STUDENTS are worried about the direction their university is heading as protests against lecturer pay cuts intensify.

University of Brighton students told The Argus they were concerned about the rate of decline of the institution as protesters disrupted an open day for prospective students.

The protesters claimed the decision by university bosses to “demote” lecturer roles to cut staff pay by 70 per cent and led some unable to afford their homes.

Concerns were also raised about teaching standards with third year undergraduates filling the gap of lecturers who resigned following the decision at the start of the year.

On Saturday around 50 students, tutors and lecturers gathered outside the Cockcroft building at the University of Brighton’s Moulsecoomb campus.

Some protesters unfurled banners and chanted in the foyer of the main building while others, prevented from getting inside by university security, staged a sit-in protest at the entrance.

The protest, which began at The Level before a march up Lewes Road, was held to coincide with an open day for prospective students to the school of computing, engineering and mathematics.

They said hourly-paid lecturers at the school were recently “demoted” to a new title called demonstrators - reversing a promotion from four years earlier which had recognised their work outside of lecture halls in preparing lectures, marking, leading seminars and giving tutorials.

Concerns have been raised the move could be repeated with staff at other schools within the university and The University and College Union have responded to the cuts by calling a number of strike days.

It has been a difficult month for the university - some of its students were involved in clashes with University of Sussex counterparts during varsity weekend while bosses also pulled out of the £100 million Circus Street redevelopment.

The university also pulled out of plans for a new campus at the former Novartis site in Horsham last year and will close its Hastings campus.

One student, who did not wish to be named, said: “Personally I think this university is going down the wrong direction very rapidly.

“Long-serving staff say morale has never been so low.”

Another student said: “Using third year graduates to teach first years, they are paying them even less than the demonstrators and there have been some who are turning up drunk to do lectures.”

A University of Brighton spokesman said: “No staff have been demoted. This was a student protest, which relates to an issue involving a small number of part-time research student employees.

“It was peaceful and the effect on the university’s open day was minimal.

“Visiting families enjoyed tours, a range of taster sessions and talks and had every opportunity to find more about the exceptional higher education courses and facilities this university offers.”