GWYNEDD councillors have slammed proposals to cut Bangor University staff from its archive and special collection service as an “assault” on Welsh heritage and language.
The university, which has around 10,000 students, is looking to cut jobs across the board as part of its bid to save more than £5m.
A consultation was recently launched to reduce staff costs equal to around 78 full-time equivalent roles within the university.
A spokesperson for the university recently said: “The university has launched a consultation regarding proposed changes as part of a broader cost-reduction strategy.”
On hearing that the university was proposing to cut 75% of the staff in the Archives and Special Collections department, 46 Cyngor Gwynedd councillors joined forces by signing a letter to the university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Edmund Burke, calling for a rethink.
The Archives and Special Collections is responsible for the collection and long-term preservation of manuscripts, archival collections and a diverse range of rare books and printed material.
The VC had recently emailed university staff warning of impending cuts within the university.
He had said it followed a fall in international students and the upcoming changes to national insurance by the UK Government, which would add to staffing costs.
The councillors’ letter reads: “We, the Gwynedd county councillors named below, are thoroughly dismayed at Bangor University’s proposed cuts to the Archives and Special Collections service, a move that would result in a 75% reduction in the Archives’ staff.
“The proposed cuts are an assault on Gwynedd’s heritage, on a significant part of our nation’s Welsh-language heritage and on an organic Welsh-speaking workplace that has served Gwynedd’s local historians for decades.
“By virtue of its history and location, the University has a moral responsibility to respect and value the part of our local heritage entrusted to its care.
“Therefore, we call on you to reconsider, to realize the extent of your error, and to shield this important service from any impending cuts.”
According to the university website the Archives and Special Service’s aim is “to ensure that our resources are accessible to all researchers, free of charge”.
It adds: “We actively promote these collections as valuable research and learning tools and engage the wider community in our activities as well as the staff and students within the University.”
Siân Gwenllian MS had recently raised urgent concerns in the Senedd over the significant job cuts proposed by the university.
In a direct question to the Welsh Government, she had called for a statement on how the Government planned to secure long-term financial sustainability for the higher education sector, and what specific support could be offered to Bangor University in light of its current crisis.
In response, Welsh Government Minister Jane Hutt had acknowledged the “widespread pressures” facing higher education institutions across Wales, and highlighted the importance of workforce involvement and trade union engagement in the consultation process.
