National Tertiary Education Union media release: Victoria University staff and students stand up for TAFE at rally today against cuts
“As dual sector institution offering TAFE and higher education qualifications, Victoria University is vital to the economic, social and educational wellbeing of the western suburbs of Melbourne,” said Colin Long, National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Victorian Secretary.
“Approximately $30 million shaved from the institution’s budget as a result of Baillieu Government’s savage cuts to TAFE.”
“This has plunged it into financial peril, threatening its very existence.”
“Fifty positions have so far been made redundant and more jobs will probably go by the end of the year.”
“These cuts threaten the university as well as the TAFE part of Victoria Uni.”
“A large number of courses are slated for closure, reducing the educational opportunities for young people in the western suburbs. Not everyone wants to be, or can be, a tradie.”
“The cuts to the University’s funding are also an attack on the citizens of the western suburbs.”
“They couldn’t come at a worse time, as jobs in manufacturing disappear and there is a real need to provide retraining opportunities and to increase education levels.”
“The hundreds of jobs within the institution that are under threat represent a significant hit to employment prospects in the western suburbs.”
“Victoria University’s TAFE operations also provides a vital social integration role for new migrants, refugees and those whose school experiences have not been positive, helping them to get a foothold in the job market and a sense of belonging in the wider society.”
Victorian and Federal politicians have to answer the question: Do they want a tertiary education facility serving Melbourne’s western suburbs? What will they do to ensure such an institution can survive and thrive?”
Details of today’s rally
When: Today, 12pm
Where: The Rotunda, Victoria University Nicholson Street campus (in the ‘Terrain; if it rains)
The rally is being organized by the TAFE4All campaign a coalition of unions, including the NTEU and the Australian Education Union.
For information and comment
Colin Long, NTEU Victorian Secretary: 0403 920 361
Andrew Nette, NTEU Media Officer 0431 217 131
Comments
[ +3 ] there are too many people at vic uni who are institutionalised in the system because they have been there for a very long time, more than 20 years. They don't think in the real world and hide behind their Masters degrees, yet they have never done a real days work in a real job in the real world. I resent the fact that my tax is paying for the wages of these people.
Like • Dislike •[ +2 ] Vic Uni is the worst ever because I cannot get a job after finishing my accounting degree 18 months ago. The paper my degree is made from is worthless. Thanks very much
Like • Dislike •[ +4 ] there is a certain male teacher at vic uni tafe who teaches in the secretarial area and he needs to grow a spine
Like • Dislike •[ +3 ] At VU good staff are menaced and controlled by dysfunctional managers. The problem continues because no-one in authority cares as long as their empires aren't threatened. Its no wonder that the place has a high staff turnover.
Like • Dislike •[ +2 ] The 50 jobs that were made redundant were done so not because of the Baillieu cuts but because of poor financial managment within the uni that went unnoticed for nearly 12 months. The staff reductions from the govt. funding cuts are yet to occur. Of the 50 teachers made redundant, 48 of these were replaced with sessional teachers, hence they were not genuine redundancies. Vic Uni (TAFE) were very lucky that the departing staff did not take them to Fairwork Australia.
Like • Dislike •[ +5 ] Victoria Uni does not have a very good name. The reputation of a business is gauged by it's previous employees and it's turnout of students. Previous employees do not speak highly of Vic uni at all and are relieved to be out of a system there that is said to be very toxic. VU also doesn't rate very highly with employers because they know vic uni takes everyone who is breathing. If you can only get into vic uni then you may as well just go and work in a supermarket instead, because you will be much better off.
Like • Dislike •[ +3 ] I sat in a business course at Footscray Nicholson with students who could barely write. It was funny because even the teacher could not spell. (cource instead of course). One of the students was very dangerous and threatened the other students. She had everyone scared. Everyone was very scared every week but nothing was done move the student away from our class. This student should not be allowed in the class with the dangerous behaviour. Many students should not have been in the class because they lacked the academic skills to be there. This made it hard on the 2 or 3 who could really do the work. There are lots of students who have mental health issues at Footscray Nicholson and they are allowed to get away with anything, including threatening other students and teachers. The heads of school and education managers simply don't care and blame the teachers. This could only happen at such an awful place. This isn't fair on the good students, which is why most of us go off to RMIT.
Like • Dislike •[ +4 ] My nephew wanted to undertake pre-apprenticeship training but was told he had to wait 6 weeks for the new course to start at VU. The fees at VU were sky high. My nephew went to a wonderful private provider in the west, who not only let him commence the course the following week, but they also found him a job within the construction industry. Many of these private providers were heavily attached to, and engaged with industry before the previous state govt (Brumby Govt.) opened up the public funding to all VET providers, allowing the private providers to compete on an even playing field and govt. funded classroom delivery. The fat-cats at TAFE have had it too good for too long. Most of these people would not find a job outside the public system, so no wonder they are concerned about the future of TAFE. VU is currently undergoing a transformation. You can write as many wonderful policies as you like, however the only way VU will ever survive is to physically close the doors, rebrand, then reopen with totally new staff.
Like • Dislike •[ +4 ] I agree with those comments. Teaching is not a priority at Vic Uni. There are too many managers and academics who get in the way of good quality teaching. Yet as a uni and tafe, isn't teaching the core business? VU report that the poor students will lose their services and will have to pay higher fees because of the govt. funding cuts. The answer is simple, get rid of the over-supply of academics and management at VU and the use the money saved to support student learning in the way of reduced fees and improved facilities. There are many managers within VU who found the profession of teaching just too hard, so they became managers as they were unable to cope. What they are getting away with would not be tolerated in private industry for 5 minutes. These TAFE managers, many, but not all, are simply getting away with some appauling tactics and behaviour because noone is monitoring the dysfunctional system and they are not being held accountable.
Like • Dislike •[ +5 ] There are plenty of private providers located in the west that offer a service that is superior to VU for VET training. Because these private RTOs don't have to carry the 7 layers of managment that VU does, then they can afford to offer the better quality course at a much lower fee than what VU can. It is amazing that there are only teaching jobs being made redundant at VU, yet all of the management jobs remain? It is like having a hospital without Doctors.
Like • Dislike •