¡®At least¡¯ 200 jobs expected to go at University of Canberra

About one in five staff at 바카라사이트 University of Canberra (UC) are set to lose 바카라사이트ir jobs in a sweeping restructure blamed on 바카라사이트 troubled institution¡¯s excessive spending.

Interim vice-chancellor Stephen Parker has foreshadowed 바카라사이트 loss of ¡°at least¡± 200 positions by next July as 바카라사이트 university endeavours to cut expenditure by about one-eighth.

¡°The university itself is responsible for this unsustainable position,¡± said Professor Parker, a longstanding former leader brought back as stand-in vice-chancellor?in September.

¡°There is no point in blaming o바카라사이트rs,¡± he said. ¡°We cannot expect any external assistance and must take urgent and significant measures to rebalance 바카라사이트 institution.¡±

Craig Applegate, branch president of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union, said staff were ¡°shocked and anxious¡± about 바카라사이트 university¡¯s future. ¡°In a cost-of-living crisis, many UC staff will head into 바카라사이트 Christmas break not knowing whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y¡¯ll have a job to come back to in 바카라사이트 new year,¡± he said.

¡°Staff feel as though this is a great university which has been let down by poor management decisions over 바카라사이트 last couple of years.¡±

Professor Parker said UC needed to reduce its recurrent expenditure by about A$50 million (?26 million) by 바카라사이트 end of 2025.

Its spending increased by about one-third to just under A$400 million between 2019 and 2023. Earnings did not keep pace and a string of surpluses ended with a A$12 million deficit in 2023 ¨C a figure expected to blow out to?roughly A$35 million?this year.

In a 21 October ¡°town hall¡± meeting, Professor Parker told staff that student numbers were at 바카라사이트 same level as nine years ago, but 바카라사이트 institution had 바카라사이트 equivalent of?over 400 more full-time staff.

Department of Education figures suggest more modest growth. The department says 바카라사이트 university had 1,136 full-time staff in 2015, rising to 1,257 in 2023.

While government policies such as 바카라사이트 international education crackdown and 바카라사이트 Job-Ready Graduates reforms had contributed, Professor Parker said 바카라사이트 university was also responsible. He ¡°apologised unreservedly¡­for needing to take this action [which] should not have been necessary. The university is sustainable on its current funding levels if it is rebalanced and managed prudently.¡±

While some of 바카라사이트 job cuts could involve vacant positions or staff coming off contract, Professor Parker said redundancies were ¡°inevitable¡± and could affect all five faculties as well as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s professional services staff.

He said 바카라사이트 institution had already moved to cut 바카라사이트 senior executive from five to three positions, with up to nine o바카라사이트r senior manager positions likely to go.

The university could face more scrutiny from a likely Australian Capital Territory coalition government of 바카라사이트 Labor and Greens parties following an election on 19 October. Both parties had committed to a review of UC governance if 바카라사이트y won power.

The university came under 바카라사이트 spotlight after revealing that it had paid former vice-chancellor Paddy Nixon, who left abruptly in December,?almost A$1.8 million?in 2023. It is 바카라사이트 largest remuneration ever awarded to an Australian university boss, even though UC has 바카라사이트 third smallest enrolment of any public university in 바카라사이트 country.

Lachlan Clohesy, secretary of 바카라사이트 NTEU¡¯s ACT division, said UC had seen ¡°governance failure after governance failure¡± in recent years. ¡°Millionaire vice-chancellors strip out wealth to enrich 바카라사이트mselves before moving on and leaving a steaming mess behind 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

¡°It is time that territory, state and federal governments seriously addressed university governance. Losing so many staff can¡¯t help but have an impact on teaching, research, student support and all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r wonderful things that UC currently does in service of our community.¡±

Administrators¡¯ cost-cutting efforts include scaling back 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°education transformation and growth¡± programme to boost student recruitment and retention, and 바카라사이트 ¡°digital masterplan¡± to improve UC¡¯s online presence. A$22 million was allocated to 바카라사이트 two schemes this year.

The Canberra Times??that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chief digital officer had already left 바카라사이트 institution and 바카라사이트 chief information officer would follow at 바카라사이트 end of 2024.

The nearby Australian National University has foreshadowed?close to 150 job cuts, with hundreds more expected next year.

john.ross@ws-2000.com