Our ANU
@ouranu.bsky.social
Staff campaigning against cuts and poor governance at the Australian National University.
The Expert Council on University Governance has delivered its recommendations – the depth of the crisis in our universities is clear. Thank you to every member who attended meetings, presented evidence, and stood up for better universities. Read the report 👉 betterunis.nteu.au/inquiry/
MAJOR UNION WIN 🥳 The federal government will implement a new set of university governance principles to strengthen accountability, transparency and public trust following recommendations from the Expert Council on University Governance. Read more: nteu.info/majorwin @alisonbarnes.bsky.social
Senator @mehreenfaruqi.bsky.social “accused Mr Churchill of lying to … the Senate when he’d … said underlying UniForm data and methodology had been released to ANU staff … He said ANU had made an explainer … as the university didn’t have access to the raw data.” region.com.au/anus-financi...
ANU's financial outlook 'stable'; $800,000 Perth base set to close | Region Canberra
The Australian National University is looking to exit the lease of its Perth office, which cost almost $800,000 to establish,…
region.com.au
Some very interesting revelations about UniForum at Senate Estimates last night. First, ANU exec appears to have misled the Senate by implying they gave staff access to the underlying UniForum data and methodology. In fact, they gave staff little more than opaque scatter plots like this one👇 1/3
Tim McLellan@timmclellan.bsky.social · 11mo agoUniForum is a “benchmarking service” that Nous provides to universities globally. University executives frequently invoke UniForum as an objective justification for cuts and redundancies. This UniForum graph, for example, was a centerpiece of the case ANU’s ex-VC made to Council for Renew ANU. 👇
“The challenge for Australia’s top universities … is to align perceived prestige with academic integrity. That should mean linking executive incentives not to ranking positions alone but to measures like … equitable pay, staff retention and audit transparency.” www.crikey.com.au/2025/10/10/a...
Australia's universities may win in global rankings, but they're failing teachers and students
An overreliance on foreign students and a predilection towards wage theft means Australia's universities are worse than the rankings suggest.
crikey.com.au
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said 2,000 ANU staff and students had signed a petition calling for the termination of Bishop’s appointment. “Do their views not matter to you? Are you only interested in the cabal of executives who back you?” www.timeshighereducation.com/news/anu-cha...
ANU chancellor’s expenses ‘a good return on investment’
Former politician not for turning, amid denunciation of culture, oversight and spending at national university
timeshighereducation.com
Bishop repeatedly claimed she had the “full support” of the council and the university’s deans, and that it was her responsibility to ensure that when her term finished at the end of 2026 “we have stability in place”. www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Bishop clashes with senators over the ‘unmitigated stuff-up’ at ANU
Julie Bishop has refused to apologise for any of the fallout at ANU over the past year which has been marked by scandal and unrest.
afr.com
“Labor senator Tony Sheldon hammered the former foreign minister [Chancellor Julie Bishop] for racking up $150,000 in travel expenses as well as her performance overseeing the university for more than five years.” citynews.com.au/2025/absolut...
'Absolute shemozzle': embattled ANU head faces probe | Canberra CityNews
Foreign minister-turned-chancellor of the ANU Julie Bishop has faced senators to discuss governance issues that have plagued the institution.
citynews.com.au
“Ms Bishop had to take the exact dollar figure on notice, but said the “resignation package was what she was entitled to under the contract of engagement as vice-chancellor.” Ms Bishop said Prof. Bell was paid part of her salary for a period of time rather than giving notice.” tinyurl.com/4ma8ujkr
Lavish ANU Perth office to close, Bishop reveals at Senate estimates
Rebekah Brown tried to change Renew ANU but didn't have the authority, Senate estimates hears.
tinyurl.com
“Characterising [Julie Bishop’s] leadership as "chaotic", Mr Sheldon asked if she would apologise for several governance failures which he described as "an absolute shemozzle and ... an unmitigated stuff-up".” www.canberratimes.com.au/story/908613...
'Absolute shemozzle': embattled ANU head faces probe
Foreign minister-turned-chancellor of a top-tier university Julie Bishop has faced senators to discuss governance issues that have plagued...
canberratimes.com.au
"So, how do you turn a $90 million surplus into a $142.5 million deficit? Easy. You just exclude nearly a quarter of a billion dollars of revenue that the auditor thought should be included." tinyurl.com/5b4ruecb @ouranu.bsky.social @nteuact.bsky.social Full text on r/anu on Reddit
A closer look at the ANU books reveals a hard truth about these job cuts
The phantom deficit and a series of cuts by choice, not necessity.
tinyurl.com
“If the new leadership wants to rebuild trust … they need to explain why they think the audited accounts are so misleading … and what future plans they have that are so beneficial they are willing to take an axe to … students, … staff, and … reputation…” www.canberratimes.com.au/story/908473...
