The Australian 17 Oct 2008

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24510896-12332,00.html

Victoria University to cut 250 jobs
October 17, 2008

UP to 250 jobs are expected to be cut at Victoria University in the next six months.Vice-chancellor Elizabeth Harman today announced the university will “undertake a program of targeted and voluntary redundancies”. The increasingly competitive nature of Australian universities and poor enrolments in unpopular courses are being blamed for the decision. “Victoria University wants to be ready to embrace the new challenges and opportunities this will bring in 2009,” Professor Harman said on the university's website. She said staff would be lost in small units and courses that were failing to attract student numbers.

But the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has called on Professor Harman to resign, calling the announcement the largest job cut in Australian university history. “The university management must be held to account for this disaster,” Matthew McGowan, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary said. “Both the state and federal governments must intervene to protect the future of education in the western region of Melbourne.”