ANU is thinking about the cuts for jobs deal

VC Brian Schmidt tells staff he is “in close contact” with the lead negotiator for universities in the accord to cut conditions to save jobs

That’s Charles Sturt U VC Andrew Vann, who is also president of the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association.

“My principal goal is to make sure any agreement we might make is in the best interests of our community – and we are quite different from the rest of the sector. Our community comes first, and I will continue to resolutely adhere to that guiding principle.”

It’s a refreshingly frank expression of how Professor Schmidt views other university managements.

But will ANU need to sign-on to the accord, which is designed to deal with deficits? The vice chancellor tells staff that with first semester census closed, “we are starting to better understand and forecast our financial position,” (which) “is better than most other Australian universities.”