The Australian National University has backed down on its plans to downgrade its Asian language academics to fixed contracts following widespread community consultation and national condemnation.
The university issued its final proposal for changes to the School of Culture, History and Languages on Monday afternoon after a fraught consultation process which received 97 submissions as well as the National Tertiary Education Union notifying a formal dispute over parts of the proposal.
While the university has retained a plan to axe up to 15 academic positions, it has stepped back from its plan to downgrade six language positions to three-year contracts.
In its 34-page document, the university has agreed to treat the old language subsidy as a strategic investment. This means that academics teaching Sanskrit, Hindi, Thai and Vietnamese who were to be placed onto three-year contracts will now be restored to continuing status and the two fixed-term positions in Burmese and Classical Chinese will be made continuing.
...
Meanwhile, award-winning international Sanskrit expert McComas Taylor welcomed the changes.
"My colleagues and I are delighted that ANU has publicly committed to supporting Asian languages in the long term. We are looking forward to working with ANU management to really develop our role as the national Asian language provider for Australia and beyond, and we want to strengthen the university's excellent reputation. Of course our relief is tempered by concern about potential cuts to other areas."
Professor Taylor was considering his future at the ANU under the previous plan to place him and others on fixed-term contracts, saying it would irreparably damage the university's ability to carry out its national functions of engaging in the region.
--
Full text at: