On the eve of its 200th anniversary, staff have been warned of 140 job losses, reportedly to claw back funds to cover a £13m shortfall. The Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) said the cuts threatened to “wipe out” Birkbeck’s proud history and could jeopardize its contribution to social mobility and lifelong learning. According to UCU, directors have emailed staff confirming plans to cut 84 academic and 56 administrative posts by July 2023, including up to 11 staff in English, theater and creative writing (ETC), 10 in geography, seven in politics, the same in film, media and cultural studies, six in philosophy and a further six in language, cultures and applied linguistics. Broadcaster Joan Bakewell, who as president of Birkbeck spent last week presiding over graduations, said: “I am personally very concerned to see the English department suffering so badly. As a member of the British Academy I share their wider concerns that the humanities across the board are under threat. I have made my views known to the vice chancellor. Joan Bakewell, who is chairwoman of Birkbeck, said she was concerned about the cuts to the English department. Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage “It seems the case for the humanities needs to be made again. While the sciences and high-tech subjects result in discoveries of direct application to how we live, the humanities uphold the values that make life itself worth living.” Since the news broke, there has been an outpouring of dismay at the proposed cuts, as well as tributes to the special role Birkbeck has played – and continues to play – in higher education, bringing together students from all over the world and all walks of life to study between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Birkbeck began life in 1823 as the London Institute of Engineers, with the stated aim of educating the working class, and played a radical and pioneering role in reaching students who would otherwise not go to university, with its unique evening study model. One former pupil recalled studying alongside a stripper from Soho’s Raymond Revue bar and a PR executive, while others learned alongside artist Tracey Emin, adventurer Bear Grylls and actors Daisy Ridley and Simon Bird. A petition against cuts to the English department alone has gathered nearly 8,000 signatures and a joint letter has been sent by the English Association, the Institute of English Studies and University English expressing dismay at the proposed cuts, warning they would be “devastating” for the long-term reputation of the college. Dr Masuda Qureshi, posting a photo of her graduation this week, tweeted: “A bittersweet moment as I graduate with a PhD from @BirkbeckUoL. The day was overshadowed by the looming threat to my world leading @birkbeck ETC division facing 50% redundancies. The department made me, a brown-haired female doctor – cuts will jeopardize that for future beards.’ Marina Warner, author and lecturer in English and creative writing at Birkbeck, also tweeted: “Defending ourselves and our students from threats – no job cuts in English at Birkbeck, University of London! – Sign the Petition! via @UKChange” She was planning to retire but will now stand in solidarity with her colleagues. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Describing the cuts as deplorable, he told the Guardian: “Birkbeck has a special place in people’s consciousness. They know that he has done something quite remarkable a long time ago, and that he is still doing it. And it should be encouraged and encouraged and invested in, not diminished.” Other leading figures in the arts and culture echoed Warner’s dismay at yet another attack on the arts, including playwright James Graham, whose BBC TV drama Sherwood was a recent hit. “Job losses at Birkbeck and of course they are in English and theatre. Civilization is a success story and it’s starting to fail,” he tweeted. UCU members, who voted for a motion of no confidence in senior leadership, blamed “mistakes by senior management”. Critics claim millions have been spent on new buildings, while planning for post-Brexit changes to enrollments has been inadequate. The vice-chancellor, Professor David Latchman, is among the highest paid university leaders in the country with a salary of more than £385,000. A Birkbeck spokesman said: “It is not true that 140 jobs are ‘to be cut’. Birkbeck is consulting on proposals and no decisions have yet been made on them.’ The spokesman said the proposals were part of a wider strategy to respond to changes in demand for different courses, the ways students want to learn and the value of undergraduate tuition fees which have halved in real terms since 2012. to be completely irresponsible and mismanaged if we ignore these changes and environmental challenges.” Former Labor shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who did a master’s degree at Birkbeck and is an honorary fellow, tabled a motion early calling on the university’s management to rule out compulsory redundancies. “Birkbeck is a unique institution that enables access to higher education for people who often cannot take time away from work. “It has been a fertile ground for politicians, civil servants and major contributors in areas of public service. It is a place that over the years has changed people’s lives, opening up new vistas and opportunities. We cannot allow it to be decimated in this way.” Another Birkbeck graduate, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, said: “Birkbeck is a gem in top quality higher education, especially for working people looking for a change of direction. In my mid-20s I decided to do a postgraduate degree, leaving two nights a week to study economics at Tottenham Court Road. “So for people looking for high-quality part-time or evening education, I cannot recommend Birkbeck highly enough. I would urge Conservative ministers to engage Birkbeck as a matter of urgency or risk further undermining one of Britain’s flagship institutions.” McDonnell and Davey belong to a long and illustrious list of notable Birkbeckians that includes the social reformer Annie Besant (1847-1933), the political leader and advocate of Pan-Africanism Marcus Garvey (1887-1940) and Britain’s first Labor Prime Minister, Ramsay. MacDonald (1866-1937). Among those who have taught there are the poet, playwright and literary critic T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), aesthetics professor Roger Scruton (1944-2020) and historian Eric Hobsbawm, who joined Birkbeck as a lecturer in 1947 and remained until his death in 2012.
