Editor’s note: As per our submission guidelines, we do not allow anonymous or pseudonymous posts unless there is a credible fear for the safety of the author. This writer has asked to post anonymously because they fear reprisal and potential loss of their job. We join the author in wishing that our UNE could have such discussions without people being fearful. New England Times has independently verified their identity and role at UNE.
With another Chancellery failure tarnishing our reputation with racism and violence (to add to the history of corruption allegations), should the UNE community be demanding a greater say in the direction of our university?
A university is supposed to be a community. We, collectively, are the university.
The very fact I felt the need to ask if I could post this piece anonymously speaks to the degredation of that community, the toxic nature of our work environment, and the general carnage caused by the poorest of leadership in Booloominbah.
The NTEU survey findings and the SafeWork investigation also tell the same story. Psychological harm, depression, anxiety… are all just the tip of the iceberg.
I fundamentally do not believe that tarnished reputation, nor the toxicity many of us currently experience, is genuinely representative of the community of UNE. The individuals I have known and worked with over many years are genuine, empathetic, and extraordinarily capable.
Most of us would just like to be good at our jobs and teach our students well. We didn’t ask for new campuses, widespread job losses, or another scandal. We continue to get high rankings and keep students happy despite of, not because of, our ‘leadership’. So many good people are emotionally attached to UNE, working above and beyond to ensure we deliver for our students.
I am not convinced that having yet another external consultant come in and get paid an extraordinary amount of money to do a ‘culture review’ and tell us how to be UNE will be effective. There’s something special about UNE, it’s not like any other university, and only those who know and love ‘our UNE’ will ever get that.
Further, as many colleagues have noted in conversations, past ‘reviews’ have resulted in those who were frank and fearless in those processes being shafted, their roles being restructured or made redundant. So may good people that loved UNE have been cast aside rather than promoted. Why should we trust these processes again?
It would be fantastic if the new VC could also share that passion and love for UNE, and our university community, and choose to lean into our strengths rather than more firing and reforming.
It would be great if we could get back to focusing on educational leadership and research excellence, rather than ditching core courses and our educational backbone for creatively named units and trendy degrees. Funding our core work, not consultants or property development.
Let’s also have a conversation about taking control as a community. Can we collectively get the organisation focused on delivering great student outcomes and world class research, rather than pleasing the powers that be or following the latest trend?
Is there a way that we, the university, can take control of our destiny?
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