James Cook University staff and their Union have condemned proposed new job cuts announced today.
This follows more than 100 jobs being lost at JCU in 2022 and 2023, and adds to the cuts already proposed this month to staff in marketing and admissions.
JCU management have proposed to cut a total of 58 positions in addition to 26 marketing and enrolments positions already proposed to be cut.
The net loss of positions in Australia could be as high as 75.
NTEU Branch President, Dr Jonathan Strauss, said: “This is no solution to the financial issues faced by JCU and in higher education. Staff see these cuts as putting yet another band-aid on a bullet hole.
“JCU’s fundamental problem is a decade-long decline in student enrolments. But the University’s response has been to slash staff numbers. It is hard to see how cutting staff in marketing and enrolments is going to improve student numbers.
“Some of the cuts to roles in student wellbeing, counselling, careers and outreach will have a negative impact on student retention.”
“Unlike previous change proposals, the one released today does not make it clear where the jobs are being cut. We suspect that is because there is a high proportion of cuts here in Cairns.”
“Regional areas like northern Queensland already have much lower university participation rates than in the capitals. But the continuing decline of JCU is reducing education options for people in Cairns and Townsville.”
NTEU Queensland Division Secretary Michael McNally said: “Student numbers increased at JCU this year. Across Queensland, there is a more than 10% increase in QTAC applications for university studies next year from Queenslanders, as well as a 9% increase from interstate.
“There have been delays to international student visas this year which have hurt universities like JCU. But the proposed cap for JCU from 2025 for international students is well above current enrolments.
“These cuts are premature. JCU has the financial reserves to ride out these short-term storms and should invest in getting more enrolments through the doors.
McNally said: “Administrative positions that allow academics to focus on their teaching and research are being cut. And various sections of the change paper make it clear that there are more cuts in the pipeline.
“Many more experienced and skilled professional and technical staff who are the on-the-ground leaders of their areas of work at the University are being driven out. They are not being replaced, or the replacement positions for them are at lower, less skilled, levels.”
“The worrying thing in these restructures is always that management overestimate the number of positions they can do away with and end up hiring people back over the next couple of years,” McNally said.
“Among those proposed to be axed is the staff member who has administered the student complaints process for more than a decade, Dr Jonathan Strauss. He is also the NTEU Branch President, who has negotiated on behalf of staff and held management to account for nearly a decade.”
“The change proposal states that some work will be shifted to JCU Singapore. JCU Singapore is a campus run by JCU, but it is not part of JCU. It is a controlled entity – in effect, a private company belonging to JCU. It operates according to Singapore laws, including its standard 44-hour work week and more repressive labour laws.”
