Job loss: COVID-19 bites Gold Coast university

A major Gold Coast employer has been hit hard by COVID-19 as staff cuts begin. FIND OUT WHY

QBM - Profile pics of Griffith Uni VC Carolyn Evans for QBM feature. Pic Mark Cranitch.

A major Gold Coast university will let go 299 jobs as the fall out of COVID-19 continue to hits the education sector.

Griffith University, which employs 4500 people across its campuses on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, said it would make retrenchments as a drop in revenue bites.

Of the 299 positions, just over 100 staff members have already sought voluntary early retirement.

A consultation period involving staff and unions is now underway.

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The university said it would first offer a round of targeted voluntary redundancies to reduce the number of retrenchments.

“In line with most other universities, Griffith has experienced a sharp downturn in revenue due to the loss of international students and changes to federal funding models,” a spokesman for the university told the Bulletin.

“Griffith has remained committed to reducing the number of required retrenchments through voluntary schemes and other non-salary cost-saving measures.”

The Bulletin understand a number of changes to the university program have also been mooted.

Insiders say it could mean the potential end for some programs, particularly arts programs left vulnerable to new federal university funding changes.

“To ensure the University’s ongoing sustainability, Griffith has put forward a

change proposal for staff consultation,” a university spokesman said.

“The university remains focused on delivering outstanding student outcomes and excellence in teaching, learning and research.”

IN JULY: 

A MAJOR Gold Coast university has been hit hard by Australia’s international student downturn in the wake of the coronavirus border closures, resulting in cost cuts and signalling at least 300 voluntary redundancies to come.

Despite the impact, Griffith University has committed to extend its rollout of bursaries for struggling students, which has totalled more than $3.96 million so far this year.

More than 1400 applications have been received for the third round of the Griffith COVID-19 Student Support Bursary, with most applications – more than 70 per cent – from international students who had remained in the country.

Griffith Uni VC Carolyn Evans. Pic Mark Cranitch.

Griffith Vice Chancellor and president Carolyn Evans said the university, which employs 4500 people across its campuses on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, has felt the impact of coronavirus border closures. In turn it has made cuts to “pretty much every aspect’’ of operation – except student support.

Griffith’s response follows steps taken by Southern Cross University administration in June, when its staff were asked to take a 10 per cent cut to their workload and pay, and forgo the next two pay rises.

Professor Evans said like other tertiary institutions, Griffith anticipated the next four years would be difficult, as a return of international students remained uncertain.

“There is an expected loss of around $100 million in revenue. This means lots of cuts to the capital works program and general spending,’’ she said.

“It also means 300 fewer jobs this year, through voluntary redundancy.”

The university has not yet determined from which campus the bulk of the job losses will come.

“We are still in a better position than many universities but talk of voluntary early retirement is very tough when staff have gone above and beyond, to make research and learning available online through this time.”

Despite the tough outlook, Prof Evans said there had been a continued increase in financial support for students, with an extension of the ongoing loan and bursary program that would total around $5 million.

“Look, we have cut costs pretty much in every aspect of what we are doing. The only area substantially increased is in supporting our students,” Prof Evans said.

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“Our students come from a mix of economic backgrounds so we felt it was particularly important they are supported in this.

“We have decided we will continue the commitment to halfway through next trimester.

“Fortunately we are seeing some jobs begin to return, but we are certainly a long way away from being back to normal, particularly on the Gold Coast where so many students are reliant on tourism jobs.”

Prof Evans said the level of need among Gold Coast students came as a shock, with thousands applying for bursaries of up to $1500.

“We realise there was a strong level of need but just how much there was probably comes as a bit of a surprise,” she said.

“There were anecdotes of students struggling without internet or computers at home when the shutdowns first began. Now we are seeing more of a need for assistance with basic necessities like food, rent and text books.”

To help fund the bursary pool, executive staff had agreed to give 20 per cent of their salaries.