Support services Summa College must downsize
Summa College, a MBO institution in Brabant, will cut its support services. Spokesman Bennie Krol estimates that about twelve full-time jobs will disappear. Teachers and instructors remain out of harm's way.
The downsizing will mainly take place in the administration department due to the declining number of students. Now Summa College - with 22 schools - has more than 14 thousand students. “In 2025 there will be 11.650, according to forecasts. You have to make choices based on that. The Executive Board therefore intends to intervene in the support services,” explains Krol.
The spokesperson emphasizes that Summa is otherwise in good shape and that the MBO institution actually had a higher influx of students this year. “But in the long term, support can be even more efficient, without sacrificing the quality of education,” says Krol.
To merge
In addition to this intention, Summa is engaged in a major change in the structure within the 22 schools.
“The bottom line is that functions are being merged in the management layer in the schools and a different clustering of the schools is being considered,” says Krol.
"Only this plan is not yet concrete, it is still on the drawing board."
The plan for the new structure within the schools will be submitted to the Supervisory Board in the coming months. Those involved and other employees of Summa will also have the opportunity to comment on the plans. Krol is confident. "The works council has been continuously included in the process. Those discussions are already at an advanced stage." It Eindhoven Daily quoted last week from a letter from the works council showing that the council is critical and put the brakes on in October.
If the Supervisory Board agrees, the Board will start with the changes in the schools and the reduction of support services from 2017. Krol: “We will aim for voluntary departure. Temporary contracts will not be extended and compulsory redundancies will most likely not be necessary.”
Unions
AObdistrict manager Ine van der Marck, together with other unions, has a meeting with Summa College about the changes before January. If necessary, the AOb ask whether the consultation can be brought forward.
