You may have seen media reporting that ANU has shed 1000 jobs in the last year. This is untrue. This inaccurate figure appears to be based on a misreading of data submitted by ANU to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).

The WGEA reporting data includes casuals, contract and permanent staff to provide a total headcount figure for measuring gender balance in the workplace. It uses point in time, snapshot reports and counts casual staff as full-time employees. For these reasons, it is not used by employers as a basis for workforce management calculations.

It’s also important that you have the facts about where we are in our sustainability journey.

We reached over halfway towards the $100 million salary savings goal before the release of last month’s change proposals.

The savings of $50.5 million came through a combination of change plans, vacancy and leave management, and the Voluntary Separation Scheme.

We’ll update this figure after all feedback is received and change proposals are finalised.

Townhalls were held last week for the Research and Innovation (R&I) Portfolio, the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), and the College of Science and Medicine (CoSM), where change proposals were outlined as part of Renew ANU. 

Change proposals for all three areas are now available for feedback. 

The consultation period for the R&I Portfolio proposal is open until 12pm, Wednesday 23 July. CASS and CoSM are open until 12pm, Thursday 24 July. Recordings of each Townhall, as well as the change proposals and feedback forms, are available on the Renew ANU website. 

The change proposal for the Academic Portfolio is intended for release in Quarter 3. 

We’ve received valuable feedback on the ITS/ISO and PSP proposals and are currently reviewing them ahead of releasing the implementation plan.

In line with our commitment to keeping the ANU community informed about the progress of the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS), we are sharing this month’s update. This scheme has played a vital role in supporting the University's renewal efforts and we are now able to confirm the outcomes, with all offers having been issued.

Summary of outcomes:

*Following a further review, 9 additional approvals were granted for those who had expressed interest in voluntary separation.

As of 30 June, 123 staff members have departed the University under the VSS scheme. An additional 42 staff members are scheduled to depart by 31 December 2025.

The VSS scheme is projected to contribute $26.4 million in annualised savings.

We extend our sincere appreciation to all staff who accepted a VSS offer. Your contributions to the University have been valued, and your decision has been instrumental in enabling the outcomes needed to support the ANU’s renewal.

Last week saw the release of three change proposals for Renew ANU. I know that change is complex and is creating anxiety in our community, and we are committed to working through the proposals and your feedback as best as we can along with providing additional supports to those who need it. I also encourage each of us to show respect and kindness towards our colleagues, everyone’s experience is different and a little grace can go a long way during tough times. Out of respect for our staff, we don’t invite external media to be in the room for internal staff change proposal discussions. We are grateful for the broader community’s interest in ANU, and accordingly, the media, our local politicians, the minister, and key stakeholders are regularly briefed in the appropriate ways. At the core, we work very hard on making sure we talk to our community first and in all the ways we can.

Read more: VC's update - reflections 

From July, the Vice-Chancellor will be hosting a series of small ‘Facing the future together’ sessions, open to all staff. These will provide an opportunity to ask questions, share perspectives. These conversations will help underpin the work we do as we go into our 80th year and start working towards ‘ANU to 100’, and our focus for the next two decades.

Learn more: Facing the future together 

We have had a wonderful response from staff and students wishing to participate in Nixon Implementation Working Groups and there is still time to let us know if you’d like to contribute.

Key dates:

Read more: Provost Update – Nixon Working Group EOIs close today

This year’s National NAIDOC Week marks 50 years of the week-long celebrations, and the theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, celebrates achievements of the past and the bright future ahead.

If you would like a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues, strengthen Indigenous cultural competence and empower Indigenous voices, join the ANU Indigenous Staff Network. This staff-led community network is open to both Indigenous Australians and Indigenous peoples from across the globe. To join the network and partake in the upcoming staff networking event lunch on Wednesday 8 July contact staffdiversity@anu.edu.au. 

Learn more: ANU Staff networks 

The University is committed to the preservation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and recognises that for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, responsibilities to family, community and culture is pivotal to upholding the sense of cultural identity and integrity. Key dates of significance and cultural events (i.e NAIDOC Week Celebrations, Sorry Day, National Reconciliation Week) are good examples for accessing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural leave, or if undertaking cultural activities in the course of your employment the cultural duties and language allowance might be applicable.

Learn more: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural leave and language allowance

Recently the University reviewed available online training modules for staff to increase knowledge around our First Nations People and have made available on Pulse a new online module- Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples, culture and voices. We encourage all staff to refresh their knowledge and complete this new course.

Learn more : Pulse online learning

The Wild Australia Show, co-authored by Paul Memmott, Maria Nugent, Michael Aird, Lindy Allen, Chantel Knowles and Jonathan Richards, uncovers the remarkable journey of 27 Aboriginal performers from northern Queensland who toured internationally in the 1890s, culminating at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Drawing on rich archival sources, the book reconstructs their experiences and performances from their own perspectives, offering a powerful lens on cultural resilience and survival under colonial conditions. 

