The university is consulting on voluntary redundancies – some staff are waiting for an unwanted tap on the shoulder

Despite savings, the university is still short $200m this year. So, Vice Chancellor Martin Bean is asking staff and unions about a VR programme, that could occur, “before we consider forced redundancies,” (CMM June 24).

But the VR proposal restricts who can apply. People with strong performance ratings, who teach in growing courses, are research leaders can’t ask. Nor can anybody else who “RMIT otherwise determines … it is not in (its) interest to grant the application.”

Good-o, the university gets to decide who it values. But learned readers suggest tight definitions of who can’t go ups the risk of the university not making enough savings and going to a compulsory round.