ANU Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell Resigns Amid Leadership Crisis, Job Cuts

Genevieve Bell has resigned as vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) after a tumultuous tenure marked by a $250 million cost-cutting program, widespread job cuts, proposed course closures, and allegations of a toxic work culture. Her leadership faced intense criticism, with five of six college deans expressing no confidence in her, leading to mounting pressure from the university council and Chancellor Julie Bishop. A governance project report revealed deep dissatisfaction with ANU's management, describing it as opaque and dominated by privileged networks rather than transparent processes, with a majority calling for a significant overhaul. Bell acknowledged the difficulty of her decision but stressed the importance of a solid financial and operational foundation for the university's mission. The resignation follows a year-long public relations crisis and financial instability that damaged ANU’s reputation, prompting calls from staff and academics for healing and governance reform. Interim vice-chancellor Rebekah Brown has been appointed while a permanent replacement is sought.