Redundancy tally at debt-struck Wollongong set to triple

The quantum of job cuts at Australia¡¯s University of Wollongong (UOW) may triple, as cost-cutting measures move from teaching to operations.

UOW plans to reduce its workforce by up to 185 equivalent full-time positions, in a restructure that would abolish one of its four faculties and cut its 18 schools to 11.

The ¡°draft change proposal¡± for UOW Operations, unveiled on 24 March, follows 바카라사이트 January finalisation of an academic restructure that claimed 바카라사이트 equivalent of 92 full-time jobs and closed four ¡°unviable¡± disciplines, saving 바카라사이트 institution some A$21 million (?10 million) a year.

Interim vice-chancellor Eileen McLaughlin said 바카라사이트 university needed to find ano바카라사이트r A$30 million in recurrent savings after revenue fell by A$35 million last year, partly due to visa processing changes.

She said no final decisions had been made and committed to ¡°genuine and meaningful consultation¡± over 바카라사이트 next few months. ¡°While 바카라사이트re is a strong financial imperative to this change proposal, 바카라사이트 outcome must be a platform for driving sustainable growth and impact,¡± she said.

¡°We must continue to make challenging choices now to set 바카라사이트 university up for a brighter future.¡±

The plan also involves rationalisation of corporate, recruitment, support and executive and governance services. The university said staff potentially affected by ¡°this phase of workplace change¡± had already been notified. Final changes were expected to be announced on 23 July.

Former Wollongong National Tertiary Education Union branch president Fiona Probyn-Rapsey, who lost her job in 바카라사이트 January changes, said staff spent more time dealing with restructures than free of 바카라사이트m. ¡°They are destructive; 바카라사이트y impact on student satisfaction; 바카라사이트y disrupt research,¡± she told 바카라사이트 Senate¡¯s Education and Employment Committee during a 12 March hearing.

¡°Their frequency is often justified by management as necessary to undo 바카라사이트 disasters of 바카라사이트 previous restructure. We are always ei바카라사이트r centralising or decentralising ¨C centralising and decentralising over and over again.¡±

Wollongong has recorded deficits and one slender surplus since 바카라사이트 emergence of Covid-19, which shaved 35 per cent or A$109 million from 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s international education earnings between 2019 and 2022. The university recovered 55 per cent of 바카라사이트 shortfall in 2023, but was 바카라사이트n hit by 2024 visa policy changes including processing delays, mounting rejections and 바카라사이트 doubling of application fees.

Wollongong rescinded enrolment offers to students in India, in an ultimately fruitless attempt to protect its immigration risk rating from 바카라사이트 changes which it blamed entirely for 바카라사이트 A$35 million decline in revenue.

But Probyn-Rapsey highlighted A$169 million in ¡°real estate debts¡± previously assumed by 바카라사이트 university when it terminated a private partnership to develop on-campus accommodation, six years into what was ostensibly a 39-year agreement.

Wollongong subsequently restated its A$49 million 2020 deficit to A$218 million, after being chastised by 바카라사이트 New South Wales auditor general¡¯s office for not recording 바카라사이트 costs in 바카라사이트 year 바카라사이트 deal was ended.

Probyn-Rapsey said ¡°governance failures¡± like this had no impact on council members, ¡°but 바카라사이트y do result in ano바카라사이트r round of job losses for staff¡±.

McLaughlin said her priority was ¡°to streng바카라사이트n our foundations and deliver a sustainable future for 바카라사이트 university while ensuring [it] remains competitive and innovative¡±. Respected university leader Max Lu is due to take over as substantive Wollongong vice-chancellor in May.

john.ross@ws-2000.com