Petition Launched in Protest of Music Cuts at Goldsmiths University

11 music staff will lose their jobs, following cuts that affect one in six members of staff across the university

Goldsmiths University, which is a constituent research university of the University of London, has made 97 full-time equivalent redundancies across the schools of arts and humanities, culture and society, professional studies, and science technology. These cuts affect 11 teaching staff from the university's music department.

Goldsmiths students have started a music-specific petition in protest of the cuts. The petition says that the affected music staff are lecturers, professors, and instrumental tutors from all branches of the Music Department, with specialisms in electronic music, sound art, jazz, composition, popular music and musicology. You can sign the petition here.

In response to the proposed cuts, staff at Goldsmiths have engaged in a number of strike actions in protest. Union members are currently undertaking a Marking and Assessment Boycott, and the University and College Union is also calling on its members to boycott Goldsmiths completely — by refusing to give guest lectures, work as external examiners, or perform similar duties for the university.

A representative of Goldsmiths told The Violin Channel that "universities across the UK are having to make difficult decisions to navigate unprecedented financial challenges. This is a painful time for us all as we take steps to make our finances sustainable. We consulted staff and unions over our plans but unfortunately, this did not result in viable ways forward which would have avoided or reduced the number of redundancies. 

"Our plans will ensure that Goldsmiths continues to be a beacon for innovative research and teaching as well as an entry point for students, many of whom are the first in their family to go to university," they concluded.

A group of music students at Goldsmiths wrote: "The proposed redundancies not only threaten the diversity of education and supervision of all current Music students but also those applying for courses from foundation year to PhD.

"The future of Goldsmiths' entire Music Department, and our university’s reputation for fostering creative and academic talent is currently at risk. It is vital to preserve the jobs of these dedicated educators who are integral to the functionality and vitality of our Music Department. We call on the Warden, Senior Management Team and Goldsmiths Council to halt these redundancies and to engage in meaningful dialogue with staff and students to find a sustainable path forward that upholds Goldsmiths' commitment to academic excellence and innovation in the Arts and Humanities."