More formal change proposals for ANU portfolios and colleges are expected this month. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The ANU’s Information Technology Services, Information Security Office and Planning and Service Performance Division are the latest areas being trimmed as the university reins in its spending.
This had been foreshadowed in a 2025 implementation timeline with other formal change proposals expected (pending approval) for the Academic Portfolio, Research and Innovation Portfolio, ANU College of Science and Medicine, and the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences.
ANU Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Churchill said the proposed job losses in the ITS, ISO and PSPD equated to about 37 “net workforce reductions”.
“This represents a reduction of between 9 and 14 per cent in headcount for each of those three areas,” he said.
“These numbers are not representative of the number of affected staff – in some instances, reductions are found in vacant roles.”
In a town hall earlier today (5 June), Mr Churchill told staff the changes were occurring “not because we want to, but because we must”.
“This is really challenging and hard and sad,” he said.
“I’ve got two requests of you all … please provide feedback, please read the change proposal … [and] support each other during this time.
“I know it’s always a bit easy to be cynical and say ‘they’ve made up their minds’ and for sure, some of the ideas will be firmly held … but they need to be challenged and critiqued as well.”
Feedback is due by 9 am on 23 June. The implementation plan is scheduled to commence in the week of 21 July.
The formal change proposals have been created as the university’s operating model and service delivery have been reviewed.
Mr Churchill described the current model as “very inefficient”.
“[It] places bureaucratic obstacles in the way of our staff doing good work,” he said.
“That’s why we’ll be re-designing services in more contemporary ways.”
The university aims to achieve a break-even budget in 2026, which requires it to save $250 million.
This includes $100 million of salary costs.
Mr Churchill said “good progress” had been made towards this goal.
“We’ve been careful with new hiring positions. We’ve encouraged people to take their accumulated excess leave, and we’ve offered people the opportunity to leave the university through a Voluntary Separation Scheme [VSS],” he said.
“We are over halfway towards our salary savings target, but there’s still work to do.”
The university’s 27 May financial update showed 175 VSSs had been approved.
A preliminary assessment of the VSS program as of May 2025 indicated that it would contribute to an annualised saving of $25.3 million from 2026 onwards, with approximately $11 million in partial-year savings for this year.
$12.5 million had already been realised from previous changes and $12.7 million from savings measures “already realised or identified for 2025”.
“Accordingly, savings of approximately $50.5 million will be achieved of the target of $100 million in recurrent salary savings,” the update stated.
The National Tertiary Education Union reiterated that there was no financial reason why these cuts needed to be on the table.
“This is a slap in the face to university staff. Just days ago, the ANU announced the appointment of another ‘Chief’ on an executive salary,” ACT division secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy said.
“These job cuts are the tip of the iceberg. We’re expecting ANU leadership to announce hundreds more job losses by the end of September.
“Staff have no trust, and no confidence in the information being put out by the university. These job cuts initially started based on a projected deficit that was overstated by $60 million.”
Dr Clohesy said the latest news, combined with the “broader ANU situation”, had both damaged staff and students and “completely trashed” the university’s reputation.
“The Vice-Chancellor should be sacked.”
Original Article published by Claire Fenwicke on Region Canberra.
