ANU changes course on forced redundancies

The Australian National University “no longer” needs involuntary redundancies, its interim vice-chancellor has announced, while other planned measures under the university’s restructure will also not proceed.

Earlier today (Thursday, 18 September), ANU’s interim vice-chancellor, Professor Rebekah Brown, presented a draft roadmap for the future of ANU during a community meeting to staff and students.

Brown, who formerly served as provost, assumed the role in the wake of Professor Genevieve Bell recently resigning as vice-chancellor and president of the university, following months of discontent at ANU over planned redundancies and myriad other governance matters.

In the presentation – which is available on ANU’s homepage, as of the time of publishing this story – Brown said the university “no longer need[ed] any more involuntary redundancies”.

Five of 13 change proposals are still in a consultation phase, ABC reported, and forced redundancies identified as part of those plans will now not go ahead.

Brown also announced there would be no further job cuts as part of the “Renew ANU” process and that the Australian National Dictionary Centre would now be preserved.

The centre was set to be closed as part of the restructure, but ABC noted that Brown said it would remain open due to a philanthropic gift from an unnamed donor.

As reported by The Australian Financial Review, Brown was asked why staff should trust her when she had been part of the leadership team that implemented Renew ANU.

“My answer is that I will have to win your trust. That’s it. I will have to win your confidence. There is no other answer,” she said.

Brown admitted that under Renew ANU, tight timelines and immovable budgetary requirements had damaged staff morale, AFR noted.

Under the restructure, “there was no commitment to an overall academic strategy”, she admitted.

HR Leader has approached ANU for comment.

Reflecting on the university’s decision, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) claimed victory, with NTEU ACT division secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy saying: “It is the collective work of union members which has saved these jobs at the ANU. In doing so, they have stood up not just for their own jobs, but for the university itself.

“The interim vice-chancellor deserves credit for reading the room accurately on this issue. More consultation is needed on structural changes, but removing forced redundancies is a significant step forward.

“Renew ANU has damaged the university and its people. It has broken the university. While there is work to do, we can now start to pick up the pieces.”

NTEU ANU branch president Millan Pintos-Lopez said: “This is a fantastic win for ANU staff. Union members have fought tirelessly to save these jobs.”

“This is a significant step in the right direction to correct the chaotic and cruel leadership of the past 18 months. But let’s not forget some of the leaders responsible are still in control. The chancellor needs to step down.

“We also need to be mindful that many staff have already left the ANU as part of this process.”

Clohesy added that he hopes leadership at UTS “is taking note of what has happened at ANU”, in the wake of yesterday’s news that the Sydney-based university had released details of its proposed restructure for staff consultation, which includes the amalgamation of its existing law and business faculties, discontinuing 167 courses, and a reduction of approximately 134 full-time equivalent academic positions, and a decrease in its casual workforce.