UPDATE: Senior leaders from the Australian National University (ANU) are urgently calling on their dean to halt planned forced redundancies in the College of Arts and Social Sciences. The appeal comes in the wake of ANU’s announcement that it would cease involuntary job cuts in other university sectors ahead of schedule.
These developments have intensified following the decision to proceed with controversial restructuring plans slated for 2025, which aim to reduce staff in the arts and social sciences college. Staff members argue that enforcing redundancies in this college is both unfair and inequitable, pointing out the inconsistency in the university’s approach.
ANU had previously signaled a commitment to stopping forced layoffs in multiple departments, but the continuation of these cuts in the College of Arts and Social Sciences has led to widespread frustration among faculty members. “To persist with involuntary redundancies predominantly in CASS is inequitable, arbitrary, and damaging,” the staff’s letter reads.
In May, ANU outlined which areas would undergo changes as part of the Renew ANU initiative for 2025, listing six departments, including the arts and social sciences college. However, of those six areas, only two received formal change plans. In contrast, seven other departments were noted as needing only minor adjustments to achieve efficiency goals.
As of August 20, 2023, ANU reported a reduction in salary costs by $59.9 million, which included 139 voluntary redundancies and 83 involuntary layoffs. The remaining savings are expected to come from ongoing consultations regarding the six change proposals and a new voluntary redundancy scheme.
“It has never been clear why CASS was singled out to bear such a heavy share of reductions,” the staff letter stated. “Continuing with involuntary redundancies at the college is fundamentally unjust.”
ANU’s chief financial officer, Michael Lonergan, informed the Senate Estimates that all university departments must reduce budgets for 2024 and 2025, regardless of whether they are undergoing any formal changes. He indicated that a specific formula was applied to determine budget cuts across the board.
The staff’s letter insists that if budgetary targets can be met without imposing compulsory redundancies in other areas, then proceeding with them in CASS is indefensible. They argue that the college’s resources are being disproportionately targeted to offset reductions elsewhere within the university.
The urgent situation has prompted members of the National Tertiary Education Union and ANU students to rally against the job cuts and the broader implications of the Renew ANU initiative. These developments are expected to escalate as the university community vocalizes its discontent over the handling of job security and departmental integrity.
As the situation unfolds, stakeholders are closely watching how ANU will respond to these mounting pressures from faculty, students, and union representatives. The staff’s push for justice in the restructuring process highlights the critical need for fair treatment across all university sectors.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story continues to develop.
