Frustrated Students Share their Worries about the Future of their Studies.

Eva Milne, Connor Bertie.

This week, Interim Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shane O’Neill announced 632 redundancies and the merging of eight schools into three faculties.

Staff Striking Outside Tower Building (Eva Milne)

We students are all scared about the future of our studies, and the Jute Journal is here to express those worries. We have surveyed students' opinions, and the results speak for themselves. Wilson McDonald, a first-year history student said:

‘I’m not afraid of missing out on my degree, but I’m afraid of not being able to enjoy it.’  

Younger students have expressed concerns about not being able to finish their degrees, especially on Dunfess. However, an email to students was sent yesterday assuring the security of our degrees; in what capacity is still unknown.  

In the announced proposals toward financial recovery, O’Neill said there would be ‘a review of teaching efficiency to achieve a 20% reduction in module delivery’. The future of assignments and lecture contact time is up in the air, and this will significantly impact students of practical subjects, such as art student’s workshops and science student's lab time. However, it can be speculated that the deficit will eliminate already low-capacity classes; for example, humanities modules, such as languages.  

‘The students are just pushed through the system like a sausage factory’ said one student.

‘Despite the countless reassurances, the wool has not been pulled over student’s eyes. We as students rely on the university as a gateway to our futures and invest time, money and emotional resources to make that future reality. It is simply not good enough that we are continuously let down,’ said law student, Nick Whelan. 

‘It’s been weeks since I went to class. Because I don’t have any classes anymore, my professors are either absent or on strike,’ stated Lisa Belkhier, a 3rd year exchange student.  

The UEG’s lack of transparency amidst the financial crisis has not been missed by students. Distress amongst students is rife following recent events, including the resignation of Principal Iain Gillespie in November.  

Despite showboating the university as the UK's ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial University’ as well as the Scottish ‘University of the year 2025’, Iain Gillespie has found it incredibly easy to jump ship shortly after personally revealing both.  

The downplaying of announcements last semester did not prepare students for the turbulence of this semester. Whelan said,

‘these issues were likely evident to senior management long before the ‘bomb’ was dropped on staff, students, and Dundee’.

The ‘bomb’ here has come in the form of a £35m deficit, however, it clearly has not yet exploded as the impacting blast upon the university may take up to £75m to clear the institution from danger. But how exactly this deficit has developed is still unclear. Student’s intuition has been quick to identify possible parties at fault:  

‘I think the announcement downplays how much the UEG is at fault, mentioning outside factors like the reduction in international students and the increase in national insurance contributions, vaguely talking about poor investment choices and bad admin'.

I think the deficit was something hidden by certain members of the UEG for a long time - a deficit this large doesn't just appear overnight and certainly not over just a year,’ an anonymous student said.  

Although the majority of students support the strike, we have all suffered in various ways. The long-term future of the university is unclear; however, the short-term reality is that the length of the strikes is unknown and will likely extend. Furthermore, final assessments and the next academic year is shrouded in uncertainty. 

Note: Alexander Stewart and Emma Thomson contributing to the reporting and researching.