ANU’s forced redundancies must end in wake of VC’s resignation, say senators, union

The Australian National University should stop plans for forced redundancies following the resignation of its vice-chancellor, according to crossbench senators and the NTEU.

Yesterday (Thursday, 11 September), ANU chancellor Julie Bishop advised the university’s staff and students that Professor Genevieve Bell had tendered her resignation as vice-chancellor and president of the university and will be taking a period of leave, before returning to the ANU School of Cybernetics.

In her resignation letter, Bell wrote: “Like the rest of our community, I believe firmly in our delivering on our national mission – to create and transmit knowledge through research and teaching of the highest quality. And know that doing this requires a solid financial, cultural and operational foundation.”

She added: “Like the rest of our community, I know there is still more work to do so. I very much want to see the ANU thrive into the future and for it to continue to be a remarkable place, and I don’t want to stand in the way of that.”

The resignation follows months of disgruntlement at the university. In late March, ANU staff issued a vote of no confidence in its leadership, which the university dismissed as a “vehicle for disinformation”.

Independent Senator David Pocock said that, like many in the ACT, he welcomed the appointment of Bell as the first woman to lead our national university, “however, her leadership has, over recent months, become untenable”.

There have been “serious failures of leadership and governance in the implementation of Renew ANU”, he said, which have caused “enormous harm to staff, students, and the reputation” of ANU.

Pocock said that further leadership renewal is needed, referencing the serious bullying and workplace harassment allegations against Bishop, arguing she has “presided over a period that saw a significant decline in the university’s financial position and governance arrangements”.

Most importantly, he said, “there must be a stop to any further forced redundancies, including for the change management plans that have yet to be finalised until there is more transparency over the ANU’s financial position and genuine consultation over a way forward”.

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) also said that Bell’s departure must be accompanied by an announcement that all forced redundancies will now cease.

“Nobody takes delight in the situation of the Australian National University at the moment. We welcome this development. But we also need to recognise the incredible toll the last two years have taken on the ANU community, and that will take time to heal,” said NTEU ACT division secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy.

“In the last two years, ANU leadership has taken an approach of moving fast and breaking things. Unfortunately, too many of those things were people.”

“Genevieve Bell will not be the last vice-chancellor to go in these circumstances if other universities fail to heed the lessons of what has gone wrong at the ANU. University staff deserve to be valued, supported, and respected.”

NTEU ANU branch president Millan Pintos-Lopez said: “There are still over a hundred colleagues facing the loss of their livelihoods across the university. All job cuts must stop. Renew ANU is now thoroughly discredited and needs to end. We can’t continue with forced redundancies and the disestablishment of significant parts of the university.”

“Staff have fought hard over the past year to ensure their voices have been heard, and now is the opportunity to listen.”

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi, who is the party’s higher education spokesperson, said: “Across the sector, mass redundancies, threats to schools and courses, and widespread reports of psychosocial harm show a workplace and community in crisis. Staff should never have to choose between their wellbeing and their profession.

“Universities are public institutions and must serve the public good. That means transparency, accountability and genuine consultation with the people who make them what they are – the staff and students.

“VC Bell stepping down cannot be the end of the story. We need a halt to forced redundancies, real protection of staff wellbeing, a commitment to safeguard disciplines under threat and an end to opaque decision making and networks of privilege.

“This moment is a chance to rebuild ANU into a democratic, accountable, and thriving institution that has the trust and confidence of its community once again. It must not be wasted.”