‘Financial challenges’: Staff anger at proposed James Cook University jobs cuts

James Cook University staff have been left feeling angry in the face of a radical proposal to scrap about 10 per cent of staff positions as the university grapples with its finances.

James Cook University (JCU) staff have been left feeling angry in the face of a radical proposal to scrap about 10 per cent of staff positions as the university grapples with its finances. 

JCU has put forward to cut 145 out of 1313 professional staff jobs at the university in its Change Management Proposal that was released on Thursday.

It is understood that the plan would scrap 52 unfilled staff positions and 93 currently filled positions before creating 30 new roles.

Vice Chancellor Professor Simon Biggs briefed staff on the proposed changes at a staff forum on Thursday morning.

He said the university was facing significant financial challenges that must be addressed.

“The income of universities is directly linked to the number of students, and our domestic student numbers have been declining over recent years, leading us to an unsustainable operating budget,” he said.

Simon Biggs is the vice chancellor of James Cook University. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We are also facing intense competition from capital city universities at the same time as we have a reduction in the number of school leavers choosing tertiary education in the north of our state.”

“We are living beyond our means and the university is taking responsible actions to address our financial challenges. We plan to rebuild our revenue and manage our costs, through a combination of targeted student load growth and efficient business operations,

The final changes to the Change Management Proposal will be decided after a three-week consultation period which closes on October 7, with a final plan to be released on October 27.

National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Queensland secretary Michael McNally said the news would be “devastating” to those who have discovered their position was proposed to be made redundant.

“It is likewise devastating to those colleagues who remain behind who face the double whammy of losing friends and colleagues and having to pick up the work that is inevitably left behind,” he said.

NTEU Queensland secretary Michael McNally.

“I am not sure how this cutting mentality will turn around the performance of James Cook University.”

“It’s not a great way for a new Vice-Chancellor to introduce himself to staff. I don’t think there is a coincidence that this restructure is taking place while we are bargaining.

“Why is the plan always to cut more staff? Where is the plan to attract more students?”

JACU Library and Information Services staff member Bronwen Forster, who is also an NTEU JCU branch member, said the university’s library seems to have avoided the worst of the cuts.

“But I really feel for colleagues who have found out their positions are proposed to be made redundant,” she said.

“JCU staff have been here before. The continual rounds of redundancies, both voluntary and forced, have not improved the ability of James Cook University to attract students, but management still pay themselves huge salaries. Staff always have to pay the price for poor management.

“I’ve been here for twenty years and they have always cried poor. I don’t believe them anymore.

“They could make significant cost savings in other areas like travel and building fancy infrastructure so they don’t have to cut their best asset – their staff.”

Originally published as ‘Financial challenges’: Staff anger at proposed James Cook University jobs cuts