This motion was passed at the members’ meeting on Wednesday 18th February 2026, with 96% voting in favour. It was also passed with similar majorities by the UNISON and UNITE branches at the University. The branch submitted the Vote of No Confidence to the Vice Chancellor on Friday 20th February 2026, and has passed this on to the press.
The University of Nottingham Branch Notes:
1. A nationwide crisis in Higher Education funding has been in part caused by a funding mechanism that is not fit for purpose.
2. Universities, including Nottingham, have failed to effectively challenge this model.
3. A series of disastrous financial decisions have been made by the University Executive Board (UEB) and the Chair of Council over a period of many years.
The Branch further notes:
1. The ‘Phase 1’ process was badly thought out and implemented without proper consultation, and had a serious detrimental effect on the morale and wellbeing of the Administrative Professional and Managerial (APM) and Operations and Facilities (O&F) staff. It has also led to unmanageable workloads and ongoing stress for remaining staff in these job families.
2. Lessons have not been learned from this and ‘Phase 2’ has not been discussed in any meaningful way with any stakeholders.
3. Indeed, there is a mandatory obligation that changes on this scale go through the Education and Student Experience (ESE), Quality and Standards Committee (QSC) and then Senate, then Council. None of this has happened.
4. Further, the Quality Manual clearly states that School and Faculty endorsement is required to close or suspend a programme, none of which has even been sought.
5. We are particularly concerned by the fact that decisions to ‘suspend’ courses have already been made. UCAS has been informed and students will not be enrolled. Council was presented with a fait accompli and it is obviously not a ‘suspension’ but a closure. The Chair of Council chose to ignore this fact.
6. The ‘suspensions’ have gone ahead without any School or Business Unit level Equality Impact Assessments, leaving the university open to breaches of the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act, 2010.
7. Preliminary proposals to impose a university-wide staff:student ratio (SSR) target of 18-22 have been advanced without any credible modelling of the consequences for the University of Nottingham’s global reputation, research standing, or its ability to deliver education consistent with its status as a Russell Group institution. This reflects profoundly poor judgement and a serious failure to assess long-term strategic and reputational risk.
These decisions are ultimately the responsibility of the Vice Chancellor; however, the Chair of Council and UEB are equally culpable for their repeated failure to hold her to account.
A natural consequence of this financial mismanagement, failure to consult, failure to follow even internal university governance and failure to be able to rule out compulsory redundancies is that this Branch cannot maintain any confidence in the Vice Chancellor, the Chair of Council or the University Executive Board.
Therefore, this motion is one of no confidence in the Vice Chancellor, the Chair of Council and the University Executive Board.
This Branch resolves to:
1. Inform the Chancellor, Senate and Council of this decision.
2. Publicise this decision in the press.
3. Demand that a new UEB, Chair of Council and Vice Chancellor be appointed who will consult with campus trade unions over a fair resolution to the financial situation and who will abide by their responsibility to all stakeholders.