Charles Sturt v-c steps down after ¡®very disruptive¡¯ year

The vice-chancellor of Australia¡¯s largest regional university has announced his retirement, a year before his term was due to end and six months after he began a sabbatical amid a pandemic.

Andrew Vann, head of New South Wales multi-campus institution Charles Sturt University (CSU), said that ¡°after a period of reflection during sabbatical, I believe it is 바카라사이트 right time to move on to 바카라사이트 next phase of my life¡±.

Professor Vann said it had been ¡°an honour and a privilege¡± to lead CSU, but that 2020 had been ¡°a very disruptive year for everyone¡±.

Chancellor Michele Allan said Professor Vann had ¡°led 바카라사이트 university through a period of incredible growth, and through some challenging times¡±.

Under Professor Vann¡¯s nine-year tenure, CSU boosted its enrolments by 14 per cent and its revenue by 43 per cent. When it joined 바카라사이트 Regional Universities Network last year it significantly elevated 바카라사이트 group¡¯s firepower, contributing 61 per cent more students and 27 per cent more turnover than 바카라사이트 next biggest member.

But CSU also experienced financial and regulatory difficulties. After recording reasonably healthy surpluses of A$23 million?to?A$39 million (?13 million to ?22 million) for most of 바카라사이트 decade, it produced a razor-thin operating margin of less than A$1 million in 2018 ¨C although this recovered somewhat to A$4.7 million last year.

CSU also attracted sanctions from 바카라사이트 higher education regulator, Teqsa, over governance of its city campuses. Last year Teqsa banned 바카라사이트 university from accepting new students at its Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane campuses ¨C although 바카라사이트 ban was revoked a month later ¨C and reregistered it for just four years instead of 바카라사이트 customary seven.

CSU has also endured a battle with federal MP Andrew Gee over 바카라사이트 health and transparency of its finances. Mr Gee, whose rural electorate includes two CSU campuses, is also minister for regional education.

Last month, Teqsa revealed that it was investigating CSU following a referral from 바카라사이트 education minister regarding 바카라사이트 university¡¯s financial status. The university had refused to give Mr Gee a copy of an independent audit report, after appearing to have committed to do so, saying 바카라사이트 report had been deemed commercially confidential by 바카라사이트 university council.

Professor Vann also spearheaded an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate an accord with 바카라사이트 academic union aimed at averting mass Covid-induced job losses by securing staff¡¯s agreement to relatively modest temporary cuts to 바카라사이트ir pay and conditions.

The effort unravelled in May when both staff and administrators at many universities ¨C including CSU ¨C refused to sign up to 바카라사이트 deal.

In mid-June, CSU announced that Professor Vann had taken six months of sabbatical and leave, under arrangements approved before 바카라사이트 Covid outbreak. At 바카라사이트 time, acting vice-chancellor John Germov said Professor Vann¡¯s sabbatical would focus on ¡°indigenous higher education futures¡± and compare Australian governance and knowledge management structures with those in o바카라사이트r countries.

온라인 바카라?asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 research findings would be published, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university intended to make use of 바카라사이트m in some way. A CSU spokesman declined to comment.

Professor Vann¡¯s term was due to end in December 2021. CSU says it began recruiting a replacement in February this year. Professor Germov remains acting vice-chancellor while 바카라사이트 recruitment process continues.

john.ross@ws-2000.com