Mitchell was succeeded by Edwin C. Webb in December 1975. Webb was required to steer the university through one of its most difficult periods as the value of universities were debated and the governments introduced significant funding cuts. Webb left the university in 1986 and was succeeded by Di Yerbury, the first female vice-chancellor in Australia. Yerbury would go on to hold the position of vice-chancellor for nearly 20 years.

In 1990, the university absorbed