Newcastle staff step up campaign to save their University
June 29, 2005
Following from University of Newcastle management’s stated intention to deal with budget problems by abolishing 450 full time equivalent positions (one in five staff), NTEU members at the University of Newcastle have stepped up their campaign to make university management rethink the extent of its attack on quality of education and research at the University and consider the impact it will have on the region. They will voice their concerns at a public meeting at 7pm this Thursday, 30 June at Newcastle City Hall.
Newcastle students and staff maintain there are more sensible means of addressing the deficit caused by years of chronic under-funding by the Federal Government. "This week heralds the beginning of the next stage of the campaign by the NTEU and the student organisations at the University of Newcastle to reduce the cuts to staff, courses and student support at the University", said Bert Groen, Vice President (Academic) of the Newcastle Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
"The public campaign, which includes advertisements in the Newcastle Herald and on Radio stations KOFM and NXFM, street stalls and a public meeting, are to highlight the impact of the cuts on quality education, jobs and economic growth" said Mr Groen.
"The Federal Government need to explain to the people of the Hunter and Central Coast why it is that funding cuts to higher education have been allowed to imperil the future of university education in this region", said Mr Groen, "and we hope the University management will join us in our campaign to extend regional funding to the University of Newcastle as well as support additional funding to the University during these difficult times."
"The stalls staff and students organised over the weekend were a resounding success, with people queuing up to sign the petition".
“It is also fitting that this public meeting is being held in a week in which the union movement nationally is campaigning against the Howard Government’s attacks on the workplace rights of all Australian workers and their families. It is an example of where another area of the Government’s policy, that of higher education funding, has led to a very real and immediate threat to the job security of so many workers in Newcastle and the Central Coast” , said Mr Groen.
PUBLIC MEETING TO SAVE NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
7pm, Thursday 30 June, Concert Hall, Newcastle City
Hall.
Invited speakers who have agreed to attend include Ms Sharon Greirson, Federal Member for Newcastle, Senator Kerry Nettle, Mr Milton Orkopoulos, State Member for Swansea, Clr John Tate, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Mr Grahame McCulloch, National General Secretary, NTEU, Mr Carl Harris, President, Newcastle University Students Association and Ms Sandy O'Sullivan, President, Newcastle University Post-Graduate Students Association. Federal Liberal member for Paterson, Mr Bob Baldwin, was invited to speak but declined.
For further information or comment contact:
Mr Bert Groen, Vice President , NTEU University of Newcastle Branch, Ph: (02) 4921 5596