Outrage as University of Surrey wins £600,000 to help people facing the sack and then announces job cuts

The job cuts announcement from vice-chancellor, Professor Christopher Snowdon, came just days after the university announced it had successfully bid for £600,000 funding to help people at risk of losing their jobs during the recession. The union's members are currently being balloted for industrial action with the result expected on Friday 22 May.

Professor Snowden is the UK's eleventh best-paid vice-chancellor and enjoyed a salary of £285,000 in 2008 – an 11% rise on the previous year. At that time, staff at the University of Surrey were begrudgingly awarded just a 5.7% rise, which the universities said was at the brink of affordability.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Vice-chancellors saying one thing and doing another is not a new phenomenon - taking home whopping salaries and then telling staff the pot is dry is just one example. However, it is particularly galling that the University of Surrey is proudly boasting of delivering advice that can boost recovery opportunities and then just days later warns that it will axing staff.'

• The University of Surrey website proudly boasts of winning £600,000 to help those at risk in difficult times
• From the vice-chancellor's message to staff earlier this week: 'I cannot pretend that we can avoid the material reduction of staffing in some areas of the University over the next two years. To make a commitment such as the one demanded by UCU would cripple our ability to change and survive.'