The National Tertiary Education Union wants a "please explain" from the University of Wollongong after more voluntary redundancies were sought from highly skilled staff.
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NTEU said as many as nine positions could be shown the door from the business faculty, with more expected in coming months from the law, humanities and arts faculty.
"It's a clear question that needs to be answered," UOW NTEU branch organiser Martin Cubby said.
"The cost cutting appears to be an effort to meet unnecessary and unrealistic surplus targets set down by our Vice-Chancellor Paul Wellings, to deal with [Federal Education Minister] Christopher Pyne's planned 20 per cent cut to university funding - when neither that funding cut nor the attached legislation are anywhere near going through the Senate."
A UOW spokesman confirmed there were ongoing discussions with academic and general staff as part of a review aiming to "improve efficiency", which might impact various roles.
"The university is looking to ensure the ongoing sustainability and quality of its academic reputation .. we are continuing to critically look at everything we do, how we do it and at further strategies to increase revenue in order to sustain the institution," the spokesman said.
"The university is working hard to future-proof its operations so it is financially fit for both the challenges and the opportunities that are emerging in the higher education sector in Australia and abroad."