A closer look at the ANU books reveals a hard truth about these job cuts
The phantom deficit and a series of cuts by choice, not necessity.
canberratimes.com.au
VCs are “not interchangeable” with people who run banks or mining companies ... “Yet the current approach prices them as though they could walk into the C-suite of a listed company – a fiction that drives pay packages ever higher.” @marijataflaga.bsky.social and @francismarkham.bsky.social
Times Higher Education (THE)@timeshighered.bsky.social · 10mo agoInstitutional autonomy ‘not threatened’ by proposal to more than halve executive pay, Australian academics say, as universities insist councils should maintain control https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/regulate-inflated-v-c-salaries-australian-senators-told
So many Australian colleagues put through a year of worries and uncertainty. All because Nous Consultancy only thrives on a scarcity narrative? Bit if a reminder that those cuts can never be justified in pedagogical or academic term, whatever the spin.
Mark Rubin@markrubin.bsky.social · 10mo agoNew analysis by The Australia Institute finds the Australian National University has a $90 million surplus, not a $142 million deficit!
Can you help us boost this signal? UTS colleagues are doing a governance project to talk back to the consultant led 'reform' of their university. Please repost!! UTS people please have your say! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
UTS Governance Project Survey: A Staff-Led Collaborative Project
The UTS Governance Project is an independent, staff-led initiative to strengthen transparency, accountability and participation in how our university is run. Inspired by the ANU Governance Project, ...
docs.google.com
Associate Professor Nick Cheesman summed up the rebellion for the ABC, “The Vice-Chancellor would not have had to resign but for the increasingly organised revolt against ANU management by thousands of academics and their pupils.” solidarity.net.au/highlights/e...
End to forced redundancies at ANU shows power of fighting campaign – Solidarity Online
After a year-long campaign, interim Vice-Chancellor Rebekah Brown has announced an end to forced redundancies under management’s drastic restructuring scheme, Renew ANU.
solidarity.net.au
“The terms of reference limit Thom to investigating only the allegations raised during the August 12 Senate hearing. She will not look into broader issues of culture, governance and leadership at the university.” www.afr.com/work-and-car...
Canberra’s go-to investigator looks at Julie Bishop bullying claims
A major 12-month probe will examine allegations of threats, bullying and intimidation made against the ANU chancellor.
afr.com
“Herein lies the question: if not to sustain ANU’s once diverse range of courses and degrees, and if not to retain the knowledge and skills of its academics, then what is that $232.4 million revenue for?” www.woroni.com.au/news/austral...
WoroniAustralia Institute Analyses ANU Budget Reports—No Deficit Found - Woroni
The Australia Institute has released its audited analysis of ANU’s 2023 and 2024 budget. ANU’s unaudited deficit was reported at $142.5 million, while its audited revenue showed a surplus of $89.9 mil...
woroni.com.au
The ANU says it's in crisis. Does this look like a financial crisis to you?
The Australia Institute@australiainstitute.org.au · 10mo agoANU has cut courses & 100s of staff, with a supposed "operating deficit" used to justify it. However our research found that ANU had a $90m surplus in 2024 in the audited accounts. “It's not clear why a Govt owned not-for-profit would be seeking to generate a surplus" – @richarddenniss.bsky.social
'Cooking the books': national think tank questions ANU finances Our research was covered by the Canberra Times today. Read the report: australiainstitute.org.au/post/the-anu... Read the article: www.canberratimes.com.au/story/907948...
Important new independent analysis from David Richardson and @richarddenniss.bsky.social at @australiainstitute.org.au They argue that ANU’s books “appear designed to present a ‘crisis’ that is contradicted by the audited financial statements.” australiainstitute.org.au/report/cooki...
Cooking the books at the Australian National University - An analysis of the ANU accounts
Audited financial statements show that the ANU made a ‘profit’ of $90 million in 2024 and $136 million in 2023. Despite such strong financial results, ANU
australiainstitute.org.au
“In a research paper from the @australiainstitute.org.au called *Cooking the books at the Australian National University*, David Richardson and @richarddenniss.bsky.social said the ANU's argument about its unhealthy financial position was "flimsy".” www.canberratimes.com.au/story/907948...
