297 staff threatened with the sack at London South Bank University

The cuts also target senior academics with more than one in three professors and three in five associate professors set to lose their jobs as soon as Monday 8 July. The university claims it needs to make the cuts because of a predicted £24m deficit due to a fall in international students, static domestic student recruitment and rising pension costs.

The proposals would also see the current eight academic schools abolished and merged into just three "colleges" with all the respective dean, associate dean and heads of division posts axed. Performing arts, film, sport & exercise science, psychology, electrical & electronic engineering, and social sciences would all face severe cuts.

Over 150 London South Bank University UCU members attended an emergency branch meeting yesterday and overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and senior management team.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'The cuts that London South Bank University wants to force through would leave the institution a shell of its former self, you simply cannot slash this many jobs without completely hollowing out the university's capacity to teach and support students. Our members refuse to allow cuts of this magnitude to be forced through and have overwhelmingly passed a vote of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and senior management team. They meet again next week, and a strike ballot could be on the cards.

'It is also extremely concerning that the university is clearly targeting senior staff. Getting rid of the most experienced academics is bad for students and would cause irreparable harm to London South Bank's reputation. Management must now listen to staff and halt these devastating cuts.'