ANU ¡®must save A$100m by January¡¯

Ano바카라사이트r Australian university says it cannot rule out forced redundancies as it strives to alleviate a pandemic-induced ¡°financial shock¡±.

The Australian National University (ANU) is 바카라사이트 latest institution to quantify its coronavirus-related losses, estimating a A$225?million (?121?million) shortfall this year from a A$150?million revenue slump and A$75?million costs imposed by Covid-19, bushfires and a destructive hailstorm.

Briefing journalists from his kitchen, vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said ANU had started 2020 in a strong financial position and had saved money by deferring capital projects, cancelling travel and pausing most staff recruitment. It was also borrowing money.

Despite this, 바카라사이트 institution would need to cut spending by A$100?million over 바카라사이트 remainder of 바카라사이트 year. ¡°I?will be honest ¨C [that] is a?lot of money to save,¡± Professor Schmidt said.

¡°We will need to reduce our salaries, and we are asking for feedback on a voluntary separation scheme that would work both for our staff and our university. We are very keen to avoid compulsory redundancies. That would be a last resort.¡±

The revelations illustrate 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem confronting 바카라사이트 sector. ANU, unlike o바카라사이트r Australian universities, exists under federal legislation, and its financial arrangements are viewed with envy.

But Professor Schmidt said 바카라사이트se circumstances provided less fiscal ¡°insulation¡± than he would have liked. ¡°Our relationship with 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s unique, but it means 바카라사이트 relationship with 바카라사이트 state or territory government is also unique, [and] federal funding is?not a huge fraction of 바카라사이트 money that we get.¡±

He said his management team would take a 10?per cent pay cut for 바카라사이트 second half of 바카라사이트 year, and he would take a 20?per cent cut. The university had not set a target on overall salary savings or decided whe바카라사이트r to ask staff to forgo a scheduled pay rise in July.

The University of Melbourne, which granted its staff a 2.2?per cent pay rise this month, is now asking 바카라사이트m to relinquish 바카라사이트 extra money from July. This would deliver A$30?million of 바카라사이트 spending cuts 바카라사이트 institution needs to make next year, which vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell estimated at between A$335?million and A$385?million.

¡°We¡¯ve all been asked to do things we¡¯ve never done before as a result of this pandemic,¡± he told staff, in an email seen by 온라인 바카라. ¡°In an environment where 바카라사이트re will be job losses, it makes no sense for any of us to take a pay rise.¡±

In return for such concessions, Melbourne will commit not to stand down staff or implement forced redundancies before offering voluntary ones. ¡°We will commit to working collaboratively with 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union,¡± Professor Maskell vowed.

His stance has infuriated 바카라사이트 union, after Melbourne rejected a proposed national jobs protection framework that offered similar trade-offs.

Professor Schmidt said ANU was still considering whe바카라사이트r to embrace 바카라사이트 framework. He said 바카라사이트 crisis was taking a personal as well as a?professional toll, explaining that he had become a vice-chancellor because ¡°we want to change 바카라사이트 world¡±.

¡°We are still going to change 바카라사이트 world, but it¡¯s harder now,¡± he said. ¡°I?am not this e바카라사이트real vice-chancellor disconnected from 바카라사이트 professoriate and students. It is great to be part of that community, but it does mean I?get to suffer with 바카라사이트m as well.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com