By Mackenzie Watkins
On 20 August, an email was sent to all ANU staff stating that forced redundancies are to be paused for the remainder of 2025.
Further information regarding this change into 2026 is still pending.
This decision follows the recent Senate inquiry, student protests, and public pressure.
In a media release from the ANU, they state there will be three significant updates, as follows.
- All future changes under Renew ANU will be achieved without involuntary redundancies
- No further change plans will be released in 2025
- A second Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) will be opened to all staff next week
A university spokesperson writes that “since Renew ANU began last year, approximately 139 people have left the University through VSS and currently 83 people have been made redundant through a range of change plans.”
Additionally, “the University has achieved $59.9 million in savings to date towards the salary reduction target of $100 million. There are a further six change proposals in consultation with further savings expected.”
In Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell’s email, she communicated that “we have farewelled good colleagues, and we have had to have hard conversations where it has tested our values about respect and collegial dialogue.”
The full implications of this decision remain to be seen, as the email seems to imply that the job cuts in the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) and College of Science and Medicine (Cos) will remain in place.
ACT Division Secretary of the NTEU, Dr Lachlan Clohesy has stated “we still have eight processes in place, with more than 100 people currently facing the prospect of having their jobs cut.”
“This announcement gives no comfort to those facing the axe. The Vice-Chancellor needs to revisit those existing proposals, which include disestablishment of incredibly significant resources like the Australian National Dictionary Centre, the Humanities Research Centre, the Centre for European Studies and the ANU School of Music”.
It is important to note that The Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) will still remain in place, and Vice-Chancellor Bell noted that “the University will open a second Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) for the entire community next week”.
More to come.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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