The challenge, in the form of a Petition to the Visitor, from the staff member represented by the University and College Union (UCU) claimed the university bypassed the body responsible for its academic mission, the senate, when it implemented a restructure plan for the Faculty of Biological Sciences (FBS). The Petition called for action related to cost cutting plans in other departments to be put on hold while the Visitor investigated the complaint.

The Visitor’s role is confined to the question of his own jurisdiction in this matter; i.e. to whether the University correctly applied the requirement of its Charter and Statutes in respect of consultation with the Senate.

Pending the consideration of the petition, the Visitor has asked the University to take no further steps towards implementing the proposals.

The proposals referred to in the petition include the restructuring of the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the entire Economies Exercise. Precisely what this will mean remains to be seen. The UCU and the University are meeting again on Monday afternoon under the auspices of Acas. UCU remains committed to trying to achieve a negotiated settlement.

The union argues that the academic mission is the responsibility of the senate and that the university’s council and executive were not empowered, under the university’s rules of governance, to alter it without the proper consideration of the senate which, UCU claims, was not obtained at the proper time, or indeed at all.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “We are pleased that the Visitor agrees with us that the current cost cutting plans at Leeds must be put on hold to allow this issue to be properly investigated. Our universities spend millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money and it is right and just that there is proper scrutiny of how they spend that money and why certain decisions around their academic missions are taken. UCU continues to believe a sensible way forward is possible at Leeds and we call on the university to join us in meaningful negotiations to avoid a damaging dispute.”

notes
The Visitor of the university is responsible for ensuring that the institution conducts its affairs in accordance with its Charter and Statutes.