University of Wollongong staff will kick off the 'Save Our University" campaign this morning.
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Community assemblies are being held at Wollongong, Batemans Bay, Bega, Shoalhaven and Moss Vale campuses on Thursday morning from 8.15am to 8.50am.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) run events come ahead of an 11am Vice Chancellor's online address to all UOW staff.
UOW Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings will brief staff on the financial impact of COVID-19, the current financial position of UOW, actions taken to date and options being considered for its continuing response.
Staff have expressed disappointment Professor Wellings recently rejected a National Job Protection Framework negotiated nationally with NTEU.
"Instead he appears to be moving towards wholesale staff related cost savings to deal with budget shortfalls, this has the potential to heavily impact on how our university operates and delivers to the community in coming years," a spokesperson said.
"All this is happening as the Federal Government continues to resist our calls for adequate financial support for universities and their staff."
In Wollongong, Dr Carol Priestley will talk about job losses and its potential effect on learning and student support at UOW.
Georgine Clarsen, the UOW branch president of the NTEU, said management needed to give Dr Priestley her job back.
"Carol's situation is symbolic of some terrible management decisions being made in relation to this crisis. Such decisions not only impact individual employees, but also have the potential to undermine the quality of learning and support that so many UOW students need to stay enrolled and graduate, particularly in regional communities," Mr Clarsen said.
"We need the Vice Chancellor to sit down in good faith with staff representatives and come clean about the university finances, then work with staff collegially to protect our jobs and the integrity of our public institution."