The Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016 sought to modernise university governance and improve transparency by mandating elected staff, student, and trade union representation on decision-making bodies.
However, Ms Woodman told The Herald that university managers appear to be “ignoring the intent” of the law.
The ongoing row stems from management proposals aimed at cutting the number of staff at the institution in order to make £140 million in savings.
Sophia Woodman. (Image: NQ)
Members of Senate, the university’s supreme academic body, say they are legally entitled to scrutinise plans to restructure the university’s three colleges and 25 schools.
The academic body contends that some aspects of the programme fall under their remit, which is limited to academic and research issues. As a result, they have argued that Senate must be involved in a detailed “oversight and approval process”.
However, university managers have said that the restructuring work is solely administrative and financial in nature, and as such, the body “has no responsibility or remit to approve the work”.
Ms Woodman told The Herald: “The idea that proposals to restructure academic work in the whole University are not within the remit of the Senate is, on the face of it, an absurd claim.
“Legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2016 was supposed to enhance governance by ensuring that the elected representatives of the academic staff body can do exactly this kind of thing.
“As the supreme body overseeing academic matters, both teaching and research, the Senate should have a central role in any significant changes to how those aspects of the University’s core mission are carried out.”
Ms Woodman added: “MSPs and the Scottish Government should be deeply concerned that Edinburgh University’s senior managers appear to be completely ignoring the intent of the 2016 law to push through massive staff cuts without proper scrutiny.”
Edinburgh University has been at the centre of a cuts storm. (Image: Supplied)
However, a University of Edinburgh spokesperson said the institution has “clear decision-making processes supported by well-established governance structures”.
They added: “The Academic Size and Shape project is a significant undertaking with the aim of supporting high-quality teaching, research and wider academic activity in a way that is effective and financially sustainable.
“We recognise this work is of considerable interest to staff across the University, and we have been updating colleagues and listening to feedback.
“Ultimately, decisions related to this project will be taken through the University’s normal governance arrangements by executive leadership, acting through the Principal on behalf of University Court.
“We remain fully committed to engaging constructively with Senate throughout the process.”
MSPs heard testimony from trade union leaders at Holyrood earlier this year.
Speaking at a meeting of the parliament’s Education Committee in February, Dr Woodman warned that as many as 800 staff members had already left the university.
“There is a real fear of people losing their jobs,” she told MSPs. “Over the last year, almost 800 staff have already gone and there are more job cuts to come.
“We, the joint unions, believe these cuts are unnecessary and unfair, and that the financial crisis at Edinburgh is really due to serious mismanagement, especially excessive capital spending.”
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UCU members had agreed to cease industrial action after reaching a deal with university managers in December, in which bosses agreed to rule out compulsory redundancies during the 2025/26 academic year.
However, the detente was not to last, with union members ripping up the agreement and returning to the picket lines this spring.
Action has only intensified over the last month. The UCU has subsequently launched a marking and assessment boycott, which could jeopardise graduations.
“The fact that management has let this dispute roll on for 13 months is shameful,” UCU General Secretary Jo Grady has said.
“Peter Mathieson could end this dispute tomorrow if he wanted but instead he’s prepared to let students suffer rather than rule out compulsory redundancies and address the union’s other key demands.”
In response, the university has committed to deducting 100% of pay from those involved.