Cuts to the arts and humanities in England¡¯s universities are becoming ¡°endemic¡±, according to the country¡¯s main higher education union, as it ramped up opposition to plans to cut courses at two institutions.

The University and College Union said it had written to the vice-chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton after it emerged that it had suspended student recruitment to about 140 undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses.?

Meanwhile, the union¡¯s general secretary accused the University of Roehampton of mounting an ¡°assault on education¡± after more than 200 academics were told their jobs could be at risk due to a ¡°strategic realignment¡± that?will result in?cuts to humanities programmes.

In the letter to Wolverhampton vice-chancellor Ian Campbell, UCU¡¯s regional official for the West Midlands, Anne O¡¯Sullivan, asked for more clarity over the decision and raised employment law concerns over consulting members whose jobs could be at risk.

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In a separate press statement, she said that the union had ¡°serious concerns¡± about the moves, ¡°especially when there has been no consultation with staff or students and no information provided on the reasoning behind the decision¡±.

¡°The plans to hit mainly arts and social science subjects looks like a crude attack on the arts and humanities, which is becoming endemic across the sector,¡± she added.

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Professor Campbell said that the decision was taken because ¡°enrolments have been falling with associated loss of income¡± while costs have ¡°significantly increased¡±.

The university says it is seeking to ¡°consolidate¡± courses after a review that looked at application data, graduate employment results and student satisfaction.

In relation to Roehampton, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said that the plans ¨C which involve cuts to philosophy, anthropology, Classics and creative writing programmes ¨C were ¡°nothing short of an assault on education and we will fight them¡±.

¡°Those students who have been recruited on to the programmes that management is now trying to axe have been sold a lie and if these plans go through their courses will be distorted beyond recognition,¡± Dr Grady said.

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The university said that it would ¡°anticipate a net reduction of around 64?full-time equivalent academic posts overall¡± as a result of the change to courses, which were needed?because of ¡°financial challenges¡±, including capped fees and rising costs.

The?announcements at Roehampton and Wolverhampton?came as De Montfort University?said it was looking at a ¡°net reduction of 58?roles across academic and professional services¡±?as a result of?reduced student numbers.?

Meanwhile submission data for the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, released earlier this month, showed a significant fall in the number of submissions to Main Panel D, which covers the arts and humanities, in a likely sign of departmental closures in this area?over?several years.

simon.baker@timeshighereducation.com