The MQ Dean of the Faculty of Arts has proposed reducing eight work units to five. Staff are concerned this will lead to:
- centralisation of managerial control,
- the merger or elimination of disciplines
- course cuts
- staff redundancies.
MQ Arts staff have launched the following petition in response.
Petition Background
THE CHANGE PROPOSAL. On 7th August 2024, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts released a change proposal that will reduce the current eight work units (departments and schools) to five. This change was proposed with relatively little justification, and it is occurring after a similar change in 2019 reduced the work units from 13 to 8.
THE PROBLEMS. Affected staff fear that this change:
- CENTRALISATION. Centralises managerial control
- CUTS DISCIPLINES. Merges and/or abolishes the disciplines of Modern History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Sociology, and Anthropology, and
- COURSE CUTS AND REDUNDANCIES. Presages further course rationalisation and staff redundancies.
Who are we petitioning?
- Executive Dean of Arts
- MQ Vice Chancellor
- MQ University Executive
- MQ University Council
Petition Demands
Commit to the following:
NO REDUNDANCIES
- Publicly commit to no forced redundancies (academic and professional staff) in the Faculty of Arts for the next three years.
NO CUTS
- Publicly commit to no cuts to units, courses, or majors in the Faculty of Arts for the next three years.
PROTECT THE DISCIPLINES
- Maintain all existing disciplines in the Faculty of Arts
STAFF-LED CHANGE MANAGEMENT
- Take concrete action to protect the mental health and morale of staff by committing to bottom-up, staff-led change management now and into the future
PROTECT OUR MENTAL HEALTH
- Take concrete action to address the psychosocial hazards created for staff by continuous negative workplace change.
FAIR WORKLOADS
- Properly workload discipline chairs and directors, so that they can help staff create a better Macquarie University.