STAFF at the University of Essex have passed a vote of no confidence in vice-chancellor Frances Bowen, unions revealed yesterday.

Professor Bowen unveiled plans in December to slash 400 jobs and close down the university’s Southend campus, to stabilise the institution’s finances.

Members of Unite, Unison and the University and College Union voted 97 per cent in favour of a motion of no confidence this week for the vice-chancellor’s handling of the crisis.

Staff are calling for Prof Bowen to apologise, resign and for a new leadership team to scrap the “shambolic” redundancy process, then reopen the consultation.

They also want the university to halt the closure of the Southend campus and provide further rationale behind its closure.

Southend MPs joined union representatives presenting the results of the vote to education minister Jacqui Smith in Westminster on Thursday.

The university was contacted for comment.