Visit the website and enter the code TWAS20 at checkout to claim a 20% discount during NAIDOC week. 

A pilot project is combining advanced satellite technology with Aboriginal and Māori knowledge to improve fire management and support more effective, ethical fire preparedness. Scientists from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society and the Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence have partnered with Indigenous fire practitioners from Gadungaal Yuin Country, while also collaborating and learning from visiting Māori researchers from Scion Group, New Zealand, for this project.

Read more: Developing fuel moisture sensing satellites for fire management with Indigenous knowledge

The student-led ANU Solar Racing team have revealed its fourth and most advanced solar car ahead of the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge - a gruelling 3,022km race from Darwin to Adelaide. Despite new regulations and a shortened timeline, the thirty nine member team has designed and built an innovative, asymmetrical three-wheeled vehicle developed in partnership with SunDrive Solar.  

Read more: ANU students unveil advanced solar car.

An unexpected email from the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has led to a groundbreaking partnership between ANU and the U.S. Department of Defense. Spearheaded by Dr Ben Shaw from the School of Culture, History & Language, the five-year agreement will see ANU students join recovery missions in Papua New Guinea to help locate WWII aircraft wreckage and remains of missing American soldiers.  

Read more: ANU signs Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with US Department of Defense 

'Rock detective' Dr Ana Casas Ramos, a geochemist and volcanologist at ANU, traces her passion for earth sciences to her mother’s groundbreaking work in Mexico. From studying deadly volcanoes to pioneering sustainable mining with Rio Tinto, she now uses 3D imaging and AI to uncover the secrets hidden in rocks, advancing cleaner, more efficient resource extraction and helping drive the transition to net zero.

Read more: Meet Ana: advancing our knowledge of the Earth through cutting-edge technology

ANU is addressing a potential breach of Council confidentiality, which may be interfering with the proper operations of Council. This is a serious matter. Good governance, which is imperative to uphold, requires us to ensure that Council confidentiality is maintained and that Council members meet their lawful obligations. Council met out of session on 3 July and is currently scheduled to hold a regular meeting on 1 August.

Ensuring good governance is everyone’s responsibility, and an important part of working at ANU is appropriately recording and updating your disclosure of interests. The University’s disclosure of interest (DOI) policy and procedure are being updated to make them easier for you to use.

Types of disclosures may include, but are not limited to family members working at ANU such as your children or spouse holding roles at the University or a family business which may intersect with the University. If you aren’t sure, make sure you have the conversation with your supervisor and update the register. The new form is intended to be short and simple and if you have any queries just email the DOI inbox. It can also be used to disclose any gifts you might receive in the course of your duties at the ANU.

Interests relating to members of Council and its various Committees are disclosed and managed in accordance with the Charter of the University Council and the Charters of each of its major Committees. 

Monday 14 July, 6-7.30pm

Join Kerrie Davies in conversation with Michelle Staff as they discuss Davies’ new book, Miles Franklin Undercover. The biography sheds light on the lesser-known decade following Franklin’s early literary fame, revealing a powerful story of resilience, reinvention, and female independence. 

Register here: In conversation with Kerrie Davies 

Thursday 17 July, 3.30-5.30pm 

Join Professor Gideon Rosen of  Princeton University, as he presents the case for Explanatory Realism, Rosen will explore how specific ideas like causation and grounding fit into a broader, unified framework of explanation.  

Register here: Explanatory realism 

Monday 21 July, 6-7pm 

Join Sam Guthrie in conversation with Mark Kenny as they discuss Guthrie’s debut novel The Peak - a gripping espionage thriller set against the backdrop of Australian politics and global power struggles. 

Register here: Meet the author – Sam Guthrie 

Wednesday 23 July, 6-7pm 
 
Join Katherine Biber in conversation with Kate Fullagar as they discuss The Last Outlaws - a gripping work of historical true crime that revisits the dramatic story of Wiradjuri brothers Jimmy and Joe Governor, whose 1900 murder spree shocked the colony on the eve of Australian Federation. 

Register here: Meet the author – Katherine Biber 

Thursday 24 July, 4-5.30pm 

Join author and cultural commentator Linda Jaivin for a timely discussion on the Cultural Revolution and its lasting impact on China. As official memory fades and nostalgia resurfaces, Jaivin asks: What was the Cultural Revolution really about - and what can it teach us about China today?
 
Register here: The long shadow of the Cultural Revolution 

Monday 28 July, 11am-12pm. 

Attendance is a prerequisite to commencing fieldwork, and attendance in person is required.  

Please note this course is also mandatory for supervisors of anyone working in the field and is valid for 5 years. 

Fieldwork is work authorised by the University to be undertaken at an off-campus location and is external to a building or structure. It includes practical teaching and research activities carried out in the natural environment or community, away from the normal support networks of the University, and may involve work in remote areas. 

