The NTEU has serious concerns about the announced million-dollar sponsorship of the ACT Brumbies Rugby Union team by the University of Canberra.
This sponsorship raises serious questions that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen Parker must respond to. When asked on ABC Radio on Tuesday morning, Professor Parker refused to discuss any of the financial arrangements or even the origin of the funding in the University.
Professor Parker should assure the staff and students of the University that public funding intended for teaching and research is not being redirected to a sporting sponsorship - a sponsorship that is on a scale unprecedented in Australia and agreed without any involvement of the University community.
Moreover, the NTEU is concerned that the anticipated educational benefit suggested by Professor Parker and ACT Brumbies Chief Executive, Andrew Fagan remains largely speculative and without any clear agreement on outcomes for students and staff of the University. This represents a dangerous precedent for the use of valuable university funds, particularly when academic and general staff at UC are having budgets cut and programs threatened with closure.
The NTEU is extremely disappointed that in the same interview on ABC Radio, Professor Parker continued to diminish the importance of language and communication programs at UC whilst defending his sponsorship deal. Professor Parker erroneously claimed only 29 students were enrolled in the Japanese program at UC. In fact there are currently 274 students enrolled. The question must be asked why Professor Parker is choosing to talk down important teaching programs in order to talk up a football team sponsorship.
The NTEU will be closely scrutinising these arrangements and any further cuts proposed to programs.
Comments
[ +1 ] FOI .... It would be interesting to see actually how much UC were paying and how much is 'goods in kind' ..... Seem to see Brumbies training at UC and using facilities, which is strange when they have there own in Griffith. Hang on though that's the land that Brumbies CEO is trying to sell, after the govt changes the zoning!!! Think a little bit of investigative journalism would uncover a lot more!
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