Damning report in response to La Trobe University’s proposed restructure slammed

A damning report has doubted the quality of La Trobe University’s management and questioned its “extreme measures” to cut costs.

A damning report in response to La Trobe University’s proposed restructure has slammed the process as a “litany of failures”. Picture: Zizi Averill

A damning report in response to La Trobe University’s proposed restructure has slammed the process as a “litany of failures” and staff are calling for the program to be abandoned.

La Trobe vice-chancellor John Dewar has recommended changing the uni’s organisational structure, including about 200 job losses but some new positions will be created. But staff have accused campus bosses of using redundancies as a management tool rather than a measure of last resort.

A report, by the National Tertiary Education Union, doubted the quality of uni management and questioned why such “extreme measures” were being considered even though the uni was not the worst affected by the loss of international students.

“The NTEU does not accept that this change process has been based on a diligent, thorough and documented process. It must be set aside and rejected for this reason,’’ the report said.

“We recognise the need for change, and for some of us that will bring with it heartbreak and loss, but if we are to change it must be for the better and appropriately researched and considered; our students, staff, alumni and the communities we serve deserve that.’’

The loss of international student revenue has hit the university hard, with forecasts that its 2022 income will be down by $165m from before the pandemic, and full recovery not expected for another seven years.

A La Trobe spokeswoman rejected the staff claims about university management.

“Early on in the pandemic, the university recognised that Covid would have a profound and lasting effect on the higher education sector, and we moved quickly to address this, including revising our Strategic Plan and developing the university-wide transformation program and change proposal,” she said.

“The university has been well managed, consistently returning surpluses and managing its capital effectively.’’

The university had met all academic and regulatory requirements, she said.

Student union spokesman Jake McGuinness said changes and the planned overhaul had frayed connections between staff and students.

“If someone asked me if they should study at La Trobe next year, I’d say no,’’ he said.

The change proposal includes replacing the two-college model with a single Office of the Provost, to which 10 academic schools report. It also calls for a centralisation of student administration and teaching support.