The ABC has confirmed that Australian National University vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell has resigned from her position, after months of controversy due to sweeping staff cuts and allegations of poor governance.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation have confirmed the resignation and say more information will be revealed later today.
Professor Bell has been under increasing scrutiny due to forced redundancies and her handling of related concerns from staff and students.Â
She was appointed as the institution’s 13th vice-chancellor in January 2024, taking over from Professor Brian Schmidt.
The cultural anthropologist inherited what she described as an “enormous number of challenges” at the ANU.
In October of last year, the university announced plans to save $250 million in operating costs by 2026 — including $100 million through salaries.
Pressure to save millions
A series of “change proposals” followed — involving cuts and restructures across the institution.
The ‘Renew ANU’ plan and Professor Bell’s leadership have both been the subject of fierce and mounting backlash from staff, students and the National Tertiary Education Union.
The ANU has plans to overhaul the 60-year-old ANU School of Music, including dropping one-on-one instrument lessons. (ABC News: Callum Flinn)
A controversial move to axe the renowned School of Music garnered particular outrage, sparking campus protests and condemnation from leaders in the arts industry.
Australian Chamber Orchestra director Richard Tognetti warned the plan would be tantamount to “cultural vandalism”.
Professor Bell also faced criticism for being paid $70,000 for 24 hours’ work by her previous employer, Silicon Valley technology company Intel, while also taking home her more than $1 million vice-chancellor’s salary.
Union members supported a vote of no confidence against her and Chancellor Julie Bishop and have repeatedly called for their resignation.
Professor Bell long resisted that pressure and accused her critics of using her gender as a tactic to undermine her.
“Sexism is alive and well and living in Australia,” she told ABC’s Stateline in March.
Australian National University chancellor Julie Bishop was accused of bullying and harassment. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Accusations and investigations add to turmoil
Uproar over the ANU’s leadership reached fever pitch last month, when academic and former ANU Council member Liz Allen accused Chancellor Julie Bishop of bullying, harassment and hostile behaviour during a Senate inquiry into university governance.
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Ms Bishop, who was appointed as chancellor in 2020 after a career in federal politics, denied any wrongdoing and the university established a group to oversee an investigation into the allegations.
Meanwhile, the ANU remains under investigation by the higher education regulator, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), over concerns about the university’s operations.
A fortnight ago, Professor Bell announced future savings in the university’s ongoing restructure would not involve forced job cuts.
That did not include areas of the university where a savings plan had already been announced.
The move failed to remedy the loss of confidence in Professor Bell’s leadership.
‘Will take time to heal’
Lachlan Clohesy of the National Tertiary Education Union said they welcomed news of the resignation.
“The announcement of the vice-chancellor’s departure must also be accompanied by an announcement that all forced redundancies will now cease,” he said.
“We welcome this development. But we also need to recognise the incredible toll the last two years have taken on the ANU community, and that will take time to heal.
“Changing the vice-chancellor will not fix the ANU’s issues unless governance concerns are also addressed.”
The student group No Cuts at ANU called the resignation the “outcome of months of campaigning by students, staff and the ANU community against Renew ANU and university management”.Â
“This has demonstrated that the real power lies with students and staff, not the profiteering bosses at the head of this university,” spokeswoman Lucy Chapman-Kelly said.
“Students facing hundreds of staff cuts, multiple degrees abolished, the merger or eradication of entire colleges, have called for Bell to be sacked since January this year.”
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