Petition launched to stop language course cuts at Aberdeen University

The University of Aberdeen's senate overwhelmingly voted to immediately stop the consultation on language programme cuts while there's a petition calling for them to not go ahead.

The Students’ Union and the University and College Union plan to rally on the 11th of December to urge the university court to uphold the decision and prevent potential irreparable damage to staff and students.

People are also being urged to sign an online petition to stop them from going ahead.

Those behind it say the facility would be the only ancient university in the world without language degrees.

Staff in the department are at risk of redundancy and the petition also calls for this to be removed.

Rhiannon Ledwell, vice president for education, said: "The university has defeicit right now but we haven't got a satisfactory answer as to why the deficit from the language department can't be absorbed for a year.

"Our main message is to stop the consultation now and take time to do this properly with the involvement of staff and students.

"There hasn't been enough time. The staff themselves were informed little over a month ago that any of this was happening so there's been no chance for a proper case to be put forward by staff in the schol.

"We have a petition going around that's coming up close to 10,0000 signatures now. We're writing to MSPs, posting open letters to the university online as well as sending them into our management.

"We want to send a message to our university court to stop this."

The petition can be viewed here.