Vic universities to cut up to 500 jobs

Up to 500 jobs will be cut at two Victorian universities in the next six months,
with a union describing the news as a black day for tertiary education in Australia.
Victoria University has announced more than 250 jobs will be lost in the higher
education and vocational departments, and from general staff.
And 230 jobs will go across La Trobe University's seven Victorian metropolitan and
regional campuses.
The cuts have angered the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), which said it
was an "appalling" move in the middle of an economic crisis.
Victoria's Vice Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Harman said a program of "targeted
and voluntary redundancies" would now begin.
Staff will be cut in unpopular courses and units to ensure there is enough money for
future investments.
A spokesperson refused to say what courses would be targeted, until after a two-week
consultation period.
Professor Harman said the decision is a matter of "pre-emptive" action and sound
financial management.
"Without action now, we could face difficulty by 2010," Prof Harman said.
"We are making substantial budget savings across the university and while this will
include non-salary savings, cost reductions can only be achieved by substantial
savings on salaries. At 65 per cent, salaries are by far the largest component of
VU's expenditure."
NTEU Victorian Division secretary Matthew McGowan said: "It seems to be an
irresponsible move to be announcing this size of cuts, for what if you take the
announcement at value, is about building and infrastructure."
He called on Prof Harman to resign.
Staff were "shocked and appalled" by the announcement, which came without warning,
Mr McGowan said.
"We are extremely angry, both at the decision and the way the decision has been
made," he said.
"No one has been consulted about this, nobody knows about it."
With roughly 2,500 staff at the university, up to 10 per cent would lose their jobs,
he said.
La Trobe University's package of voluntary redundancies was designed to address a
$13 million shortfall in revenue.
Bendigo campus dean Lorraine Ling blamed the funding gap on cuts made during the
Howard government era.
"As an OECD country, our spending on higher education consistently dropped," she
told AAP.
The global economic crisis had exacerbated the university's financial position, Prof
Ling said.
A $4 million hole had been left by lower international student numbers and tougher
visa requirements for Indian students.
"The market has flattened considerably," she said.
Prof Ling said it was "impossible" to predict where the redundancies would be
concentrated.
About 150 non-academic staff would be asked to put their hands up, while 80 to 100
academic redundancies would be on offer until November 7.
The NTEU will call meetings of staff early next week to consider the union's response.
Victoria University has 11 campuses and sites in Melbourne's western suburbs and the
CBD.