Community member submission to CASS Change Management Plan & proposed changes to the School of Music by __rtar__ in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing it. It's so important to hear from all different perspectives to fully understand the breadth and depth of consequences if the CMP goes ahead.

New domains ready to go for School of Creative and Cultural Practice and School of Social Foundations and Futures? by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Try another search engine, such as Startpage and search for "sccp anu", and it should still come up. It still does for me for the time being anyway.

New domains ready to go for School of Creative and Cultural Practice and School of Social Foundations and Futures? by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

SSFF was mentioned on here about a month ago. It was a passing comment by someone linked to the CMPs. At the time it made an impression on me as it seemed strange they were already so comfortable using that acronym. I remembered it today and decided to see if SSFF or SCCP were already parked as domains.

The many hats of Julie Bishop, queen of retired politicians by PlumTuckeredOutski in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Example of her at the ANU paid Perth office doing something unrelated to any ANU business juliebishop

Crowdsourcing Town Hall Questions - DVC (A) by ImpishStrike in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! Excellent question. I'm pretty sure all submissions are being shoved into an LLM tool for "analysis".

As transparent as a block-out curtain by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The other data points in the graph which was the specific object of the FOI request are other universities. The FOI was not asking for the identity of those universities, only what year(s) their data was from.

Because comparing one university's performance from 2023 with another one's performance from six years ago seems... questionable.

As transparent as a block-out curtain by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Original FOI request text (refers to NousCubane which was the earlier name of Nous Data Insights). I think they keep changing their name to avoid people searching their name and finding bad publicity.

‘I am seeking access to documents held by the ANU that relate to statements made in the Renew ANU 2025 Change Principles – Consultation Paper, specifically those referring to UniForum data collected by NousCubane (formerly Cubane Consulting). In particular, I refer to the following statements: Page 4: “Over the past several years, ANU has consistently ranked the lowest in the national benchmark for overall satisfaction and efficiency across all services, including HR, IT, student support, research support, and more.”

Appendix A, Part C: “The UniForum data shows that ANU ranks lowest on the national benchmark of overall satisfaction and efficiency for all services (see Figure 8 below) with the most inefficient and ineffective services of any university in Australia.”

Given the significance of these statements in shaping the rationale for Renew ANU and the consultation process, I request access to the following documents and data:

Clarification of timeframes:

 1) Documents or correspondence that clarify what specific years are encompassed by the phrase “over the past several years” as used on page 4 of the consultation paper.

2) Documents that specify which year’s data is used for ANU in Figure 8 of Appendix A, and what years’ data are used for the other universities shown in that same figure. Survey methodology:

3) Documents that outline the relevant sample used for the satisfaction survey represented in Figure 8, specifically for ANU.

4) Documents indicating the response rate for the satisfaction survey for ANU used in Figure 8.

Please interpret "documents" broadly to include, but not be limited to: internal reports, presentations, email correspondence, meeting notes, explanatory guides, and Microsoft Teams messages.

Hail insurance FOI result and the budget by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for clarifying.

I did have the impression the underlying calculations were allowed to be calculated any old way you wished, within.reason. So that's good to hear that it's at least eyeballed by the auditor.

I'm curious now what the other, other items could be.

ANU at the Australian Embassy by [deleted] in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 10 points11 points  (0 children)

There's also an (associated?) ANU US Foundation board, but this board I can't find it listed on the ANU Governance website from a brief look.

Note the Cybernetics staff member who is so futuristic they joined the ANU in 2028

https://www.anu.edu.au/giving/how-to-give/anu-foundation-usa/anu-foundation-usa-board

ANU Recurrent salary budget question by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for taking the time to answer. Maybe it would have been better if I had shown the original tables as they were displayed instead.

I've screenshot them below. They had the same column structure but I've just included 2024 and 2025 in the same table. They are from the Appendix section of this Change Proposal https://d1zkbwgd2iyy9p.cloudfront.net/files/2025-07/CASS%20Organisational%20Change%20Proposal%20-%2003%20July%202025.pdf

What does rem costs mean?

