Universities in Crisis
27 September 2001
Today's report by the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee urges extra resources for regional universities and campuses such as Deakin Warrnambool.
The report can be found at:
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/eet_ctte/public%20uni/report/index.htm
The below recommendations confirm the National Tertiary Education Union's concern that there is a need to assist students and universities in regional areas of Australia:
Recommendation Eight
The Committee recommends that the Government alters current funding models and identify alternate models that would better reflect the specific needs of regional and new universities, and those serving large populations of disadvantaged students, as well as ensuring that the provision of places is in line with national needs.
Recommendation Thirty-Seven
The Committee is concerned that present resources for access by universities in regional areas to high bandwidth and telecommunications links are inadequate and recommends that the Government provide extra assistance to address this problem.
Recommendation Thirty-Eight
The Committee recommends that the need to develop a strategy for development and support of regional universities and students living in regional areas be referred to the proposed advisory body, in consultation with state governments.
Ted Murphy, NTEU National Assistant Secretary said: "Today's Senate Report into the future of Australia's public universities confirms what everyone but the government can see - Australia's universities cannot meet the needs of the community because of government policy and funding cuts.
"We welcome the report and its recognition of the scale of the crisis faced by public universities. It tries to start to solve the crisis. With education remaining ranked as the number one election issue by Newspoll we call on all parties to commit to fund the solutions contained in the majority report,"
NTEU Deakin
Warrnambool sub branch secretary Steve Mackey said: "There are some excellent things going on at Deakin University, but this report confirms what we have been saying for some years - the sector is under-funded, staff in all universities are being put under stress and we could do a far better job for this region if the government funded Deakin fairly.
"This is reflected in overall student flows to and from the Western District. In 1999, 691 students left the Western District to study, while 166 came to the region from elsewhere. Deakin is good enough to attract students from elsewhere, but if it were properly funded more local students would stay.
"The recent announcement of additional university places by the Government came as a huge disappointment to Deakin staff and students: no additional places were allocated to Deakin Warrnambool. The Commonwealth Government does not recognise Deakin's problems or the broader problems in the sector. Communities in the South West will need to make education a focus in the Federal election to get all politicians to listen."
Facing the Music
The NTEU invites the Warrnambool public to come to Deakin's Warrnambool campus to see the acclaimed documentary "Facing the Music" at 7pm on Monday, October 15th. The film shows the desperate straits which some university departments currently find themselves in.
Synopsis
Inside the halls of Sydney University's Music Department, talented young students create sublime music in a setting that's far from serene. After nearly a decade of relentless government funding cuts, Professor Anne Boyd is struggling to preserve basic standards. The film documents the human cost of university funding cuts and the determination of staff to provide quality education for their students.
On Tuesday, October 30th, Warrnambool NTEU is holding a public forum on tertiary education at the Caffe Regal, 163 Timor Street at 7.30pm. All candidates at the forthcoming federal election as well as community leaders have been invited to discuss the future of tertiary education.