Managers ought to pay

The Higher Education Funding Council for England's proposal to drastically cut London Metropolitan University's funding ("Hundreds rally to fight cuts at London Met", 5 February) seems to be a depressing example of punishing the virtuous for misguided managerialist policies.

Hard-working staff who have delivered high-quality education in tough circumstances stand to lose their jobs, and many potential students will lose their dream of getting to university, of being possibly the first to do so among their family and friends.

So much for the Government's policy of widening participation, which London Met is trying to deliver. It also seems unlikely that the proposed cuts will have much effect on managerialist approaches that value profit and buildings above people, whether students or staff.

Rather than punish staff and students, the solution should surely be to replace London Met's management and restore its funding to enable staff to continue to deliver high-quality education to an ever-widening group of students.

Marion Hersh, National Executive Committee member, University and College Union.