Dear Professor Lisa Roberts,

Subject: Urgent Concerns Regarding Proposed Staff Reductions and Impact on Sociology

The British Sociological Association (BSA) is deeply concerned by the University of Exeter’s proposed programme of staff reductions, which places a substantial number of colleagues within the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at risk of redundancy. Reports indicate that most affected staff are concentrated within this faculty, prompting serious questions about the future of social science and humanities scholarship at one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities.

While universities across the UK are operating under significant financial pressures, the scale and concentration of the proposed cuts at Exeter are especially troubling. The University’s plans appear to rest on assumptions about future student demand and financial sustainability that risk overlooking the broader educational, intellectual and societal contributions of the disciplines most affected. Colleagues and BSA members at the university have expressed concern that judgements are being driven primarily by recruitment metrics rather than by the strength of research, teaching quality, or wider public value.

For sociologists and other social scientists, these developments matter well beyond a single institution. Universities flourish through intellectual ecosystems rather than isolated disciplines. Sociology depends upon ongoing dialogue with fields such as politics, history, area studies, languages, philosophy, education, and cultural studies. Weakening these connected areas inevitably diminishes the richness of teaching, research and public engagement across the social sciences as a whole.

The proposed reductions are particularly concerning given Exeter’s longstanding reputation for internationally recognised research and scholarship. Staff now facing uncertainty include colleagues working in departments and research centres that have played a significant role in establishing the University’s academic standing. The possibility that capacity could be lost from such successful areas raises important questions about the long-term implications for research excellence, interdisciplinarity and institutional reputation.

At a moment when societies are grappling with challenges including social inequality, democratic change, migration, technological transformation, environmental crisis and global insecurity, the need for strong social science research has never been greater. Sociology and related disciplines provide essential evidence, analysis and critical perspectives that inform public debate and policy development. They help societies understand complex social problems and develop effective responses to them.

The BSA is also concerned about the signal these proposals send to current and prospective students. We would remind you that Sociology continues to attract exceptionally high numbers of students. In 2024, it was the seventh most popular A level in the UK, with 44,359 entries through AQA alone. Sociology sits alongside psychology, biology, chemistry, history, business studies, and maths as one of the major feeder subjects into higher education. Its scale demonstrates a substantial and reliable pool of recruits for universities, including Exeter.  Exeter is the sole provider of Sociology at University level in Devon and Cornwall.

Across the HE sector, Sociology is recognised as a comparatively low cost subject to deliver. It does not require laboratories, specialist equipment, or technical infrastructure. For many universities, social science provision provides stable revenue that cross subsidises more resource intensive programmes. Reductions in these disciplines risks undermining, rather than strengthening, financial sustainability.

More broadly, the developments at Exeter reflect an increasingly challenging environment for higher education in which short-term financial calculations can come into tension with the longer-term purposes of universities. Research-intensive institutions have traditionally served as places where a wide range of forms of knowledge are cultivated, including those whose value cannot always be measured through immediate market demand. The health of UK higher education depends upon maintaining that breadth.

The British Sociological Association stands alongside colleagues at Exeter during this period of uncertainty. We urge the University’s leadership to work constructively with staff and recognised trade unions, to ensure transparency in decision-making, and to explore every available alternative before proceeding with compulsory redundancies. We further encourage the University to recognise the strategic importance of the humanities and social sciences to its research culture, educational mission and public responsibilities.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Les Back, BSA President
Dr Jen Remnant, BSA Chair

Letter sent via email to: Professor Lisa Roberts, FRSB, FRSA, President and Vice-Chancellor
cc. Professor Dan Charman, Senior Vice-President and Provost
Mike Shore-Nye, Senior Vice-President and Registrar & Secretary
Professor Gareth Stansfield, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Professor Helen Berry, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Professor Adam Watt, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Victoria Alcock, Head of the President and Vice-Chancellor’s Office
Annemarie Cooper, Executive PA to the President and Vice-Chancellor