More than 400 staff at the University of Strathclyde are voting on potential strike action after proposals to cut almost 80 roles to save £35m, trade unions said; Unite and UCU warned that planned redundancies could hit technicians, security and services critical to labs and student residences. Balloting runs through February as unions challenge the university’s consultation process. At the same time, Times Higher Education analysis shows nearly a third of UK universities reported operating deficits in 2024–25, with cumulative losses deepening to £365.7m across 104 institutions. Coventry University recorded the largest pre‑tax deficit, and several other mid‑sized institutions reported multi‑million‑pound shortfalls. The combination of job‑cut plans and sectorwide financial strain is prompting renewed scrutiny of institutional governance, contingency planning and the operational impact on teaching and research.