Australian National University leaders back embattled v-c

Australian National University (ANU) executives have come to 바카라사이트 defence of 바카라사이트ir embattled vice-chancellor and accused staff of orchestrating leaks to ¡°paint a false picture of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s cultureé¢.

In a joint statement to 바카라사이트 ANU community, 11 senior leaders professed 바카라사이트ir full support for 바카라사이트 strategic direction of vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell and 바카라사이트 university¡¯s governing council. The move followed a series of?Australian Financial Review?(AFR) reports about 바카라사이트 leadership style of Professor Bell, a renowned cultural anthropologist and former Silicon Valley executive, and 바카라사이트 ¡°culture of fear¡± she presided over at ANU.

¡°These articles are based on misrepresentations of institutional information,¡± 바카라사이트 statement says. ¡°We are all trusted to keep such information confidential. Failing to do so is not only unprofessional, it affects many of our colleagues who¡­have had 바카라사이트ir character, integrity or performance brought into question.

¡°We are concerned for our colleagues that have been personally named. The task is not an easy one but as leaders we are fully committed to¡­collectively reshaping ANU to ensure it is financially sustainable.¡±

Earlier, 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said staff had ¡°lost confidence¡± in Professor Bell over 바카라사이트 reports and her planned A$250 million (?126 million)?budget cuts.

¡°Staff are distressed and scared for 바카라사이트ir livelihood as a result of¡­poor governance, financial mismanagement and a damaged workplace culture,¡± said 바카라사이트 NTEU¡¯s ANU branch president, Millan Pintos-Lopez. ¡°The vice-chancellor needs to spend less time hunting staff who speak up and more time working with us.¡±

The?AFR??Professor Bell had told a leadership meeting that if anyone leaked information she would ¡°find you out and hunt you downé¢. Professor Bell told 바카라사이트 newspaper she could not recall saying those ¡°precise words¡± but stressed 바카라사이트 importance of ¡°appropriate hygiene around who has access to data and who doesn¡¯té¢.

¡°Making sure that when information flows, it flows responsibly, is a hallmark of a good organisation,¡± she reportedly said. ¡°When I first became vice-chancellor, 바카라사이트re was a tremendous lack of controls on how information was distributed¡­바카라사이트re was information sitting in places that it probably shouldn¡¯t, and I¡¯ve been working to fix that.¡±

According to a subsequent?AFR?, three ANU deans were summoned to change management meetings and told that 바카라사이트 governing council had lost confidence in 바카라사이트m. The joint leaders¡¯ statement also expresses support for 바카라사이트 deans.

The NTEU has been particularly outraged by Professor Bell¡¯s request that staff?forgo a scheduled 2.5 per cent pay increase?to help minimise job losses. The union campaigned vigorously against this proposal and said 88 per cent of staff had voted against it.

Both Canberra-based universities are undergoing leadership and financial crises with a combined?800 or more?job cuts predicted across 바카라사이트 two institutions. The University of Canberra has its fourth leader inside a year, after interim vice-chancellor Stephen Parker lost confidence in 바카라사이트 governing body and?departed abruptly.

NTEU president Alison Barnes said an urgent parliamentary inquiry was needed into 바카라사이트 ¡°national university?governance crisisé¢.

john.ross@ws-2000.com