In a recent comment on the severity of the expected job cuts at Charles Darwin University in Australia, Vice-Chancellor Simon Maddocks has detailed that around one hundred positions might be affected.
This news has caused great concern among faculty members. According to the Vice-Chancellor, the University is facing severe funding deficits, which has never happened before. This extreme financial situation has made it necessary to reduce the number of faculty members in the institution.
In response to faculty member concerns Teachers’ Unions have started investigating this downsizing. According to union members, the University is suspiciously laconic about the expected job cuts, and this is purposeful misinformation of the teachers employed there.
Unannounced job cuts
According to the President of the Education Union NT division, Darius Pfitzner, teachers of all departments have expressed their worries. The main reason for concern is the fact that the University administration is not presenting sufficient information to teachers.
This last estimation by Vice-Chancellor Maddocks is the first detail teachers learned about the planned downsizing. Teachers and union representatives are also claiming that Charles Darwin University has been actively reducing the number of faculty members by leaving vacant positions and not interviewing prospective candidates.
University representatives have claimed that the lack of funding is mainly associated with costs related to vocational training. Mr. Maddocks also pointed out that the most significant piece of the University’s budget is going towards faculty member salaries, and salary increases.
According to education ministers, the Australian government has been providing a record amount of state funding to higher education institutions in recent years, and the financial struggle of Charles Darwin University is surprising.
