University of Tasmania confirms cuts for twelve full-time staff members

Twelve full-time staff members at the University of Tasmania are set to be made redundant, devastating students and angering the teachers’ union. The affected departments.

The University of Tasmania Campus at Sandy Bay. Picture: Linda Higginson

The University of Tasmania has axed 12 full-time academic staff members from across the humanities, social sciences, creative arts and language schools, devastating students and angering the teachers’ union.

UTAS confirmed it was moving ahead with the cuts late on Wednesday, with meetings still to take place this week to finalise the decision.

Shane Kunze, Division Industrial Organiser for the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), said the decision had been deeply distressing for staff.

The University of Tasmania Campus at Sandy Bay. Picture: Linda Higginson

“This is life-changing for them,” he said.

“UTAS is the only university in Tasmania. It’s not easy for someone who has spent most of their adult working life there. You can’t just pick up and go to the next one.”

UTAS flagged the staff cuts in May citing dwindling enrolment numbers across the faculties, after which a four-week consultation period took place between staff.

13 full-time positions were proposed to be cut through both targeted and voluntary redundancies, with the merging of the humanities and social sciences schools, and the separation of School of Creative Arts and Media into a re-established Conservatorium of Music and new School of Creative and Performing Arts.

It is believed the one staff member spared from redundancy is an Indonesian language teacher.

Mr Kunze said he had been granted a six-month reprieve from the university thanks to intervention from the Indonesian ambassador, Siswo Pramono, who visited Tasmania last month.

“Indonesia is our closest trading partner so it does make sense, and hopefully UTAS will remain one of only 12 universities in Australia to continue offering that language course,” Mr Kunze said.

Jess Rainbow and Holly Scott UTAS theatre major students. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Kunze accused UTAS of using poor enrolment numbers as an excuse to cover “mismanagement”, adding they had “manufactured a financial crisis” as part of a sector-wide trend.

“A lot of people we’ve spoken to are not understanding the rationale behind these cuts,” Mr Kunze said.

“The university sector is operating with a $2bn surplus.”

“ (UTAS) is crying poor and removing staff and they use this excuse of not having enough students. Well, maybe it’s a marketing problem, or something to do with the student experience. Maybe try and improve that first.”

The initial announcement was met with devastation from members of UTAS’ arts program, whose grassroots campaign – Save UTAS Arts – drew support from state independents Kristie Johnston and Meg Webb, and federal MP Andrew Wilkie.

Fronting the media on Thursday, Professor Lisa Fletcher, interim academic lead for the College of Arts, Law and Education, said the changes were intended to achieve financial stability.

“I feel really confident that in the changes that we have made that we have done our utmost and have succeeded in creating a structure that will set us up for a future,” she said.

“We are currently working through with impacted staff the voluntary redundancy process, which will take place over the next month, and as we recruit new leadership for the new schools, we will, in a very staged and supportive way with our staff, implement these processes over the over the course of the next three or six months.”

More to come.