Register here: WHSC07 Fieldwork Safety Training 

Friday 8 August, 9am-6pm 

Early modern women marked their books in myriad ways, and their marginalia provide evidence of their book ownership, their reading, writing and drawing practices, their acquisition of literacy, and the interrelation of body, book, and material world. This symposium will explore the interpretation and methodological challenges of this exciting new textual corpus.

Register here: Marginalia and the Early Modern Woman Writer, 1500-1700

At first glance, “love you long time” might seem like a harmless, even affectionate phrase. But its origins - rooted in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket are hypersexualised and orientalist. In this edition of Word of the Month, the Inclusive and Respectful Communities team delves into the history of this phrase.  

Read more: “Love you long time” - why language isn’t just words 

Winter can take a toll on both our physical health and mental wellbeing, including conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). For tips on staying healthy through this cold season, visit the Winter Wellbeing Sharepoint.

ANU is participating in a compliance assessment with our regulator, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). This is part of their regular oversight activity across the higher education sector and follows recent media coverage. 

As part of the process, ANU will submit a self-assurance report outlining our governance arrangements. This is a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the strength of our internal processes and continue our long-standing, constructive relationship with TEQSA. 

ANU is committed to recognising and supporting the diverse cultural, religious and personal identities of our staff and students. Awareness of different cultural and religious events helps the University to better support the diverse needs of our community. The Department of Home Affairs maintains an inclusive calendar of significant dates observed by the various communities in Australia.  

Want to know what ANU is planning for climate action, nature and the circular economy?   

Join the info session this Thursday 10 July or view the draft Environmental Sustainability Plan 2026–2030 and share feedback online anytime. 

Learn more: Help shape the future Environmental Sustainability Plan for ANU   

The Hub centralises key ANU data sets and reports. To learn more about the Hub, or how to use the reports, please register for an online training session. 

If your area’s data isn’t listed or you have data to share, submit it via the Hub feedback form. Help us showcase valuable insights from across the University. 

Learn more: ANU Data Hub is live

The ANU Myanmar Research Centre (MRC) is now accepting nominations for its inaugural Best Article Prize, recognising outstanding scholarship on Myanmar’s politics, society, economy or culture.

The prize is open to authors based at Australian universities for articles published in the past two years. Up to two articles may be awarded, with each recipient receiving AUD $500, a formal citation and certificate. Winners will be announced on the MRC website and at the 2026 Myanmar Update conference.

Learn more: ANU Myanmar Research Centre Best Article Prize

We are pleased to share that Anita Xiao, Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis has been appointed as the new Professional Staff Representative on the above committee. 

Anita’s insights and experience will be invaluable in representing the interests of ANU staff and contributing to the committee’s strategic work. 

Applications are now open for the 2026 Westpac Research Fellowship. Valued at over $400,000, this prestigious opportunity supports early career researchers with flexible funding, global experiences, leadership development and lifelong networks.  

EOIs are due by 10 July. Please send them to pre-award.philanthropy@anu.edu.au and register for an internal information session. Final applications close on 25 August. 

Learn more: Westpac Research Fellowship 

The next Professional Services Leadership Forum will be held on Friday 5 September and will focus on the theme of collaboration. Further details will be shared closer to the date. 

Learn more: Professional Staff Leadership Forum

With the End of Financial Year (EOFY) approaching, scammers are impersonating ANU Payroll, the ATO and myGov to target tax and payroll areas.

Official ANU Payroll emails come from payroll@anu.edu.au, and government emails like myGov typically end with @my.gov.au. 

To protect yourself:

Want to know the latest scam tactics, how to spot them, and what to do if you encounter one? Find out more here.

As we move into July 2025, I wanted to share a look back for On Campus. In 2024, the open rate was 44.96 per cent for staff, with a click rate of 7.51 percent. For comparison, 2025 is sitting around 51.59 per cent (peaking at 62.11 per cent) and a click rate of 13.23 per cent (peaking at 31.49 per cent).

It’s great to see staff engaging with On Campus and also providing feedback about the articles and flow of information. The team and I have been working on ensuring there is a regular calendar and rolling more updates and communications into the On Campus channel, including ITS and campus environment information.

For Q3, our focus will be continuing to streamline communication channels into OC and produce content which speaks to our staff – including updates on Renew ANU, finances and ANU Council, alongside events, stories about our campus and system updates. If you have feedback, please drop me a line at editor.oncampus@anu.edu.au and a big thank you again to everyone who has already reached out.

ANU Security - (02) 6125 2249 

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ANU Security.  

Media hotline 24/7 - (02) 6125 7979 

Contact the 24/7 media hotline for media queries regarding the University and its operations, or to track down experts that aren’t listed in our Experts Guide.  

Help is available if you need it. Whether it's a work-related issue or a personal one, the University encourages you to seek support through the Employee Assistance Program.

If you need to support a student in distress, please refer to this guide developed by the Student Safety and Wellbeing team.