THOUSANDS of students will find their college receptions unmanned, after a series of resignations left university bosses with a staffing crisis.

The University of York is 14 short of the required number of porters, and a further five are on sick leave - resulting in an overall 36 per cent shortfall.

Two of the campus's seven college receptions will now be closed, with another open between 2pm and 5pm on weekdays only. Three colleges - Derwent, Vanbrugh and Wentworth - are currently manned all day.

Students, porters and local MP John Grogan, today voiced concern at the changes, which will run from January 21 to April 28.

Porters, who act as college caretakers and support students with a range of issues, accused the university of bringing the crisis on themselves.

The departure of staff follows the introduction of controversial new contracts, which compel porters and security staff to work different shifts in different colleges, as opposed to fixed shifts in one college as was previously the case.

The proposals to cut cover were contained in a letter to staff from security and support services manager Ken Batten.

He wrote: "I have been forced to brief the university that in order for both academic and administrative operations to continue, there needs to be a consolidation of resources."

He said the university did not have the staff to fill the roster, or keep all receptions open.

In another letter to porters, Keith Lilley, director of facilities management, said the cutbacks were temporary.

But a porter, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We think that once this is up and running it will remain."

He also claimed: "The university is just messing the porters about, and everybody is sick to death of it. If they cannot run this campus, how are they ever going to run Heslington East?"

A university spokesperson said: "A number of staff decided to opt for voluntary severance, or to take positions elsewhere within the university, including a number of promotions.

"The university is now actively recruiting porters to fill existing vacancies.

"The shortfall in staff means that to continue to provide a robust service, we are proposing the closure of the porters' lodges in Vanbrugh and Derwent colleges and the partial closure of the lodge in Wentworth College on a short-term basis, until we can recruit and train additional staff."

He said the shortfall was impossible to predict, and said the ultimate aim was to maintain and improve the service.

Mr Grogan said: "I am very concerned at the lack of portering cover that will be at these colleges until Easter, and I will be writing to the vice-chancellor to express my concern."

Grace Fletcher-Hall, policy and campaigns officer for the university Students' Union, said: "It's a serious matter for concern if porters' lodges are going to be closed, and if people are not going to get portering services from people who are used to dealing with portering services in that college."