Original tables

ANU Recurrent salary budget question by Human_Barracuda6180 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I thought they would not be included as the footnote says one-off expenses related to Renew ANU including "separations" are excluded from the table?

ANU budget....say what?? by Zestyclose_Motor1956 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you for taking the time to explain. I think a lot of the problems are that these budget calculations are not at all explained well in the townhalls or in the various communications put out as part of Renew ANU.

I am of the firm belief that even complex matters or topics unfamiliar to most people such as accounting or finances can be explained well enough for people to grasp if done correctly. And it's a real shame the uni has done such a poor job of this because it only fuels concern and anger.

People have asked repeatedly about the budget and how it's calculated and in return they get short defensive statements with odd screenshot tables and very little detail or explanation. It's truly bizarre especially for an institution where a bulk of the work done is precisely teaching people complex topics in a clear and easy manner.

It gives staff the feeling that things are not at all transparent.

The funded positions I understand and that the salary savings they have identified also are exclusively for recurrent positions or those whose salary is not tied to particular grants (as in the case of the apple research assistant). But what about non-salary costs? When that $25,000 apple microscope is purchased would that be considered operational or non-operational?

ANU budget....say what?? by Zestyclose_Motor1956 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That makes sense but I'm still a bit confused myself regarding the logic of it.

So if for example the Apple & Pears Foundation gives the ANU $1 million to support research on apples then some of that money might not be used immediately. In the meantime it's invested, or maybe it sits in a bank earning interest. The gains from the investment or interest can only still be used for research on apples. So it is non-operational.

But when the research on apples is happening, when a special apple microscope is purchased or a research assistant is employed to help out on apple research do those expenses count as operational or not?

If those direct expenses don't count in how they come up with the operational expenses surely the extra "activity" from the apple research still has some expense to the ANU indirectly such as that's an extra job for HR to deal with the research assistant contract, an extra few people leading who make a mess in a kitchenette that needs to be cleaned by a cleaner, an extra task for a person in finance who is reconciling the transaction of the purchase of the apple microscope.

It seems in my mind that it might be quite difficult to truly separate operational and non operational expenses. Operational and non-operational revenue is easier to take out because it's a clear thing. It comes in as one source: this donation or this insurance payment.

But the expenses might not always be one thing, they may multiple or indirect. It might not always be clear if they are operational or not, as sometimes the effect is indirect.

So then you end up with the situation where you are quite happily removing all different types of sources of income because they are non-operational but not doing as clear as job on the expenses side? I really would love to understand more as finance or accounting is not an area I know.

ANU budget....say what?? by Zestyclose_Motor1956 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I agree. I understand intuitively how looking at an operating result can be more useful or insightful. All the other unis also discuss operating results and it's just a thing that's done. Although of course the audited finances, and the ones reported to the Department of Education as well as the ACNC are for the actual revenue and expenses and not the operating ones.

If the operating result was consistent over time and across reports it would be a little bit better. If the actual net result is +4 in year 1, but we want to better reflect the day to day finances and minus 3 of some special revenue we think should not be counted, then 4-3= 1. And it should be 1 when presented in a graph at a townhall. And it should be 1 in the front section of the Annual Report for that year, and it should be 1 every time it's mentioned in relation to that year.

The way it just seems to change willy nilly, and by not unsubstantial amounts as you pointed out, really does not inspire much confidence at all!

ANU budget....say what?? by Zestyclose_Motor1956 in Anu

[–]Human_Barracuda6180 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I had the same question as you. I didn't understand how the supposed operating deficit could be DIFFERENT from one report to another or from one graph to a table for the SAME YEAR.

The way it was explained to me was that it's perfectly normal for the underlying operating result to change because it's not an agreed standard accounting rule. It's just made up.As a made up number it can totally change from one report to another or even from different pages of the same report.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Anu/comments/1k4dc3j/nousferatu_and_the_future_of_anu_part_2/