Brigid Heywood announces a restructure at UNE – three years since the last one

A year into her appointment, Vice Chancellor Heywood told staff yesterday, there is a “costs versus revenue misalignment.”

“The triple burden of long-term drought, bushfires and COVID-19 have created significant operational issues,” the university warns. This means what was projected to be a break-even budget this year is now a $25m deficit.

The university will now look to reduce annual costs by $20m, in part by “managed workforce efficiencies”, in the “first stage” through voluntary redundancies. University observers suggest 200 staff, 15 per cent, could go. There will be “a major organisational redesign” by January with new portfolios led by “executive principals”.

“It’s overkill” says an observer.  “The last restructure ended up in the Fair Work Commission. People wonder what the union will do about this one.”