Why sign this petition?
An unhealthy workplace
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has demanded answers from CU about workload and stress management. A recent UCU workload survey revealed that 74% of staff reported stress linked to overwork, under staffing, and constant restructuring. Reductions in leave entitlements for subsidiary staff have made matters worse. Staff mental well being has been further affected by never ending consultations and redundancies.
Redundancies caused by poor management decisions
Large-scale redundancies are the direct result of years of unsustainable growth, ill-considered projects, and reckless risk-taking. Staff are paying the price for leadership’s mistakes.
Subsidiarisation and inferior contracts
Many staff have been redeployed into for-profit subsidiaries on worse terms. This has driven away excellent colleagues, weakened morale, and reduced academic quality. CU risks becoming unable to recruit or retain staff of the required calibre.
Unsustainable expansion
CU’s over reliance on international postgraduate recruitment between 2021–2023 was short-sighted. Despite repeated warnings, leadership failed to plan for predictable visa policy changes. Reckless investment, such as the £43 million Delia Derbyshire building, left the university overexposed when demand fell.
Top-heavy management flying business class
The university has a bloated management structure while frontline roles are cut. Senior managers have continued to spend inappropriately, including flying business class, even while refusing to secure teaching staff contracts. The VC took his bonus in 2023 despite presiding over worsening finances.
Constant, unproductive change
Subject areas have faced repeated re-validations – sometimes three times in five years – diverting staff from teaching, recruitment, and community engagement. Failed international hubs, such as Dubai, have wasted resources. Axing Associate Heads of School has weakened recruitment, while reliance on CURA has failed to deliver results.
Lack of transparency and consultation
Major reforms, including block teaching and the six-intake “carousel system,” are being imposed without meaningful input from staff or students. Top-down decision-making and selective communication undermine trust and create instability.
Leadership out of touch
The VC refuses to take responsibility for CU’s fall in rankings (e.g. QS World University Rankings), instead blaming staff while ignoring the damaging impact of his own policies.
Drop in University league tables
In the 2026 Guardian university league table the university has fallen from 42nd in 2025 to 70th in 2026. The university ranked as high as 15th in 2016 https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2015/may/25/university-league-tables-2016.
In the Times/Sunday Times 2026 university league table, the university has fallen 24 places to 78th.
Conclusion
Coventry University deserves leadership that values staff, listens to students, and protects academic standards. Instead, the current VC has pursued reckless strategies, ignored warnings, and undermined both well-being and reputation. For the long-term success of our institution, a change in leadership is essential.