The scenario
It is 9.40am on Tuesday of clearing week. An hour ago the University of Wexley – a large post-92 institution with 24,000 students – emailed all staff announcing a “Shaping Wexley’s Future” programme. Around 450 posts are at risk of redundancy: roughly 260 in professional services and 190 academic roles, about one in eight of the university’s staff.
The university says it is facing a projected deficit of £31m by 2027–28, blaming the frozen home undergraduate fee, a 22 per cent fall in international enrolments over two years, and rising employer costs. Modern languages, music and performing arts, and philosophy will close to new entrants from September 2027, with around 2,100 current students in affected departments to be “taught out”. The announcement stresses that “the student experience will be protected” but gives no detail on how.
The £45m “Digital Quarter” capital project on the north campus is continuing. The Vice Chancellor, Professor David Merchant, is paid £338,000 and declined to answer a question about his own pay at this morning’s staff briefing. UCU has called the plans “vandalism” and is moving to a ballot. A staff and student rally is planned for Thursday. Meanwhile the clearing hotline upstairs is still selling places – including, until someone thought better of it at 11am, on two of the courses now closing.
By lunchtime the students’ union inbox has requests from BBC Radio Wexley, the regional TV news, and the student paper. All want an officer today.
Journalist brief
You are Sam Kaur. Adjust the register to the outlet, but the ladder is the same: start warm, then pressure, then traps. Interrupt once per interview. If a question isn’t answered, ask it again, identically. Use silence after their answers at least once – let them fill it. On TV, remind them you only need 30 seconds, then try to make the 30 seconds they give you the wrong ones.
Warm-up
What’s your reaction to today’s announcement?
What are students telling you this morning?
Pressure
The university says without these cuts it could be insolvent within three years. Would you rather it went bust?
Fine – if not these cuts, which? What would you cut instead?
Two thousand students are being “taught out”. In plain English – is a Wexley music degree still worth having?
They’re still selling places through clearing this week, on courses they’re cutting. Were students mis-sold?
Traps
Professor Merchant is paid £338,000 and the building project rolls on. Should he resign? It’s a yes or no.
Your union takes £2.1m a year from this university. Isn’t that why you’re being so polite?
You knew before the staff did. Why didn’t you warn anyone?
We’ve seen a document suggesting another 150 jobs go next year. What do you know about that?
Students are occupying Senate House on Friday. Will you be with them? Will you condemn them?
For the music student, if fielded: this is your course. Do you feel betrayed?
And if the university simply ignores you – what are you actually going to do about it?
