La Trobe University confirmed it is cutting 350 jobs

University management told staff at a meeting this afternoon. It is understood the redundancies are compulsory, and will affect the university’s Bundoora campus in Melbourne’s north west as well as its regional Victorian campuses. Virginia Mansel-Lees of the National Tertiary Education Union says it is not known what faculties will be targeted. “Staff are outraged and also worried about their jobs and job security, wondering whether their area will be targeted, if so how that will happen,” she said. But she says the mass redundancies have not come as a surprise. “We thought it would be anywhere between three and 400 so it’s probably about mid-point. “But it’s a lot of jobs across the university, and it will mean particular areas may no longer be undertaken and we don’t know the detail of that as yet and probably won’t know that until April,” she said. In a statement, the university said the “changes” would be felt right across La Trobe University. Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar said the university would “retain and strengthen what is most important.” “La Trobe University is on track to implement a series of efficiency and quality-driven reforms that will position the university for a stronger future,” he said. “But we must change the way we work and how we structure ourselves to become a more efficient, effective and agile organisation,” Prof. Dewar said. “The vast bulk of the 2,666 FTE (full-time employee) continuing staff – more than 85 per cent – would take up positions under a proposed new structure, but there would be approximately 350 FTE less positions required,” he said. Source: Education News