LGU jobs axe claims axeman

Nigel Brown, formerly director of finance at the Higher Education Funding Council for England and one of the key creators of the present funding system, has become the highest-ranked victim so far of the financial crisis at London Guildhall University.

Mr Brown, 48, senior deputy provost of LGU since 1993, was given his redundancy notice this week, along with 38 other members of staff including two deans. He will leave on July 31.

Mr Brown was the chief internal architect of the university's institutional recovery plan, incorporating a substantial reorganisation of management structures that has led to his own redundancy. He said: "I have worked myself out of a job."

Deian Hopkin, the deputy provost responsible for external relations, acknowledged the irony of the situation: "Nigel has worked assiduously for the institution and made an immense contribution to the rescue plans. But it gradually became clear that we had too many posts at executive level that we did not need and other aspects of the reorganisation had made his job redundant."

Mr Brown's responsibilities were chiefly for non-academic departments including the registry. The senior management level now consists of the provost, Roderick Floud, and two deputies. Dr Hopkin, formerly dean of human sciences, is responsible for LGU's business activities and external relations, while Max Weaver looks after the academic side of the institution.

The reorganisation includes the abolition of LGU's three faculties, with a return to a department-based structure. This has led to the departure of two of the three deans. Les Massey, dean of arts, design and manufacture, is taking early retirement and Bryony Conway, dean of business, who survived a vote of no confidence from staff in late 1994, has been made redundant.

Dr Hopkin said that while redundancy notices had been issued to 36 other staff, it was likely that some would be re-employed by the university: "While some posts have been abolished under the reorganisation, and these are the ones for which the notices have been issued, new posts will also be created and we expect many of the people who have been displaced will apply for and be appointed to them."