GOVERNMENT MUST ACT ON SENATE CALL TO KEEP NURSING AT SYDNEY
August 5 2004
The Government must act on a Senate motion urging it to prevent the University of Sydney from moving ahead with plans to close its Faculties of Nursing and Rural Management,” the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Thursday.
“The NTEU welcomes the motion, passed by the Senate yesterday, and urges the Government to immediately reverse its decision to allow Sydney University to close its Faculties of Nursing and Rural Management,” said Sydney University NTEU Branch President, Michael Thomson.
“The University’s proposal to cut these courses is about a wealthy university ditching faculties that are considered by management not to be prestigious, despite their social importance.”
“The Senate’s action adds to a growing chorus of support in favour of retaining nursing and rural management at Sydney University.
“The Government should listen to these voices and convince the University’s management that it is in the best interests of all the parties concerned, including the University, to abandon plans to scrap these faculties.”
“The plan to cut these faculties will cost 170 jobs and has been developed without consulting affected staff and students.”
“As the motion passed by the Senate stated, there has not been any indication that the jobs lost as a result of the closure will be picked up by other universities.”
“The Senate motion also noted that the closure of the Nursing Faculty would put in serious jeopardy one of the only Indigenous nursing degrees servicing eastern Australia.”
“The NTEU is currently seeking an order in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to prevent the University taking any further action on the closures.”
“The Union will continue to do everything in its power to prevent the University scrapping nursing and rural management,” said Thomson.
For comment
Michael Thomson, President, NTEU University of Sydney Branch