4 June 2021

By email: Members of University Council

Dear Councillors,

On behalf of staff, students, alumni, and community members, we are preparing to present you with the e-signatures for the Community Petition Against Job Cuts and, more broadly, the proposed school and division changes at University of Newcastle.

Over 4,500 people have signed the petition. Many of those have left comments, which I enclose for your benefit.

The sheer number of responses shows, quite clearly, the University has already been subjected to significant reputational damage as a result of the changes pursued by management. More importantly, the comments provided show a considerable risk of even greater damage remains; however, it is not too late to prevent this risk.

As councillors, we rely on you and your duty under the University of Newcastle Act to promote the object and interests of the University and manage the affairs and concerns of the University.

Specifically, I draw your attention to your obligation to:

• “monitor the performance of the Vice Chancellor”,

• “oversee risk management and risk assessment across the University”, and

• “establish policies and procedural principles for the University consistent with legal requirements and community expectations.”

These changes, as proposed, pose a significant risk to the University. Not just that of reputation, but also that of its ability to meet its object of promoting scholarship, research, free inquiry, the interaction of research and teaching, and academic excellence.

This petition shows that if Council fails to act against such damaging changes, it could be said you have failed to act according to clear community expectations. A calm, more considered, and planned approach must be taken.

These changes, along with the petition, indicate that Council may have failed in its due diligence with respect to adequately monitoring the performance of the Vice Chancellor, having allowed these changes to progress this far and cause such significant damage to our University.

With the broader community, we call on you to engage with the content of the petition, consider it, and ultimately direct management to develop an alternative plan that includes an open and independent audit of the University’s true financial position. A plan that looks to the future with a vision to improve the University of Newcastle aligned with community expectations. A vision that continues to build one of Australia’s greatest regional universities.

We urge you to intervene on this current vision that unravels the enviable reputation of the University and, inevitably, allows it to slide back down the very rankings with which management are obsessed.

Kind Regards

Dan Conway

Branch President University of Newcastle Branch of the NTEU

CC: Sharon Claydon MP, Emma McBride MP, Lucy Wicks MP, Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Meryl Swanson MP, MP, MP, Jenny Aitchinson MP, Abigail Boyd MP, David Shoebridge MP, David Harris MP, MP, MP, MP, MP, Taylor Martin MP, Leisel Tesch MP

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