The Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton explains recent changes to the University’s organisational structure.

I have been considering ways to simplify the organisational structure of the University to align our attention and resources with our mission and to drive improvements in our performance.

This is a challenging time for all Australian universities and, after consultation with my executive leadership group, several initiatives will be put in place to underpin our strategic objectives and deliver cost savings to the University.

At our last staff Town Hall in June, I spoke about the need for all universities to be sustainable and sustaining. I want to reiterate the importance and urgency of this work at Macquarie. We need to look across the breadth of our University for ways to work more effectively and efficiently, to sharpen our focus and to streamline our operations. Our critical mission to deliver transformative learning for students in a research enriched environment, and to accelerate our performance and impact in research, can only be achieved in a context of financial sustainability.

Earlier this month, I made the decision to disestablish the University Services and Strategy portfolio. This will reduce the size of the executive, simplify the professional services structure, align organisational units with cognate groups of colleagues and deliver savings in costs. We have consulted with staff in the areas affected and new reporting lines have been established (see list below).

In the coming weeks and months, I will be engaging with the University community on the challenges and opportunities we face and on a range of further actions to simplify, align and drive performance in the service of our mission. I look forward to your thoughts and ideas as we adapt to our changing environment.

Revised structure:

People and Services
(under the leadership of Nicole Gower, VP People and Services)

• Human Resources
• Information Technology (including Business Intelligence and Reporting)
• U@MQ/Campus Life
• Workplace Health and Safety

Finance and Resources
(under the leadership of Robin Payne, VP Finance and Resources)

• Finance
• Property
• Corporate Risk and Insurance
• MGSM Hospitality
• Access MQ

General Counsel
(under the leadership of Carol Kirby, General Counsel)

• Legal
• Compliance
• Corporate Secretariat
• Internal Audit
• Privacy
• GIPA
• Archives and Records