Embattled Australian National University (ANU) leader Genevieve Bell appears to have been Australia¡¯s second-best paid vice-chancellor last year, despite slashing her salary in an unsuccessful attempt to convince staff to forego a wage rise.

Bell¡¯s 2024 remuneration of slightly over A$1.46 million (?711 million), detailed in the university¡¯s newly published annual report, was exceeded only by the A$1.58 million paid to departing University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell.

Her earnings comprised a base salary of almost A$970,000 along with A$216,000 in annual leave, A$112,000 in long service leave and A$164,000 in superannuation.

Last October, Bell announced that she would cut her salary by 10 per cent ¨C and asked staff to forfeit a scheduled 2.5 per cent pay rise in December ¨C to help tackle the institution¡¯s ¡°real and substantial¡± financial difficulties. At the time, the university said the vice-chancellor¡¯s sacrifice would reduce her salary, including superannuation, from A$1.1 million to A$1 million.

91ÇÑ×Ó

The university said the lower salary had applied from October, and Bell had been paid at a higher rate for the first nine months of the year. The figures also reflected an increase in the value of leave liabilities accrued when Bell was an ANU academic, before her elevation to the top job.

¡°The vice-chancellor¡¯s salary is set by the ANU Council following benchmarking undertaken by the Remuneration Committee and informed by discussions with [its] president,¡± the university said in a . ¡°We also follow the federal requirements for reporting, including additional information on salaries.¡±

91ÇÑ×Ó

Bell has courted controversy since it emerged that she had continued accepting pay from her former employer, technology giant Intel, for much of her time at ANU. Rolling cuts to jobs, courses and research centres have also attracted bitter opposition from staff, including a vote of no confidence, while Australian Capital Territory senator David Pocock has accused the ANU leadership of misleading the Senate over its consultancy spending.

In its latest job cuts announcement, ANU has proposed the removal of 27 academic support and four information technology positions. The annual report shows that the university notched a A$90 million surplus last year. Its record A$1.6-plus billion revenue included A$167 million in investment earnings and almost A$300 million from international students¡¯ fees.

But ANU said its ¡°structural and operating deficit¡± had exceeded A$140 million in 2024. ¡°The university spent around A$2.7 million per week more than we earned.

¡°We have taken active steps to mature our financial controls and ensure we can continue to deliver on our national mission within our financial means. This remains the focus and priority.¡±

91ÇÑ×Ó

The university insisted there was ¡°much to be positive about¡±, with staff last year attracting about A$350 million in external funding and A$32 million in philanthropic support.

Its efforts to encourage fresh thinking about environmental sustainability, by functioning as ¡°a living lab and demonstrator¡±, had seen its greenhouse gas emissions plummet from the equivalent of 150,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2019 to 45,300 tonnes in 2024.

ANU reduced its spending on contracted and professional services by more than A$1 million last year. Employee-related expenses increased A$67 million to A$862 million.

All but three public Australian universities¡¯ annual reports, which include accounts of executive pay, have now been published. The remaining trio ¨C Flinders, South Australia and Tasmania ¨C all paid their vice-chancellors well over A$1 million last year.

91ÇÑ×Ó

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com