Demography senior lecturer Dr Michael Roettger is concerned about the mental and psychosocial impacts the Renew ANU process is having on staff and students. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses adverse mental health impacts.
“I could get a lot of blowback for talking, but … I just want to make sure no one dies.
“And I don’t know if the senior executives even realise how serious it is.”
Senior demography lecturer Dr Michael Roettger’s job is on the line as part of a change management proposal at the Australian National University.
But he’s chosen to speak out because he’s sure several of his ANU colleagues are suffering from adverse mental and psychosocial impacts due to the Renew ANU process, as the university tries to improve its bottom line.
And he wants them to know they’re not alone.
“There are a lot of people who are on stress leave … a lot of people are seeking professional help,” Dr Roettger said.
“I’ve seen people impacted who aren’t being laid off … if you knock out 13 per cent of our colleges and staff, that’s going to have a major impact.
“[This process] is terrifying. And I don’t use the word terror lightly.”
He’s part of a “spill and fill” process to see whether he’ll keep his job once the implementation plan is enacted, which he described as a “particular hell”.
“I’m going up against someone who I trained, I was on their PhD panel, and it’s a very painful process,” Dr Roettger said.
“Theoretically, I have tenure, but that doesn’t matter, and it’s sending a signal that no one’s safe.”
Renew ANU has been ongoing since October 2024 when the ANU announced it needed to save $250 million, including a large chunk through salary savings.
“Most of us get that cuts need to be made, that’s happening sector-wide, but it’s been [happening for] such a long time. It seems unusually long for even a university to do,” Dr Roettger said.
“[We’ve been told] that all units basically need to be self-sufficient in producing a profit, and for people who are in business that makes sense, and even for a university it’s important that they break even.
“But not every area of the university is going to be equally profitable.”
The confusion around the numbers being used by ANU to justify the changes, and about the initial consultations that formed the change management plans in the first place, is compounding people’s mental anguish.
“It just feels like there’s stuff going on and we have no power, and we don’t know when or if we’ll be heard,” Dr Roettger said.
A group of Health and Safety representatives wrote to ANU deputy chief people officer (safety and wellbeing) on Tuesday (26 August), requesting a review of the protections put in place to prevent workplace injuries due to Renew ANU.
“We reasonably believe that the control measures implemented by the University … to control psychosocial risks related to the Renew ANU processes (‘the control measures’) do not control those risks so far as is reasonably practicable,” they wrote.
“Many workers have consistently reported reluctance to [report concerns to ANU], because they fear reporting psychosocial hazards, incidents and injuries may result in retribution against them from University leadership, them being labelled as ‘psychologically unstable’, or that there is no point because they believe the University does not take concerns relating to psychosocial safety seriously.”
The Health and Safety representatives also questioned why ANU cancelled its contract with Relationships Australia Canberra and Regions (RACR) for EAP services.
“Workers who had appointments booked with RACR after 31 August have reported they have been cancelled, and that they were unable to find information on how to book an appointment with the University’s new EAP provider,” they wrote.
“This has occurred at a time of high demand, with workers waiting months for appointments with the Adviser to Staff.
“Both of these events have caused widespread, significant and unnecessary distress.”
Dr Liz Allen is another ANU staff member who has spoken out about people being afraid to criticise the university. Photo: Screenshot.
The university has since announced no further forced redundancies will occur this year under the Renew ANU scheme, but any job cuts contained in current CMPs would still proceed to implementation.
The wording of its all-staff letter appeared to exacerbate anxieties, as many took it to mean even the current proposals under consultation would be stopped.
The Our ANU group condemned the announcement as a “public relations exercise” and labelled the vice-chancellor’s wording as “carefully ambiguous and harmfully misleading”.
“Many staff affected by current proposals have understandably taken it to mean their jobs are now safe – a reasonable interpretation given the executive has repeatedly told us CMPs are ‘only proposals’,” a statement read.
“This is the appearance of a concession, but it is not conceding anything.”
The ANU has been creating a university-wide psychosocial risk register, as WHS registers were previously managed by each college. It was published for wider consultation on 14 August.
“The University’s work health and safety management system (WHSMS) is designed to identify psychosocial hazards and assess the risks associated with those hazards in accordance with [laws and regulations],” an ANU spokesperson said.
“The University’s ongoing management of psychosocial risks, including those associated with Renew ANU activities, is based on the relevant legislation, code of practice and other guidance information.
“The health, safety and wellbeing of our community is our highest priority.”
They also confirmed ANU had responded to the representatives’ letter and that it had undergone a tender process for EAP providers in April and May.
“Relationships Australia Canberra and Regions (RACR) was not selected as part of this tender process. [Its] clients were advised they could continue to use their remaining sessions after August 31, with sessions funded by the University,” the spokesperson said.
New EAP provider Converge will come online in September, along with a second Advisor to Staff.
ANU is considered a federal workplace, meaning Comcare considers any work health and safety issues and reports.
A spokesperson told Region it was monitoring ANU’s restructure to ensure it was compliant with the law.
“A small number of ANU workers have raised work health and safety concerns with Comcare about the university’s change management plans, including redundancies,” they said.
“Comcare has not commenced a formal investigation or issued enforcement notices in relation to this matter to date.”
The National Tertiary Education Union has created its own form allowing staff to report concerns directly to Comcare.
Dr Roettger believes the damage already caused by the Renew ANU process will be “impossible to undo”.
“If I strip the bark off a tree, it will likely die no matter how I try to restore the bark,” he said.
“An orderly, thorough process of eliminating staff positions now may prevent a case of industrial manslaughter down the road … [but] it’s hard or even impossible for this trust in safety to be rebuilt.”
