Staff at the University of Wollongong (UOW) have been ordered to slash spending after "a significant downturn in enrolments" of Chinese students due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In an email to senior staff last week, UOW chief operating officer Damien Israel ordered a clampdown on international travel, hiring consultants, equipment purchases and attending conferences.
He said it was due to a "worsening financial outlook" because of a "significant downturn in enrolments of Chinese students".
The Australian Government has extended a travel ban on people arriving from or transiting through mainland China unless they had been outside China for 14 days.
The ban was set to expire on Saturday but has been extended for another week after advice from health officials.
More than 100,000 Chinese students have been blocked from entering Australia in time to start their university and TAFE classes.
One senior lecturer, who does not wish to be named, said the university was being "paranoid" by slashing funding.
"We're about to start teaching and they're saying we can't hire casuals or it's going to be restricted," the lecturer said.
"We're trying to organise going to conferences and all of a sudden that's not possible."
International education is Australia's third-largest export, bringing $32 billion into the country each year.
Nearly one-third of overseas students are from China.
The UOW has roughly 2,200 Chinese students enrolled, 1,082 of which are still abroad.
A spokesperson for UOW confirmed that steps had been taken to "shield the organisation … by controlling costs".
"Additional executive-level oversight has been implemented across the full spectrum of expenditure."
The university is planning to provide online alternatives for students unable to attend classes and will evaluate individual students' progress before March 31.
The University of Sydney has delayed its start date for some courses, while the University of NSW has told Chinese students to begin their studies later due to the travel ban.
