance, Director of Human Resources and Dean of the Faculty of Business).
A full list of University dates, including committees, is available at www.leeds.ac.uk/calendar/almanac.htm