Glyndwr University’s future?

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  • #54605

    NJones
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    December 2013: Up to 20 jobs could be at risk as university chiefs try to save £2m a year. It comes after a report by Sir Adrian Webb in September recommended a partial merger between Glyndwr and Coleg Cambria. Glyndwr said that while the report did not directly lead to a restructuring it did urge greater efficiency.

    February 2014: The vice-chancellor of Glyndwr University has suffered a unanimous vote of no confidence from the institution’s UCU union branch following proposals that would make almost one in 10 staff redundant. Michael Scott has also been blamed by the union for running up a deficit of close to £4 million in 2012‑13.

    April 2014: International accountancy students who were transferred from a private college to Glyndwr University’s London campus complained of “inadequate” teaching and have been told again that their visa sponsorship could be in jeopardy.

    June 2012: The Home Office suspended the ‘highly trusted status’ of Glyndwr University, which enables it to sponsor the visas of non-European Union students. Some 230 students sponsored by Glyndwr had been identified as having invalid test results provided by ETS – a figure rising to 350 if questionable scores were counted. It follows a BBC Panorama expose in February which revealed systematic cheating in tests from an organisation called the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

    Daily Post reported that the ‘Fraud’ crisis could cost the university up to £9.5m and that the university has set up a task force to try and overturn a ban on admitting foreign non-European Union students. There are three possible outcomes: the licence is fully reinstated, it is reinstated with limitations, or it is revoked

    July 2014: Today in the High Court Before HIS HONOUR JUDGE KAYE (Sitting as a Judge of the High Court) Wednesday, 2 July 2014 At half past 10
    TRIAL LIST HC13A00353 Glyndwr University v London School of Management & Science Ltd. Internal sources state this is regarding disagreement in the terms of the sale of the London campus which could cost Glyndŵr University £ 9 million

    UCU Glyndwr Uni ‏@UCUGlyndwrUni Tweeted: Open meeting Friday 4th July at 12.00 for ALL staff – UCU, Unison or no-union, researchers, students and all.

    #68366

    NJones
    Participant

    UCU academic staff are to stage authorised strike action on the 11th July, supported by other university staff wearing red ribbons.

    A online petition calls for Vice-Chancellor PROFESSOR MIKE SCOTT, and Chair of the Board of Governors SIR JON SHORTRIDGE at Glyndŵr University to RESIGN from their posts at Glyndŵr University WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT, in respect of their failure to confirm that they will not resort to compulsory redundancies in the restructure of the University. Their actions threaten to damage the student experience, the provision of higher education at GU and are damaging the University. Staff have no confidence in their ability to protect the future of Glyndŵr University.

    Sign the petition at:
    https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/prof-mike-scott-sir-jon-shortridge-should-resign-their-posts-at-glyndwr-university

    #68367

    NJones
    Participant

    UCU staff (lecturers) are on strike today and picketing the entrances from 8am until 10am calling for the immediate resignation of the Vice Chancellor. Other staff (both Unison and non-union staff) are showing their support by wearing red ribbons. This is a show of strength showing that the majority of staff want the vice chancellor to step down and not just small group as claimed by the university in a recent report in the Leader.

    #68368

    NJones
    Participant

    News article on Times Higher Education site today detailing the financial decision at the university:

    In 2012-13, the most recent year for which accounts are available, Glyndwr recorded a deficit of almost £4 million, nearly a tenth of its relatively small turnover. In March this year, it emerged that the university was considering plans to make nearly one in 10 staff redundant.

    One reason for the deficit in 2012-13 was a £900,000 loss made by one of the university’s subsidiary companies, Optic Glyndwr…..since purchase, the firm’s total losses have amounted to just over £2.5 million, according to Optic Glyndwr’s accounts since the university took it over.

    Another controversial decision for Glyndwr came in 2011, when the university bought Wrexham’s Racecourse Stadium for £1.8 million. Figures seen by THE show that in the three years since the deal, the stadium has cost more than £3 million, while bringing in nearly £580,000 from Wrexham Football Club from rental, hospitality and other sources.

    In 2011, Glyndwr also established a London outpost….Glyndwr is embroiled in a legal dispute over a service agreement with the former owners of the London campus, with the LSMS seeking £3.8 million. There was an initial court hearing in London on 30 June.

    But perhaps the main reason for Glyndwr’s deficit in 2012-13 was what some insiders at the university see as a major misjudgement over tuition fees….tuition fee income did not compensate for the simultaneous cut in teaching grant, leaving it with 20 per cent less income from Hefcw.

    #68361

    wrexview
    Participant

    If I have read that correctly does that mean the Racecourse has cost Glyndwr a total of £4.8 million and they have received an income of just £580,000 ? What have they spent £3,000,000 on?

    #68369

    NJones
    Participant

    @wrexview 14042 wrote:

    If I have read that correctly does that mean the Racecourse has cost Glyndwr a total of £4.8 million and they have received an income of just £580,000 ? What have they spent £3,000,000 on?

    Thats what the report from Times Higher Education states. Have a look at the stories and tweets:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-17938413
    https://twitter.com/NWCrusadersRL/status/489370181815529472
    https://twitter.com/DaviesBros/status/469150642096050177
    https://twitter.com/GlyndwrUni/status/466535828194217984

    #68376

    johnhoppy
    Participant

    Is it really the function of an educational facility to be investing in Sports Grounds, and opening campuses in various locations. Only this week it has been announced that they are involved in founding a campus in Malaysia to teach aerospace engineers. The University is already in deep trouble regarding student visas, and it begs the question if they should be focusing on the educational needs of North Wales and UK students.

    #68370

    NJones
    Participant

    It was allegedly bought on a ‘whim’ as the VC likes his football. The Gresford training ground bought in the deal could make good housing land eventually?

    #68380

    Lemonpopsical
    Participant

    @johnhoppy 14045 wrote:

    Is it really the function of an educational facility to be investing in Sports Grounds, and opening campuses in various locations. Only this week it has been announced that they are involved in founding a campus in Malaysia to teach aerospace engineers. The University is already in deep trouble regarding student visas, and it begs the question if they should be focusing on the educational needs of North Wales and UK students.

    Aside from establishing an international presence, international centres also bring in a lot of business/money to the institution. This is really fantastic news for Glyndwr, and it’s not to the detriment of North Wales/UK students. There’s a lot of movement towards opening ‘hubs’ and centres nationally/globally at the moment and I think that is the way the trend will continue.

    #68378

    99DylanJones
    Participant

    Most University institutions reply on their foreign students and research to keep them financially stable. Foreign student tuition fees are worth about 3 times the amount from a UK student.
    The key issue is they have to be a certain size in the first place to make them viable.
    The purchase of the football ground in a more stable financial economy would not have been questioned as this facility if developed could prove to be a sound investment for sport and music events and be linked to many of the University courses.

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