Restructure plans have been mired by controversy, including revelations the university’s vice chancellor spent more than $20,000 on a business class ticket to travel to the United States with other executives for an alumni event.
Management was also labelled tone-deaf after staff facing job cuts were directed to advice which said: “do that task you’ve been dreading, like washing delicates, organising receipts for your taxes or cleaning a bathroom”.
The university was forced to delay releasing details of the proposed job cuts following action by the tertiary education union against the institution in the Fair Work Commission.
Upper House Labor MP Dr Sarah Kaine said the move was a direct threat to the mission of higher education in NSW.Credit: Janie Barrett
There were further delays when the institution was subsequently ordered to press pause on unveiling redundancy plans by the state’s workplace health and safety regulator because unexpected meeting invitations and “finalistic” language posed a serious risk of psychological harm to staff.
A university spokesman refused to elaborate on the plans or the scale of the job losses on Tuesday, saying tomorrow’s redundancy proposal was a starting point for a “genuine and robust” consultation.
“Meetings with staff members who are potentially impacted are being held ahead of the wider release to all staff in order to support their psycho-social safety and wellbeing,” he said.
Dr Sarah Kaine, who chairs the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into the university sector, described the move as “a direct threat to the public mission of higher education in NSW”.
“To dismantle them in the middle of a teacher shortage crisis and ongoing public health challenges, particularly in Indigenous communities, is indefensible,” she said.
NSW Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar said 8500 UTS graduates had taught in public schools since 1991 and there were 3500 UTS graduates currently teaching.
“Their contribution has been significant, and their absence from future cohorts will be felt,” he said.
“I am extremely disappointed by the University of Technology Sydney’s proposed decision to close its teacher education programs.”
UTS vice-chancellor Andrew Parfitt last week told staff that no final decisions had been made when it came to redundancies.
“The release of the academic change proposal is a starting point for genuine and robust consultation,” he said.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
