After weeks of uproar over announced staff cuts at the Australian National University, the campus union is demanding Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell’s head, calling on the university council to dismiss her, “to prevent further damage.”

NTEU leader Lachlan Clohesy warns that if Council does not act by its February meeting, the union will conduct its own no confidence ballot.

The union threat follows its decisive win last month in a staff vote on Professor Bell’s proposal to cancel a long-scheduled 2.5% pay rise, as a crisis saving. The NTEU campaigned hard against the cut, which was defeated by an 88% margin.

The new confrontation stems from Professor Bell’s deeply unpopular plan to reduce spending by $250m, including $100m off continuing staff costs.

While some savings plans are going ahead, management’s position that savings are essential and inevitable was undermined last month when it reduced planned job losses in the new College of Medicine and Science from 50 to 13, none of them continuing positions.