ACADEMICS at the Uni- Join the choir versity of Bolton are facing redundancy after funding was slashed.

Bosses say they are reviewing its “academic portfolio” after Government cash was cut by 4.1 per cent — £850,000 from a budget of £20.7 million — earlier this year.

Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) Professor Robert Campbell said: “In common with many other universities, Bolton has undertaken an extensive review and restructuring of its academic portfolio in order to prepare for the new student funding regime which is proposed for September 2012.

“Senior management is currently in collective consultation concerning this restructuring and will soon move to consult individually with those affected by it.

“Currently only 21 staff are affected by the changes and the university is working very hard to minimise any possible redundancies.”

The departments affected have not been revealed by the university.

But it has been suggested nationally arts and humanities courses in particular are likely to be at risk as a result of Government funding cuts.

The University of Bolton has around 700 staff but takes on an additional 300 extra “part-time lecturers”.

This is the second time that the university has experienced a cut in its funding.

Last year’s 0.9 per cent cut was described as “manageable”

but university bosses warned at the time any future cuts could put jobs on the line.

Vice Chancellor George Holmes hinted before this year’s Government funding settlement that job losses could be as much as 10 to 15 per cent.

A spokesman for the University and College Union said: “At a time when demand from students for access to higher education has never been greater, we believe that any strategy of cutting jobs is deeply problematic.

“Cutting jobs could further raise staff:student ratios (which have already doubled in the last 15 years), and lead to larger seminar, class and lecture sizes; less contact time and an increased workload for those staff who remain.

Cuts of any kind could have a devastating impact upon the quality of education experienced by current and future students.”

Staff at the university will be taking part in a national strike in a row over public sector pensions on June 30, they added.