Perhaps not the desired outcome for Schwartz
In a rather strange twist of events, Prof. Schwartz Vice-Chancellor here at Macquarie University, has become our best fundraiser.
As many a devoted SMH reader would have seen this morning, Vice-Chancellor Schwartz has published a letter in this morning’s paper relating directly to the ongoing industrial action here at Macquarie University.
Perhaps Prof. Schwartz thought this would encourage opposition amongst the general public and Macquarie University students to this action, a desperate bid after his unanimous condemnation by the NSW Upper House.
However, quite the opposite has occurred. This morning emails and phone calls of support, from both the general public and the student body have flowed in as well as offers of donations and financial assistance.
Furthermore, in solidarity with fellow NTEU members at Macquarie University a colleague from the University of Queensland, after reading Prof. Schwartz’s letter took time off from his holiday in Sydney to come into our Branch Office and make a sizable donation to the fighting fund and to express his solidarity.
Over the course of this round of industrial action more than eleven hundred people, including a significant number of Macquarie University students, have joined the Facebook support page.
In addition to this, the number of applications for membership has grown considerably since the beginning of the current round of industrial action, far from bowing to threats and stand-downs Macquarie University NTEU members are gathering momentum.
It is imperative that we keep the ball rolling into the New Year, and show our strength at ‘Information Day’ in January. Please contact the Branch Office if you can offer any support here.
In Union,
Bernard Doherty
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Branch Contacts
Branch Office
W2 Winthrop Tower M005 Crawley Campus
University of Western Australia
Phone: 08 6488 3013
Fax: 08 6488 1079
eglynn@nteu.org.au
http://www.nteu.org.au/uwa
James O'Shea
Branch President
james.oshea@uwa.edu.au
Eileen Glynn
Branch Organiser
eglynn@nteu.org.au
Comments
[ +4 ] Honestly, one wonders whether this VC ever attended a university. God knows how he was ever appointed to run one.
Like • Dislike •I will be there on January 5.
[ +6 ] The FB page is called I support Macquarie staff, and maybe http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_176742665687711&ap=1 gets you there.
Like • Dislike •[ +6 ] Hi! I'm a student at Macquarie who supports this campaign... but I can't find the facebook page you mentioned. Could you please post the link to it here?
Like • Dislike •Thanks :)
[ -11 ] Thanks for pointing that out, Bernard!
Like • Dislike •Steven Schwartz and Tim Sprague are also star recruiters for the NTEU - between them they seem to have brought an additional thirty or so members to the Union in the last couple of weeks.
Maybe they could do our marking and grading as well - what do you reckon? After all, Tim seems to think he has some sort of authority in relation to students, writing to them and intervening "on their behalf". Exceedingly odd for a Director, HR to be taking on an essentially academic role - speaking to and on behalf of students! Then again, the VC has become a bonds trader and property entrepreneur - hardly surprising for someone who believes that education "takes the back seat" in the modern university, and what you really need in senior management is people who know nothing about universities, haven't worked in them and don't understand their culture. Working well here, isn't it!!!
Interesting times...