'Cooking the books': national think tank questions ANU finances
'They should make clear how they use such donations.'
canberratimes.com.au
Already 20% of the workforce gone and yet somehow still looking to impose compulsory redundancies? What on earth is going to be left of Brunel when this management team is done? co-sign here: speakout.web.ucu.org.uk/stop-brunel-...
“Professorships have been awarded to academics with no PhD, little research, and no record of supervising postgraduates. Professor Paul Matin, of the Australian Association of University Professors, criticises this trend...” www.woroni.com.au/news/inside-...
WoroniInside ANU’s School of Cybernetics — Bell’s Personal Fiefdom - Woroni
The ANU School of Cybernetics, launched with bold ambitions to shape the future of technology, is not at the centre of controversy. With 28 academic staff and just 15 PhD students this year, it has th...
woroni.com.au
ANU colleagues and students - please share this post if you can: The ANU governance project has extended our deadline to comment on the Draft report to next week - 7 October. Here's a link to a feedback form, which also contains the link to the draft report: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Feedback on ANU Governance Project Draft Report
The ANU Governance Project Working Group are proud to present the Draft Project Report for community feedback and consultation. The Draft Project Report is available on our website or through THIS LINK. Using a process that has involved deep listening and a participatory and deliberative process across the ANU community, we have compiled a unique and valuable body of evidence that documents what’s wrong with governance at the ANU and charts a way forward to help rebuild trust and to deliver best practice governance. Over 600 ANU staff, students, and stakeholders have participated in this project, and in contributing constructively to the future of ANU. This includes 590 members of the community who participated in our survey, 75 who participated in one-hour small group discussions, and over 40 from across the university who participated in our project workshop. The ANU community told us there a critical need for change: Over 96% of survey respondents and all discussion group participants believe current ANU governance is not fit for purpose and should be reformed. Over 92% of survey respondents and all discussion group participants expressed dissatisfaction with current ANU governance. Over 93% of survey respondents said they were dissatisfied with current practices of transparency at the ANU. Over 93% of survey respondents said they were dissatisfied with accountability frameworks at the ANU. The ANU Community has proposed the following near-term steps forward for a reformed ANU: Council must direct Finance to produce and publish a current budget breakdown. Council must revise and publish selection criteria for Executive positions. Council meetings must immediately be made fully accessible to the community. Academic Board must regularly review and assess the financial decisions of senior executives and Council. Commence senior leadership listening tours with the ANU community. Additional recommendations forwarded by the community are summarised in the full report, including a proposal to co-design legislative reform of the ANU Act with the community. The Working Group invites the ANU community and stakeholders to offer feedback via this form on the draft report by midnight on Tuesday 7 October. This deadline has been extended in order to allow us more time to hear and incorporate community feedback ahead of the release of our final report on Monday 20 October.
docs.google.com
“It gave us false hope we could stop these changes through some form of consultation. … The university keeps pushing that they will keep performance, however it is clear they are at the very least degrading the level of performance at the school.” Mert Boyali region.com.au/anus-removal...
ANU's removal of one-to-one performance teaching 'entirely independent' of restructure | Region Canberra
The Australian National University is standing firm on not including one-to-one performance teaching in its core curriculum, stating its decision…
region.com.au
“The university says it is saving itself from financial crisis, but a team of accounting professors have crunched the numbers and say they tell a different story.” Depressingly familiar to our experience at ANU. Solidarity to colleagues at UTS. ✊ www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Academics dispute state of finances at leading Sydney university - ABC listen
Almost one in every two Australian universities has been restructured in the past year, and there is more to come. Thousands of jobs have been cut, and thousands more are in the firing line. At the ...
abc.net.au
“[The CASS Dean’s] confusing statements about the future of the College’s academic architecture, and her refusal to engage with the substance of issues raised by colleagues, continue the pattern that has been so destructive to the University” www.canberratimes.com.au/story/907511...
'Rumours flying everywhere': ANU staff want to see tangible changes
Some staff are 'waiting to see signs' that relationships can be repaired.
canberratimes.com.au
Much attention has been on ANU but the governance crisis is broad and deep across the sector. Close scrutiny needs to be applied *everywhere*. This is shameful from UTS management.
Rick Morton@squigglyrick.bsky.social · 10mo agoUniversity of Technology Sydney ordered a spreadsheet from KPMG targeting individual academics by research income, which might contravene the bargaining agreement. They repeatedly denied it even existed for several info requests. But that wasn't true. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/educati...
