Last Tuesday in Kambri, students and staff protested the latest round of proposed cuts under the Renew ANU plan. The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) organised the rally in response to the recently announced Organisational Change Proposal for the College of Arts and Social Sciences, which outlines plans to disestablish 52 jobs and merge multiple schools, centres, and programs.
The NTEU rally was held to oppose the ANU leadership’s continued prioritisation of non-academic spending and failure to reduce course cuts, issues that also sparked the no-confidence rally in February.
Notable speakers at the rally included independent Senator David Pocock, ANUSA Clubs Officer Harrison Oates, vice president of the NTEU ACT Branch, former staff representative on the ANU Council Dr Liz Allen, and Greens MLA Laura Nuttall. All the speakers focused on the ANU becoming more “corporate” through the course cuts, comparing the number of cuts in Renew ANU to the COVID-19 pandemic era highs of 465 jobs in 2020.
Further criticism targeted the millions spent by the University on Nous consultants hired to manage Renew ANU, as well as the 6-digit work expenses including rent and travel claimed by Chancellor Julie Bishop.
After the rally, Woroni inquired with Senator Pocock, asking how effective his referral to the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency would be.
Senator Pocock said that TEQSA will “come down with some sort of findings”, continuing that “we clearly need a look at what is the best practice when it comes to governance at universities and what sort of standard transparency and accountability we expect from leaders at our national university”.
Woroni will continue to report on the Renew ANU restructure plans and students and staff reactions to it.
If you are a student and need support please contact one of the support services below:
ANUSA Student Assistance Team
Email: sa.assistance@anu.edu.au
Phone: 02 6125 2444, or visit the ANUSA Office at Level 2, Di Riddell Student Centre, Kambri
Student Safety and Wellbeing Team (+ Case Managers)
Email: student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au
Phone: 02 6125 2211, or visit the Health and Wellbeing Centre at Level 3, Building 156, Joplin Lane, Kambri (9-4pm Mon-Fri).
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Woroni, Woroni Radio and Woroni TV are created, edited, published, printed and distributed. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge that the name Woroni was taken from the Wadi Wadi Nation without permission, and we are striving to do better for future reconciliation.