Macquarie U bans hiring

Management freezes all recruitment, indefinitely. Fixed term contracts up for renewal will also be “reviewed”

According to Nicole Gower (VP, people and services) and Robin Payne (VP, finance and resources), “the aim of these initiatives is to reduce the impact of financial pressures and minimise potential redundancies and forced job losses.”

Appeals for exemptions will go to a recruitment exceptions board chaired by Vice Chancellor S Bruce Dowton. “No jobs will be advertised, and no offers of employment will be made,” without the board’s approval.

The university executive will also establish a process for co-ordinating and planning workplace change. This will presumably apply to this week’s announcement that the Faculty of Human Sciences is to be broken up (CMM, Tuesday).

“These initiatives have been developed in support of Budget 2020 activities,” Ms Gower and Mr Payne write.

So, what is Macquarie management worrying about? The university isn’t exactly in the money, with a net result of $9.7m on $1bn plus revenue in 2018, but it can cover its debts. The NSW Audit Office identified nothing negative about Macquarie U’s money in this year’s report on the state’s universities.


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