Teachers at Richmond College will discover if they face redundancy when they return to work after the Easter break.
Money-saving proposals will be presented to staff unions at the start of the new term, on April 19, by college principal David Ansell.
In an interview he said although he was willing to listen to alternative proposals, redundancies would feature as a way to balance the books.
However, he said the 80 job cuts that had been suggested was the worst case scenario.
He said: “If the only way to making these savings were through staff cuts that’s [the number 80] what it could amount to.
“It’s likely some redundancies will be necessary but we’re doing everything we can to minimise the numbers.”
Mr Ansell, who has been principal for 15 months, said it was hoped the number of forced job losses could be cut through voluntary redundancies but he admitted the college was facing a tough future.
He said: “We’ve got some challenges. The college has grown massively in recent years. It’s been able to grow because of the way previous Government funding has allowed it to develop.
“We’re moving into a new era with less money.”
He admitted further posts could be lost if the college in Egerton Road, Twickenham, was to decrease its student intake from 4,400 to 2,400, which had been suggested.
He said: “If the college decreases in size you need fewer staff to run it and I’m not pretending otherwise but you have a natural wastage with people changing careers and moving jobs.
“We will not replace them and make necessary savings. It’s a much less painful way of dealing with things.”
However, he stressed there were no concrete plans to decrease student numbers and the intake would not change for September 2010.
He said: “There will be ample spaces in this college for young people in Richmond who are due to come here. That’s simply not a problem.”
Twickenham MP Vince Cable meets teachers
Twickenham MP Vince Cable praised Richmond College for being a “centre of excellence” when he met staff last week.
Dr Cable was invited by the college’s branch of the University College Union (UCU) and Unison after it was announced redundancies are set to hit teaching staff as a way of saving money at the college and student intake could be almost halved.
Addressing a packed room of teachers, Dr Cable said: “I value the fact that we have the college in Twickenham - it’s a centre of excellence - and I want to be associated with it where ever possible.
”In no way am I involved in the management or governance of the college but I can speak to people and I can make arguments.”
He confirmed he would write to college principal David Ansell and Richmond Council to highlight staff concerns.
Issues raised during the meeting included the worry that students' education would suffer as a direct result of teaching positions being lost, the remaining teachers being stretched to capacity and the lack of information released about the possible cuts.
It was argued the diversity of the college - almost two-thirds of students come from outside the borough - would also suffer if cuts to student numbers were introduced.
UCU chairman Dave Carrier said: “Dr Cable offered very productive and useful answers. Our fear is that there’s been a cock-up somewhere.”
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