Support UCU's petition: remove Coventry University vice-chancellor from government role
6 February 2025
As many of you know, Coventry University is currently facing a crisis, with the potential loss of 300 staff members and severe cuts across faculties. This devastating situation is made even more outrageous by the fact that vice-chancellor John Latham received an £80,768 bonus on top of his £312,617 salary during the financial year ending March 2023. Together, we must take a stand against those who prioritise personal gain over the welfare of students and staff.
Despite the institution being on its knees, John Latham has been rewarded with a non-executive board position at the Department for Business and Trade. Taking a second job with staff morale at rock bottom shows a disgraceful disregard for Coventry University and raises serious questions about his judgement.
To hold leadership accountable and signal our disgust, we have launched a petition calling for the immediate removal of John Latham from the Department for Business and Trade board. We urge the Labour government to rescind this role from him and to consider what a damaging message this appointment sends to the public. People like John Latham should not be running our universities and they should not be celebrated with plum roles to further spread their destructive ethos across our country.
I urge all of you to support this petition and demonstrate to the UK government that it should not reward incompetence.
UCU is committed to fighting for the jobs of our members and advocating for reform and justice for staff across the higher education sector. Together, we will raise our voices and demand leadership that truly values and protects the future of education at Coventry University and beyond.
In solidarity
Jo Grady
UCU general secretary
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