Statement from Professor John Dewar AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University
The implications of COVID-19 have had a significant financial impact on La Trobe University, as such all 11 members of the University’s senior management team, including me, have decided to take a voluntary 20 per cent salary cut.
We have agreed that 10 per cent of this reduction will go directly to the new La Trobe COVID-19 Financial Assistance Program for students, which has already donated $900,000 directly to our students in crisis. This contribution is in addition to more than $50,000 already donated to the program by our senior management team. The other 10 per cent will contribute to savings to the University operations budget.
This salary cut starts this month and runs through to July. At the end of June we will review this commitment and we will continue it if necessary.
The University’s senior management team are also inviting all senior executive staff across the University to consider a 20 per cent voluntary salary cut to help minimise the economic impact of the crisis on the University’s budget.
We believe that a short-term financial sacrifice will support long-term sustainability and ensure that we can continue to provide high quality, innovative teaching and learning for all of our students.
We are very proud to lead an extraordinary institution dedicated to excellence and inclusivity. Although we are a stable and successful University, the profound impact of COVID-19 on the higher education sector, including La Trobe, requires extraordinary measures.
We are committed as the University’s senior management team to supporting our students and to maintaining and improving the quality and impact of our world class teaching and research.
I’m conscious that the COVID-19 crisis is taking a significant personal toll on La Trobe’s students and staff and again I want to remind you that our wellbeing team is available to support you if you need someone to talk to during this very difficult period.
Take care.
Professor John Dewar AO, Vice-Chancellor and President
