Bleak Midwinter?

How should we understand the recent spate of restructuring in English higher education?

So far, it has been a winter of discontent for many universities. Since the start of December, there have been reports of redundancy schemes, course closures and restructuring at about 10 institutions in England and Wales—a rate of roughly one a week. 

Playbook has covered several, including the voluntary redundancy schemes underway at Queen Margaret University, the University of Reading and Cardiff University.