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CUFightBack
@cufightback.bsky.social
Cardiff University staff fighting back against compulsory redundancies. Sharing information, experiences and support. DM to tell your story. cufightback.wordpress.com
Pinned
The CU Fight Back website is live and acts as a repository for info, events, petitions, letters, stories, and perspectives from Cardiff University staff and students, and beyond. We will resist the proposed cuts. Our first letter is from
Dr Tim Johnston cufightback.wordpress.com/2025/02/01/l...
Letter to the VC – Dr Tom Johnston
From Dr Tim Johnston, former academic staff at Cardiff University in composition Dear Vice Chancellor, I am writing to you to express my dismay and great distress at the news of Cardiff’s exception…
cufightback.wordpress.com
Prudence

From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff UniversityWhen Patrick Younge, Chair of Council, asked the Vice Chancellor what she thought was the most overrated virtue, her answer was striking: “Prudence.” Knowing what we now know, this feels like a missed warning. Cardiff University’s leadership is…
Prudence
From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff UniversityWhen Patrick Younge, Chair of Council, asked the Vice Chancellor what she thought was the most overrated virtue, her answer was striking: “Prudence.” Knowing what we now know, this feels like a missed warning. Cardiff University’s leadership is barrelling ahead with their Academic Futures proposal—a rushed and reckless restructuring "plan", riddled with errors and contradictions…
cufightback.wordpress.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Narrative versus reality

From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University Let’s fact-check what Cardiff University’s two most senior figures—Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner and Chair of Council Patrick Younge—told the Senedd’s Children, Young People and Education Committee. The VC said: "We…
Narrative versus reality
From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University Let’s fact-check what Cardiff University’s two most senior figures—Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner and Chair of Council Patrick Younge—told the Senedd’s Children, Young People and Education Committee. The VC said: "We consistently monitor staff wellbeing". The reality? Not once, in the four agonising months since the distressing announcement of 400 job cuts, did the University Executive Board (UEB) survey staff wellbeing.
cufightback.wordpress.com
June 14, 2025 at 9:09 PM
The “Business Case” is anything but

From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University After over 4 agonising months since the announcement of the "Academic Futures" proposal, and having already lost over 7% of its academic workforce, the Cardiff University Executive Board (UEB) has presented its final…
The “Business Case” is anything but
From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University After over 4 agonising months since the announcement of the "Academic Futures" proposal, and having already lost over 7% of its academic workforce, the Cardiff University Executive Board (UEB) has presented its final “Business Case” to staff; a document that is to be scrutinised and deliberated on by Council in less than a single working week.
cufightback.wordpress.com
June 12, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Shock the system – Trumpian Tactics?

From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University When Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor announced plans to cut 400 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs (including my own), it sent a wave of shock and uncertainty through our institution. Staff, students, and unions…
Shock the system – Trumpian Tactics?
From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University When Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor announced plans to cut 400 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs (including my own), it sent a wave of shock and uncertainty through our institution. Staff, students, and unions have reacted with understandable fear and resistance. But was this drastic announcement ever really about cutting 400 jobs? Or was it something else entirely—a calculated strategy to push through change under duress?
cufightback.wordpress.com
March 16, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Reposted by CUFightBack
There's several petitions going around following the Cardiff Uni announcement about job losses. Please consider signing and sharing.

www.change.org/p/save-cardi...

www.change.org/p/save-cardi...

www.change.org/p/save-cardi...

www.change.org/p/save-mlang...

petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/24...
February 1, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by CUFightBack
What a distressing week for all at Cardiff Uni. Like all my colleagues in Social Sciences & many others I'm in the selection pool. Gutted for those in Schools scheduled to close.

I hope the VC will think again - the proposed plan is neither the only nor the best way forward.
February 2, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Reposted by CUFightBack

Cardiff UCU:
Of over £500m reserves, the uni can access some of an *at least* £188m pot to help fund “a strategically informed, longer recovery.
"We're bemused why they're pushing ahead with such brutal and callous cuts when there are other options on the table."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Cardiff University should use £500m reserves to avoid job cuts, union says
Cardiff University has £500m in reserves, but says that money cannot be freely spent.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 31, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by CUFightBack
@nation.cymru are doing some stellar reporting on the unnecessary & cruel cuts at Cardiff University.
And senior academics are doing some stellar leaking.
New figures make it clearer that the Uni can afford to not cut 400 jobs. @ucu.org.uk’s been saying this all along.
nation.cymru/news/univers...
University imposing massive job cuts and School closures has £0.5bn in unrestricted reserves
Martin Shipton Newly published accounts for Cardiff University – which has announced massive job cuts and School closures – reveal that its overall surplus increased by nearly sixfold in a year and th...
nation.cymru
January 30, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Join us at the rally tomorrow! 12:30-13:30 at the Senedd.
February 3, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by CUFightBack
Cynefin, in name only

From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University The Welsh term Cynefin describes a sense of belonging, rootedness, and familiarity with a place and its people. Cynefin speaks to the deep connection that individuals have with their institutions and communities. It's a term that…
Cynefin, in name only
From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University The Welsh term Cynefin describes a sense of belonging, rootedness, and familiarity with a place and its people. Cynefin speaks to the deep connection that individuals have with their institutions and communities. It's a term that Cardiff University's Vice-Chancellor Wendy Larner has used repeatedly to describe her vision for the University: "Cynefin’ is a touchstone for us, a place where people feel they belong.
cufightback.wordpress.com
February 2, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Cynefin, in name only

From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University The Welsh term Cynefin describes a sense of belonging, rootedness, and familiarity with a place and its people. Cynefin speaks to the deep connection that individuals have with their institutions and communities. It's a term that…
Cynefin, in name only
From Anonymous Academic, Cardiff University The Welsh term Cynefin describes a sense of belonging, rootedness, and familiarity with a place and its people. Cynefin speaks to the deep connection that individuals have with their institutions and communities. It's a term that Cardiff University's Vice-Chancellor Wendy Larner has used repeatedly to describe her vision for the University: "Cynefin’ is a touchstone for us, a place where people feel they belong.
cufightback.wordpress.com
February 2, 2025 at 11:13 PM
The CU Fight Back website is live and acts as a repository for info, events, petitions, letters, stories, and perspectives from Cardiff University staff and students, and beyond. We will resist the proposed cuts. Our first letter is from
Dr Tim Johnston cufightback.wordpress.com/2025/02/01/l...
Letter to the VC – Dr Tom Johnston
From Dr Tim Johnston, former academic staff at Cardiff University in composition Dear Vice Chancellor, I am writing to you to express my dismay and great distress at the news of Cardiff’s exception…
cufightback.wordpress.com
February 1, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Letter from Wellington

From the President of the Union, University of Wellington, Victoria Dear colleagues: I was upset to read the news this morning of these proposed job cuts at Cardiff, and wanted to send a message of solidarity from Victoria University in New Zealand. I was in the union branch…
Letter from Wellington
From the President of the Union, University of Wellington, Victoria Dear colleagues: I was upset to read the news this morning of these proposed job cuts at Cardiff, and wanted to send a message of solidarity from Victoria University in New Zealand. I was in the union branch through two rounds of job cuts and austerity, with Wendy Larner in the senior leadership team at the time.
cufightback.wordpress.com
February 1, 2025 at 8:59 PM