STAFF have reacted with fury over plans to make 50 academics redundant at Bournemouth University.

The university board wants to move away from its polytechnic past by getting rid of academic posts mainly filled by people with teaching-only experience and save £2.2 million in the process.

The job losses come on top of another 30 achieved through voluntary redundancies and natural wastage over the last two years.

Dr Kevin Moloney, chair of Bournemouth's University and College Union, said: "We are dismayed. This is a hard slap in the face for hard-working and diligent staff who have striven to achieve much in recent years.

"We are united in opposition. The board must draw back from the brink if it wants to avoid doing irreparable damage to the university's ability to deliver courses and attract students."

The university plans to reinvest the money in recruiting 30 new professors and senior lecturers so it can carry out more research and attract more funding.

Adam Hyland, 23, president of Bournemouth University students union and a recent graduate in internet communications systems, said: "It's a shame redundancies have to be made but because the money will be reinvested it will mean students will be able to get involved in cutting edge research.

"In the long run, it's going to be positive for students."

Professor Paul Curran, the vice chancellor, said: "I personally regret the staffing reductions and changes but they are essential to create the financial headroom which will allow us to invest and achieve the vision set out in our corporate plan for 2007-2012."

The compulsory redundancies will be made in four departments: health and social care; media, business and design; engineering; and technology.

The university, which said it indirectly contributes £240m to the local economy, will consult on the losses over the next four weeks.

It is seeking voluntary redundancies.

Bournemouth University employs 1,400 staff including 650 academic staff. The University College Union represents 290 "academic and academic related staff".

It is holding two "town hall" meetings this Friday in the Beaulieu Suite of the Roundhouse Hotel from 9am to 10am and in the Barnes Lecture Theatre of the Talbot Campus from 11am to noon.