This week, the ANU outlined plans to address the findings of a review which identified systematic mistreatment and bullying of staff and students at the College of Health and Medicine (CHM).

Professor Christine Nixon AO APM was chosen to lead the review last October and has since gathered 142 accounts from CHM staff and students, and given the ANU 17 recommendations to resolve what she identifies as “significant and consistent failures” on behalf of CHM administrators.

Nixon’s report describes widespread patterns of mismanagement, discrimination, and unaccountability as “enraging”, noting that these issues have persistently targeted women, and staff and students of colour.

The report found that women, representing only 3 of the 16 continuing professors in the College, are underrepresented in leadership positions and overlooked for tenure, despite being forced to make “disproportionate contributions” in service roles to maintain gender balance quotas.

This finding spoke to what Nixon says is a “gap between institutional intent and operational reality” where performance reviews, reports of discrimination, and processes designed to create accountability (like the ANU Focus program) are seen as inconsequential and burdensome by senior staff.

“The ANU has a remarkable tolerance for poor behaviour and bullying.”

Deidentified accounts from students and staff suggested that fear of personal retribution had created a culture of silence at the CHM regarding reports of harassment, sexual abuse, and discrimination. Nixon found that the college’s current disclosure processes lack transparency and are corrupted by structural power imbalances, creating a situation where “poor behaviour doesn’t lead to consequences”.

Note: The CHM was disestablished in 2024 as part of the Renew ANU program. Two of the three constituent schools, the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) and the School of Medicine and Psychology (SMP), were merged into the College of Science and Medicine. The National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH) was transferred to the College of Law, Governance, and Policy.

ANU RESPONSE AND HOW STUDENTS CAN BE INVOLVED

In a statement from Vice Chancellor Genevieve Bell, the ANU apologised to affected students and staff, and affirmed that it will “address every recommendation and assure that [its] progress is externally monitored.” A full breakdown of the ANU’s response to each recommendation point was included within their public response. 

The initial review of Professor Nixon’s 17 recommendations will be released on July 1st by VC Bell, ANU Provost Professor Rebekah Brown, and Chief People Officer Kate Witenden, and other senior staff relevant to the review. The ANU also announced that Professor Nixon would remain at the university until a more significant reflection on the report’s implementation planned for 2026. 

Before those reports are released, the ANU has invited the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and the ANU Students Association (ANUSA) to join with ANU Council members in establishing the Nixon Implementation Steering Group (NISG). The steering group, chaired by Provost Brown, will consult with affected groups within the CHM and realise the actions suggested in the report.

ANU students and staff, regardless of faculty, will have the opportunity to participate in working groups which will advise the NISG on issues relevant to one of seven themes from the Nixon review:

• Accountability and Data, which includes information to support assessment of unit-level performance 
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience, relating to both staff and students 
• Bias & Discrimination, which includes issues around temporary employment, merit, promotion and tenure 
• Complaints Handling, including case management, transparency and investigations Culture, open, transparent ways of working, respectfulness, generosity 
• Management Skills, including staff training, mentoring and performance management 
• Wellbeing – whole-organisation approach to safety and wellbeing

Information on how interested students and staff can express interest in joining a working group will be released next week via OnCampus. Despite recognising that the ANU had “fallen short as an institution”, VC Bell and Provost Brown thanked members of the community for working to ensure that ANU is “inclusive and welcoming”, encouraging the community to engage with these working groups to strengthen the review process with “subject matter expertise and local perspectives.” 

In a video response to the community, VC Bell acknowledged that “for some, the findings of the Nixon review would be distressing”, encouraging those impacted by the report to utilise support systems for staff, students, and former community members.