Dear MP,

I write to you to express USSU’s serious concerns about the mismanagement of Sussex University and the detrimental impact it will have on the future of this institution.

The University announced its intention to make cuts to student support services, courses and the loss of over 100 staff posts in November 2009.

Firstly, we would like to highlight a set of issues surrounding the Equality Impact Assessments which the University is required by law to complete.

We have already written to HEFCE, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Equality Challenge Unit to express USSU’s worries over the equality impact of the current proposals for change on both staff and students. Since December USSU has been asking to see the full Equality Impact Assessment of the proposals. We were given a copy of one Equality Impact Assessment on 25/02/10.

In the absence of a comprehensive impact assessment USSU is unable to assess properly the potential equality impact to the students. It is clear however that the limited equality impact assessments which have been completed to date do not cover service provision or the potential impact on students, have not been undertaken with any involvement of equality target groups or contain any data.

We have significant concerns about a number of areas related to the equality impact of these proposals:

- The lack of data given in the impact assessment that has been given to USSU. The sexual health service that is proposed to close was not asked to provide data and neither were the student advisors, who see a disproportionate number of international students. With the University aiming to increase international student numbers in order to improve its financial situation, this is of great concern

- No equality impact assessment has been undertaken in relation to the proposals which may lead to the outplacement or closure of the campus nursery.

- The University is proposing to restructure and reduce staffing within student services which will impact on the support provided to disabled students and international students. No meaningful equality impact assessment of these proposals has been provided despite repeated requests.

- The impact assessments for individual academic departments fail to consider the impact on students and service provision of the proposed loss of academic posts.

Secondly, we also have a significant number of concerns relating to the general management of the University:

- The lack of transparency in the process. The ‘part two’ documents that set out the detailed proposals have been suppressed during the entirety of the formal consultation period.

- The increases in staff: student ratio and the loss of programs will greatly affect Sussex’s ability to attract students.

- The lack of adequate risk assessments on the University plans.

- A recent student sit-in protest was broken up by riot police and dogs. The University then obtained a high court injunction against all students and staff taking part in occupational protest. The University also suspended and excluded 6 students who took part in the protest; it is unclear why these students have been singled out from a much larger group that took part in the action.

- The departments facing the largest cuts are Engineering, Life Sciences and Informatics. USSU are concerned that the loss to these departments in not in keeping with the HEFCE’s drive to improve service in these areas

- The financial problems at the University go back beyond the recent higher education funding cuts and are the result of previous mismanagement.

This is not an exhaustive list but indicates some of the serious concerns USSU has at this time. As the University hosts over 12,000 students living locally, we ask you to do all you can to encourage senior management to reverse their proposals.

Yours sincerely

Ciaran Whitehead

Josh Jones

Tom Wills

Michael Holder

Anna Cornish

Scott Sheridan

University of Sussex Students’ Union