rhifyn 1128 issue 1128
gair rhydd
10 rhagfyr 2018 10 december 2018
Check out Gair Rhydd online
Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972
Cardiff University operating at £21m deficit
Penblwydd hapus, Taf-Od! by Tomos Evans
E
leni, mae’r Taf-od yn dathlu pymtheg mlynedd o fodolaeth. Pa well, amser, felly i sgwrsio gydag un o olygyddion gwreiddiol Taf-od, Angharad Naylor. O’r dull traddodiadol o olygu’r adran i’r defnydd o gyfryngau cymdeithasol yn yr oes sydd ohoni, caiff nifer o bynciau eu trafod. Mae’r Taf-od wedi arwain y ffordd at gynrychiolaeth Cymraeg yng nghyfryngau myfyrwyr Caerdydd yn ehangach, ond yma cawn olwg ar sut ddechreuodd pob dim ‘nôl yn 2003. 10
How to utilise your Christmas holiday by Molly Govus
C Rising deficits: Cardiff University has announced deficits have risen due to funding cuts. Photo credit: Jessica Warren by Mustakim Hasnath
C
ardiff University has written to staff members revealing its £21m operating deficit for the year 2017/18, which has been attributed to funding cuts and increased costs. Whilst the University aims to tackle its deficit, a spokesperson explained that “absorbing from University reserves”, the inevitability of staffing levels being affected has led to the establishment of a Voluntary Severance Scheme for staff. This has generated an outpouring of concern by trade union bodies, which object to University staff being targeted. Any potential for this could lead on to compulsory redundancies at a later date. In the University’s ‘Transform-
ing Cardiff ’ campaign video, which was sent to all staff members and recently uploaded to YouTube, the key facts about the current deficit were outlined. One of these was due to funding cuts from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) being cut “by £14m, subsequently revised to £11m, but with a forecast of £6m scheduled for next year”. Additionally, the video emphasises the challenge of the Welsh Government restricting the amount chargeable by higher education institutions for students’ tuition fees. “We have also been put at a disadvantage to English Universities by not being allowed by the Welsh Government to increase fees to £9,250, let alone the
£9,295 promised.” Tuition fees have not changed at Cardiff University for six years. A spokesperson added: “An increase to £9,250 would have brought in an extra £5m per cohort”. Furthermore, the lower growth in the University’s total income from research has had a lower growth than in previous years and is not “growing as fast as awards forecast”. Finally, with the rise in staffing costs, the University proposes to reduce the proportion of income spent on staff costs from the current 59% to around 54%. As part of this, as of January 3rd 2019, a Voluntary Severance Scheme opens for applications to all staff members - the third scheme of its kind at Cardiff University in six years.
A joint statement from three trade unions of Unite, Unison and UCU, made clear their fears that the proposed Severance Scheme will “cause inequality and division among our already demoralised members”. The statement also blamed University management for the deficit and its reliance on staffing cuts. “Cardiff University managers seem to be immune from this kind of accountability. For them, laying off staff has become a reflex reaction, rather than an option of last resort,” they stated. A University spokesperson, on the other hand, blamed the nature of “operating in a time of unprecedented disruption and financial constraint” as the cause for its operating deficit and the proposed measures to control this issue.
The Welsh Labour Party has a new leader Mark Drakeford elected with 53.9% of the vote
by Sam Tilley
M
ark Drakeford AM was confirmed last Thursday as the new leader of the Welsh Labour Party. He won with 53.9% of the second-round vote, beating fellow AM Vaughan Gething who scored only 41.8%. With no candidate able to gain more than 50% of the total vote in the first-
round, the lowest ranked candidate, Eluned Morgan, was eliminated and with the redistribution of the second preference votes, Drakeford was able to clinch victory by a fairly considerable margin. Drakeford is likely to be confirmed as First Minister in a special Senedd meeting this week. With Labour holding an effective majority in the
Senedd, largely thanks to the support of the sole Lib Dem and Independent members of the Welsh Parliament, it is unlikely that Drakeford faces any serious opposition to his confirmation despite both the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru confirming they will nominate their respective leaders to replace the outgoing Carwyn Jones.
hrismas holidays are dangeoursly close, and the risk of not making the most out of them is high. This is why it is important to come up with a realistic timetable that will help you organize your time and look after yourself. And make sure you take Christmas day off! 20
G20 Photo shows striking gender gap by Hannah Priest
T
he G20 showed the ongoing struggle for gender equality within society. Only two women, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and the International Monetary Fund Chairwoman, Christine Lagarde, appeared in the group photo. The percentage of females in politicss keeps being low across the world. 18
BUCS Highlights: Rugby earn win by Reece Chambers
T Future First Minister? Mark Drakeford. Source: Wikimedia
his week’s BUCS highlights contains the men’s rugby team who won their second game of the Super Rugby season by defeating Leeds Beckett 30-3. The win for the team also moves them off of the bottom of the table in the league standings. Highlights also includes women’s fencing who won in the battle for first place in the league and men’s tennis. 31