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University of Copenhagen
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Politics
Budget agreement between the government and the Danish People's Party threatens 200 university positions in 2011
200 university positions are to be cut in 2011. This is according to the Danish section of the University Post, Universitetsavisen. The news is unofficial, and unconfirmed by management.
Staff representatives in the management/staff co-ordination committee (HSU) were informed 10 November about impending cuts.
According to Poul Erik Krogshave, Vice President of HSU, employee representatives had heard rumours that something was afoot. Employees in HSU therefore suggested that the deans describe the finacncial situation for each respective faculty at the 10 November meeting.
The information given was bleaker than anticipated.
The Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) expects to abolish 100 posts. Thirty-five Faculty of Humanities posts are also expected to go. There will be job losses at the Faculty of Science, primarily at the Natural History Museum. Additionally, Health Sciences, Central Administration and, to a lesser extent, Social Sciences will lose staff members.
»It was overwhelming and shocking to be presented the feedback from the deans. This is not just matter of the ‘local adaptations’ that the Rector has mentioned so far. On the contrary, there will be massive layoffs in many places,« says Poul Erik Krogshave .
Poul Erik Krogshave stresses that, as yet, it is in no way certain that university employees will be laid off. But the consequence of management’s new budget is that 200 positions are to be cut.
If the cuts become a reality, this will be the third round of layoffs in the same number of years.
Rector Ralf Hemmingsen has not yet commented on impending layoffs, but stated in his budget that prospects for university finances after 2011 in the government/Danish People’s Party budget represented a significant downward trend.
»It is therefore essential that financial security is established for 2012 and beyond, as soon as possible in the course of 2011,« he commented then.
Krogshave invites members of the local staff liaison committees to fight for defensive measures, such as redeployment in other posts within the university, and voluntary redundancy.
uni-avis@adm.ku.dk