Surveys conducted by the University of Wollongong's academic staff union found "quite disturbingly" that two-thirds of respondents considered quitting their job because of workplace stress.
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National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) branch committee member at UOW, Professor Fiona Probyn-Rapsey said that 85 per cent of the 210 people surveyed had experienced increased workloads.
Prof Probyn-Rapsey added 90 per cent of respondents agreed that there was not enough staff to get the work done.
She said union and non-NTEU members across the whole university provided good feedback on the surveys about workplace change and senior management, conducted by Survey Monkey.
But departing UOW vice-chancellor Paul Wellings said the surveys were "flawed by design, method and analysis".
Read more: Anger over disputed UOW job cut figures
Prof Probyn-Rapsey though said the union felt compelled to capture some data about what staff were experiencing in regards to workplace intensification and workplace stress.
"We did this because the university has been not only secretive regarding how they are managing a lot of the workplace changes, but they have also not been interested in doing what's called risk assessments," she said.
"The reality of workload intensification means that staff are really suffering.
"We've got staff reporting mental health issues to do with workplace stress, and these really need to be taken seriously by our university leadership.
"What we are hoping for of course is that with the new vice-chancellor taking over that she will make this one of her priorities.
"We've got high hopes that [Professor] Patricia Davidson will address these issues."
But Prof Wellings argued the surveys had not been audited or independently verified.
"They lack approval by any ethics committee. The surveys are very good examples of bad social science. They are push polls. They score an 'F'," he said.
The departing VC added UOW's much bigger survey, the COVID-19 Staff Check-in Survey undertaken in April 2020 had 1774 responses (64 per cent of UOW staff).
Meantime on Tuesday, the Senior Leadership Exit Survey reports compiled by UOW staff, plus staff survey reports on workplace health and safety concerns at UOW, will be publicly released.
Staff will also rally ahead of an emergency Academic Senate meeting to express their displeasure at changes to the Senate.
Staff are concerned the "unprecedented step of the VC chairing the emergency meeting is aimed at shutting down debate among staff around how UOW has recently been managed and governed".
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
