UniSQ staff pass motion of no confidence in Vice Chancellor Geraldine Mackenzie and her executive

While largely symbolic, staff of the University of Southern Queensland passed a motion of no confidence targeting the Vice Chancellor and her executive team in a 25 year first.

About 170 National Tertiary Education Union member passed a no-confidence motion, sending what they say is a largely symbolic rebuke of University of Southern Queensland Vice Chancellor Geraldine Mackenzie’s leadership. Picture: Christine Schindler

Geraldine Mackenzie has become the first University of Southern Queensland Vice Chancellor in at least the past 25 years to be hit with a no confidence motion, according to the local National Tertiary Education Union president.

About 170 union members passed the motion at a meeting on Wednesday in response to the uni proposing to cut about 60 jobs in the coming months.

NTEU UniSQ president Andrea Lamont-Mills said that while the vote was largely symbolic, it was important.

“It sends a clear message to the Vice Chancellor and the executive team that staff are deeply concerned about these changes,” Professor Lamont-Mills said.

It was revealed early this week that at least 60 jobs will be cut from the university as it grapples with what it says are financial pressures impacting the whole tertiary education sector.

Of those 60 jobs, about 27 went after the university offered a pre-retirement payout, while the rest have been identified through change proposals sent to the affected departments.

It is understood the UniSQ College, the department dedicated to providing pathways to education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, is set to lose about 40 per cent of its staff.

UniSQ has joined James Cook University, Canberra University and the Australian National University in signalling that job cuts are on the horizon, with The Australian reporting about 1000 jobs will go across the four institutions.

Professor Andrea Lamont-Mills.

Prior to the vote, Professor Lamont-Mills called on the university leadership to come clean with staff.

“Staff understand there will be job cuts, they just want to know how many, what departments will be affected and when,” she said

“When we ask management for the information that our members are seeking, its responses have been marked as confidential.

“We are asking why the university is not offering voluntary redundancies, how we got into this situation and what happens next.”

It is understood the Vice Chancellor has scheduled a meeting with all university staff on October 31 where she will discuss the need for change.

The Chronicle, via the UniSQ media team, asked Professor Mackenzie to comment on the vote.

A UniSQ spokesman said he understood that staff were concerned about the possibility of job losses.

“Senior leadership continues to consult with staff affected by proposed changes and will ensure the broader university is updated on the outcomes of the consultation process after considering feedback received from staff,” the spokesman said.

“As previously reported, changes in migration policy and other factors have impacted student enrolments this year and the university is forecasting a $30m deficit.

“UniSQ has a responsibility to its staff and communities to manage its costs to remain financially sustainable.”

Professor Mackenzie was asked how she felt about being the first VC to face a no confidence motion, but the spokesman’s response did not address the question.

Originally published as UniSQ staff pass motion of no confidence in Vice Chancellor Geraldine Mackenzie and her executive