Faculty and staff disputes are intensifying across campuses. An arbitrator ordered Portland State University to reinstate 10 non‑tenure-track faculty after finding the university violated its collective-bargaining process in layoffs tied to budget cuts. The decision highlights legal risks when administrations accelerate reductions without following contract procedures. Separately, Lancaster University staff voted to escalate industrial action over proposed redundancies related to a £30m savings plan; UCU warned strikes will continue unless management negotiates alternatives. The twin developments underscore a sector in which financial pressures are colliding with contractual protections, fueling local industrial unrest and raising governance questions for trustees and presidents.