As Genevieve Bell resigns, ANU drama proves uni sector is broken

The end came with a whisper, but with chewing and applause. Geneviete Bell, the vice president of the National University of Australia, resigned. Anu Chancellor Julie Bishop called for a whole personnel meeting, Bell’s resignation applauded when he announced.

Bell is the 13th leader of Anu, and by far the most controversial. The term of office was marked with confusion and scandal, negative media scope, disaster appearance and insecure personnel vote in the Senate forecasts.

Bell, who was never fully popular, was not carefully welcomed when he played the role only two years ago. A few years ago, he was hired by Anu as a “rock star professor ,, by Bishop Change Popular Brian SchmidtA Nobel Prize that decides to step back from the best job to return to full -time science.

The contrasts with Schmidt were early. While Bell was studying as an anthropologist, his career was in the technology sector, where he directed a high -profile laboratory in Intel and finally rose to the vice president. Shortly after receiving the reins, the rumors began to wander about the style of management and staff Australia Financial Review he Ekantrik to justifyUsually in a single meeting area.

Universities are famous for personnel politics, but even according to these standards, it is seen that Anu has acute problems. Bullying, especially at higher levels, appears. A Last external review The university’s former Victoria police boss, Christine Nixon discovered the former Faculty of Health and Medicine’s common workplace toxicity. This atmosphere worsened. At a explosive Senate hearing earlier this year, Anu staff representative Liz Allen Evidence of the claim that there is bullying In the Anu Council, Bell and the Bishop. During A Senate CommitteeA trade union representative also claimed that Anu’s chief operator was requested to have a special review of HR files.

But what really turned the staff against Bell was their plans to cut hundreds of jobs. Refresh anuIt aims to cut $ 250 million from the cost base of the university until 2026. Most of the expenditures in a university continued to wage, which inevitably meant Swingeing business cuts.

When they are published on cost reduction, they like to apply for well -worn lines to pay invoices and live in their vehicles. However, it is not clear whether Anu is as serious as he claims to the very public money problems. The university’s financials are opaque and difficult to interpret: Anu claims that it is in a business deficit and still pays the damage caused by a storm in 2020. Nevertheless, Senior numbers Anu, published in its annual report, had $ 89.9 million in 2024 and $ 135.3 million in 2025.

It is also true that the recent changes in the sector damage the working position of Anu. The university is quite research intense. This is a problem because the research is expensive and usually does not bring much income. On the income side, Anu could not bring international students as their competitors.

None of them excuse Bell’s way of restructuring Anu, and his reign was rapidly marked by important personnel unrest. In a town like Canberra, leaks to the media were inevitable. . AFRs While Julie Hare Anu found a happy hunting area for stories, ACT independent senator David Pocock made its dysfunctional governance a campaign point. Bell’s response to media stories was to threaten his staff.Hunt Down ”LeaksIt just made the discomfort worse.

Bell’s communication style listed especially university staff. Personally, the staff often described him as cold and empathy. Homilies had a habit of sending a message to the staff for a long time. Seeing Anu as a “magical” place. The so -called “consultation” process From top to bottom and picture. At some point, Bell said that the staff would not be more obligatory, but There was still a lot of excess.

What happened to hide behind everything Some personnel claim It was more than a widespread climate of fear and more than an unsuitance. Bell in 2024, He continued to take a paid role in Intel Even after taking a full -time role as the Vice President; Some of Anu’s Council members They were not said about this regulation.

Meanwhile, Bell’s academic department, less well -known cybernetic academic discipline, apparently unlimited financing and More personnel than registered students.

Then, most of the university administrator layers, including trips to Davos, had advantages. Fine wines for functions financed by the university. Freedom of information announced that Julie Bishop maintained its own office at Perth at the expense of Anu. Senior executive positions increased.

The conditions on the coal face were much less comfortable. Anu made At least 399 staff unnecessary As part of its restructuring, including plans to close the Australian National Dictionary Center and eliminate the admired music school. It is not surprising that staff, media and Pocock have difficulty for the removal of Bell.

Nobody claims to run a university. They are smart and usually large and complex organizations full of grumpy people. Politics manifests difficulties. Australian universities have significant cost problems and are not easy to find income.

However, many public administrators face similar difficulties from the principal of a public school to the ruler of a regional hospital. It is difficult to claim that the lucrative salaries and gold -plated advantages of Australian universities are right for the performance of a distinctive mediocre cohort of senior executives.

While Bell’s term of office becomes a parathonary in Anu, his collapse is the germ of a wider crisis in Australian university governance. In recent years, a number of assistants had to resign after a scandal of the University of New England, including the boss of New England. Brigid heywoodCriminal for acting in an aggressive way and former Vice President of Adelaide University Peter RathgenSouthern Australian Corruption Commission has found serious abuse. Your complaints about Rathjen was made at a previous university.

The administrator class Frolicks finds university staff and students difficult. It was more 3,500 surplus in the last two years According to the latest figures compiled by NTEU, in Australian universities. Domestic records are flattened and students are increasingly alienating and disappointing. A new book by Seçkin Social Scientist Graeme Turner summarized the sector as follows. Broken.

This will not be the end of the turmoil in Anu. A Senate investigation continues and there must be a new vice president. For now, Chancellor is holding at Bishop Anu, but it is open to questioning how much he can continue his position.

Waiver: Ben Eltham is the representative of the NTEU union at the University of Monash.