The ANU announced ‘Renew ANU’ in October 2024, with the aim of reducing staff expenditure by $100 million by 2026. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has slammed upcoming “formal change proposals” at the ANU, which it says foreshadow more job cuts.
All ANU staff were sent an email on Friday (23 May) afternoon stating the proposals would be released next month for consultation and feedback “aligned with the Renew ANU Change Principles”.
“These proposals will outline proposed changes to structures, roles, and processes within relevant teams to support improved service delivery and ensure long-term sustainability,” explained the email, signed by Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Churchill and Provost and senior vice-president Prof Rebekah Brown.
A 2025 “implementation timeline” outlined that formal organisational change proposals were expected to be released for the Information Technology Services and Information Security Office, Planning and Service Performance, the Academic Portfolio, the Research and Innovation Portfolio, the ANU College of Science and Medicine, and the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences.
Six areas were also flagged as “considering their need for organisational change activity” in the third quarter of the year.
These are the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Campus Environment, Residential Experience, Marketing and Communications, People and Culture, and Finance and Business Services.
“Consideration of change may not lead to formal change proposals in every case,” the website stated.
“Updates will be provided as planning progresses, VSS [voluntary separation scheme] outcomes are confirmed and as areas determine if they have a need for formal change.”
It’s anticipated formal organisational change proposals, if required, will be released before 30 September.
“This is nothing short of an incredibly challenging time for our entire ANU community,” the email to all staff stated.
“Thank you for your patience, engagement, continued hard work and care being shown to the whole ANU community throughout this process.”
The NTEU has questioned why further restructuring is being considered as its estimates show the ANU’s target of reducing staff expenditure by $100 million by January 2026 had been met.
“ANU’s staffing levels have reduced by 635 full-time equivalent positions since 31 March 2024,” a union release stated.
“Based on these reductions, ANU will achieve a reduction of $112 million by 1 January 2026. ANU has not provided alternative costings on reductions so far, or indicative numbers of job losses.”
NTEU ANU branch president Millan Pintos-Lopez described the further potential cuts as “cruel”.
“ANU staff are suffering under the leadership of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. I worry about the future of the university, and what these cuts will mean for ANU staff and students,” he said.
“These changes started almost eight months ago, and many staff are still no clearer on whether their jobs will be impacted.
“The areas listed for change cover almost the entire university.”
More than 750 union staff voted earlier this year that they had no confidence in the leadership of ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop or ANU Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell.
NTEU ACT division secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy accused Prof Bell of “single-handedly destroying” the university.
“There is no financial rationale for cuts. ANU overestimated their 2024 deficit by $60 million and will end up cutting far more than their original target if these changes proceed,” he said.
“We expect these plans to contain job cuts in the hundreds.”
The implementation timeline said it was “anticipated” that no organisational change proposals would be released beyond October of this year.
However, “it is not known at this stage if formal organisational change will be required in 2026”.
The ANU’s next financial progress update, which will report on the “progressive operational savings achieved as part of Renew ANU”, is expected in the coming weeks.
