STAFF SURVEY REVEALS MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT UNIVERSITY QUALITY
MEDIA RELEASE
12 November 2007
A survey of nearly 5,000 Victorian university staff by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) reveals significant concerns about the direction and quality of universities under the Howard Government.
Major staff concerns identified by the survey include:
- Government funding for universities is inadequate. (77% of General Staff and 88% of Academic Staff)
- There is too much government interference in universities. (53% of General Staff and 65% of Academic Staff, with only 17% and 14% disagreeing respectively)
- Universities seem more focused on gaining income than on student outcomes. (49% of General Staff and 60% of Academic Staff)
- A lack of confidence in senior management, especially in relation to handling change.
- Increasing workloads, and inadequate staff to do the work.
Matthew McGowan, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary said:
"Unfortunately, these results do not surprise us. While staff feel that their universities provide high quality research and teaching, they are concerned that a number of developments are putting this at risk."
"In particular, staff are concerned that reduced funding, growing political interference, and increased levels of corporatism and managerialism are occurring at the expense of focusing on the needs of students, an agenda that has been driven by the Federal Government."
"The government’s micro-management of and interference in the operations of universities has increased dramatically over the period of the Howard Government. Universities are now forced to spend inordinate amounts of time and money meeting onerous reporting requirements, and implementing new requirements in areas such as industrial relations, just to be able to maintain existing inadequate levels of funding."
Over 4,600 staff at all Victorian universities responded to the NTEU survey, conducted during October. A summary of the survey results can be found at
http://www.nteu.org.au/bd/vic/higheredsurvey
Analysis of the data is continuing, and institutional information will be available in early 2008.
For further information and comment:
Matthew McGowan, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary 0417 054 110