The academic restructure at Flinders U is picking up pace. The university is asking (not that they have a lot of choice) specified academics in balanced teaching-research roles to apply for jobs in either teaching or research roles (CMM October 2).  The fear among staff is that some will see their old role go but not get a new one. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences is now talking to effected staff and change proposals were released Thursday for two-weeks consultation in science and engineering, education psychology and social work and medicine and public health. The remaining colleges, business, government, law and HASS, are expected to put their plans to staff before month-end.

But it will be to no avail if the campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union has its way. This week the union is expected to lodge a dispute in the Fair Work Commission, arguing the process involves “shame redundancies by any definition.”

The union has also drafted a letter to the university council, said to be signed by 250 academic staff, complaining that academics are not being consulted and their “status in the new structure” appears to depend on research output, which unfairly ignores, “the impact of their past and present formal and informal workload on their research productivity … as well as the possible failure of past performance management processes.”

VC Colin Stirling says the restructure is about the university doubling research performance and achieving, “international recognition as a leader in contemporary education.”