The university is in the hole for $30m, having found savings of $46m against an expected $76m revenue drop

To save another $10m Vice Chancellor Linda Kristjanson invites on-going and fixed-term staff to work a nine-day paid fortnight. Professor Kristjanson assures the university community that “contribution leave” is entirely voluntary, that people taking it will not be expected to do anything on their tenth day and that leave will accrue as if they were working a standard fortnight. The offer applies to part-timers pro rata. It will run for eight-fortnightly pay-cycles, from May to August.

“We believe this approach is consistent with our Swinburne values and is a fair way to share the burden and support fellow employees as best we can,” Professor Kristjanson says.

The VC warns international student enrolments are down, “will be impossible in Semester Two,” because of travel bans and the problem will continue into first semester 2021.