High Sussex Uni salaries are shocking, says Lucas

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has described the salaries received by the highest earners at the University of Sussex as ‘shocking’.

She slammed the university for paying £2.5m in salaries for just 20 members of staff, yet is unable to fund vital services, such as a student advice service and teaching posts

The MEP and parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion has offered her “wholehearted support” to Sussex UCU members who are planning to strike on Thursday in response to the proposed large scale job losses at the university, which Lucas describes at ‘harmful’.

In a letter to the Sussex UCU, Lucas said: “Investing in the success of future generations is essential, and benefits the whole of society, not just those studying.

“It’s with this in mind that I offer my wholehearted support and solidarity to those striking, and hope that the Vice-Chancellor will reconsider the harmful decision to axe 115 posts. It is shocking that the University of Sussex sees fit to spend over £2.6m on just twenty members of their management staff a year, yet cannot find funding for vital services such as the student advice service and teaching posts. Other proposals include the privatisation of the creche and the closure of UniSex.

“It is telling that this strike ballot was the highest turn out in the history of the UCU, the on campus staff union. Staff, students and the community together are fighting these cuts with passion – because we know that education is too important to our society and to future generations.”

She also vowed: “If elected, I promise to oppose Higher Education cuts, at Sussex and across the UK, and ensure we do not sell future generations short.”

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Posted by Joseph Lewis on March 16, 2010. Filed under Caroline Lucas,Sussex University. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry