The University of Canberra has identified almost $244,000 in underpayments to 255 current and former casual academics following a review of six years of payroll records.

The review, covering July 2019 to December 2025, found staff were incorrectly paid because PhD qualifications or unit convenor responsibilities were not reflected in rates, or lectures and tutorials were wrongly classified as repeat rather than initial sessions.

The $243,979.95 in identified underpayments excludes superannuation and interest.

UC says remediation has begun, with affected current casual academics receiving payments from October 6 and former staff being contacted. It says casual staff payments since January have been checked and paid correctly.

The university has also completed payments to current and former casual professional staff identified through a separate payroll review announced last year.

Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten apologised to affected academic staff, saying the university had self-reported the findings to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

“It is disappointing. I deeply regret that these historic errors occurred,” he says.

A separate review is continuing into whether casual academics have been appropriately paid for marking work.

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