“Fear of God”: Students Announce Protest in Support of NTEU Stop Work

At its first Special General Meeting (SGM) of the year last Wednesday, ANUSA celebrated the resignation of Genevieve Bell and sharpened its calls for tougher action against Renew ANU. Speakers announced a protest in support of the NTEU’s decision to stop psychologically unsafe work, and called for domestic and international students to “come out in numbers and stand in solidarity with staff”.

The protest takes place today, 25 September, at 12pm in Kambri.

“A lot of people thought it would be impossible”

Lucy Chapman, co-convenor of No Cuts at ANU and Education Officer candidate, moved a motion calling for greater university funding, the resignation of Chancellor Julie Bishop, the reversal of Renew ANU, and greater transparency of ANU’s finances. The motion passed unanimously with 75 votes and 5 speakers in favour.

“A lot of people thought it would be impossible to sack Genevieve Bell,” said Chapman.

The resignation highlighted the power of “mass protest”, such as the May Day protest and the 12-hour protest jam, and the importance of campaigners “not being moderate about our demands”, said Chapman.

Speakers echoed Chapman’s call for student-staff cooperation in opposing the Renew ANU changes: “[The resignation] shows that power lies with students and staff of the university” said Tamsyn Smith, Environment Officer candidate for No Cuts at ANU – Students for Palestine.

“We’ve sacked Genevieve Bell, we should sack Julie Bishop” said Smith.

Students announce protest, cite further progress to be made

Smith labelled the NTEU’s decision to stop work “wonderful” and encouraged students to “come out in numbers” in support. The protest takes place today, Thursday 25 September, 12pm in Kambri.

Speakers made it clear that students wanted more progress in opposing Renew ANU. 

Incumbent ANUSA Education Officer Rosie Paton echoed Chapman’s concerns about changes to the School of Music announced in July, including removing 7 positions and merging the school with the School of Art and Design and the Heritage and Museum Studies Centre.

Paton pointed to an open letter signed by over 40 Australian musicians – including Jimmy Barnes – expressing dissatisfaction with the move, alongside a student-written letter alleging the university may have failed its obligations under the Australian Consumer Law and the ANU Act. 

Chapman mentioned one music student who said the School is now without any double bass players. Observer has since confirmed the last double bass player departed ANU this year to pursue training at an interstate Australian conservatorium.

Chapman also criticised proposed cuts to the ANU’s Schools of Medicine and Medical Research in the midst of a Canberra doctor shortage.

No Cuts – Students for Palestine candidate Ell Lappin echoed the concern: “What about students who cannot finish graduating?”

Chapman also called for changes unrelated to the Renew ANU proposal, labelling the ANU’s poster policy “draconian” and recent Functions on Campus changes “crazy”. 

“The fear of god”: students call for wider change to “structural restraints”

Multiple speakers called for changes to what one student described as “structural restraints”. 

“The problems go deeper than Genevieve Bell” said Finnian Colwell, Fund Education Not War candidate. 

Colwell called for change to “structural restraints pushing universities in this direction”, arguing reduced government funding led universities to prioritise private partnerships.

Speakers cited recent cuts to UTS, UNSW and Macquarie University. UTS recently announced it will axe 1,100 subjects, close its schools of public health and education, remove 167 courses, and cut 134 full-time jobs.

These universities “are at the face of cuts due to lack of funding”, said Lappin.

“Bell’s resignation has put the fear of God in every vice-chancellor across the country”, said Lappin.

Centralising enquiries risks “devastating impacts”, loss of accreditation, says President

Alex Bako, President of the ANU Law Students’ Society, echoed the speakers’ sentiments and highlighted the impacts of Renew ANU on ANU’s law students.

ANU has proposed reducing college-specific enquiries teams in favour of a centralised Student Engagement and Academic Services team. 

The College of Law Enquiries Team “handle everything other than academic work”, including extensions, deferments, academic updates, room hire and exchanges, Bako explained. 

Bako argued centralisation will cause a loss of staff and experience, and shift the responsibility for this work onto already-burdened academics, risking “devastating impacts” on students.

“Removing this specialised team may affect ANU Law School’s accreditation,” she warned.

International student describes “heavy toll” of degree costs

Andrew, a first-year international student from China, explained that cost increases to university degrees hit them and other international students particularly hard.

With their degree costing almost $60,000 per year, they explained the cost put “a heavy toll on me and my family”.

They encouraged international students to protest and “post on social media to enlarge the movement”, citing a Serbian student campaign which secured a 20% increase in government education funding.

Observer contacted the ANUSA Secretary to confirm speakers’ names and pronouns where possible.

Graphics by Shé Chani

Know something we don’t know? Email news@anuobserver.org or use our anonymous tip submission.

If you have an issue with this article, or a correction to make, you can contact us at news@anuobserver.org, submit a formal dispute, or angry react the Facebook post.

If you don’t have an issue with this article and want to hear more from us, we’re in the process of making a newsletter! Sign up here, and have the latest news delivered directly to you. Want to get involved? You can write articles, photograph, livestream or do web support. We’re also looking for someone to yell “extra!” outside Davey Lodge at 1 am. Apply today!