Several hundred academics, general staff and students have threatened major industrial disruption at the Australian National University if vice-chancellor Ian Young does not back down on his plan to slash spending by $40 million.
Around 300 protesters, mainly staff, gathered in Union Court at lunchtime yesterday to rally against the proposed budget cuts, which include axing up to 150 jobs.
Organised by the National Tertiary Education Union, the rally peacefully marched from Union Court to The Chancellery.
Professor Young was overseas yesterday so union ACT secretary Stephen Darwin and ANU Students’ Association president Dallas Proctor met deputy vice-chancellor (research) Lawrence Cram.
They passed on a motion unanimously endorsed at the rally in which staff and students rejected the need for any budget cuts or job losses and have approved further industrial action if necessary.
Professor Young announced last month that the ANU’s surplus was down to $14 million following a $30 million fall on investments, a $26 million rise in service costs and a $10 million increase in depreciation costs.
Nationally, the ANU joins Macquarie, La Trobe, Victoria University and the University of Sydney in announcing budget shortfalls and the need for job losses in the last 12 months.
The University of Sydney’s NTEU branch president, Michael Thomson, addressed the ANU rally and warned staff that management’s plans to introduce retrospective performance measures would severelyaffect future job stability.
Massive rallies have been held at the University of Sydney over management’s plans to cut $63 million from the budget and up to 350 academic and general staff positions.
Mr Darwin told the crowd: ‘‘Cuts on the scale proposed will not build the institution. Instead it will result in lower quality teaching, research and research supervision at ANU.’’
‘‘The vice-chancellor needs to move beyond simplistic economics and metrics and look to the more complex challenges of harnessing the rich potential of ANU staff and students,’’ he said.
Senior lecturer in the College of Asia and the Pacific, McComas Taylor, said he and other staff were ‘‘simply not convinced there is a financial crisis at the university and we are surprised by the arguments being put forward in an attempt to convince us there is’’.
Dr Taylor said he was deeply concerned that management’s pursuit of budget cuts was harming the institution’s international reputation and threatening the livelihood of colleagues.
‘‘What we want is a frank, collegial and open discussion about the state of the university and its finances,’’ Dr Taylor said.
The union is still awaiting the latest financial details and budget outlook contained in the ANU’s annual report – which is being fast-tracked to be tabled in Parliament next month.
Professor Young is due to return to Australia next week and is expected to address staff about the outcome of the consultation period.