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Goldsmiths, University of London, sent out document with section copied from the University of Kent
Goldsmiths University sent information about redundancies to staff that contained a reference to another institution, after it borrowed parts of a similar document from the University of Kent and did not change the text.
One section of the Goldsmiths document, seen by Research Professional News, states that the south London institution will look at “successful external funding applications (date, funder, total value, amount to Kent)” as part of its processes.
Research Professional News understands that although the documents sent out by Goldsmiths had been rewritten and worked on by staff at the institution, elements had been borrowed from a University of Kent document and an error had occurred.
A spokesperson for Goldsmiths, University of London, said: “We have apologised to colleagues and to the University of Kent for this mistake, which happened when emails were sent, and have issued the correct version.”
The University of Kent has been contacted for comment.
Barry Jones, the University and College Union’s regional official for higher education in London, said the union has “already been protesting at the haste with which Goldsmiths is attempting to achieve these unnecessary and disproportionate cuts”.
“When people’s jobs are on the line, senior management should, as a bare minimum, ensure all the information it sends out is correct and accurate,” he said. “Slapdash mistakes like this are yet more evidence that these cuts are being rushed through far too quickly. Now that members have voted for industrial action, the university’s leadership needs to stop trying to steamroll these cuts through and start negotiating meaningfully.”
Union members at Goldsmiths voted overwhelmingly last month to take industrial action over job losses. More than 87 per cent of UCU members who voted were in favour of strike action, in a ballot with a turnout of 69 per cent. A marking boycott is due to commence at the institution on 19 April.
A version of this article also appeared in Research Fortnight