Comments on: University reform: yes — but what is it for? http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:48:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gavin Moodie http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/#comment-41224 Gavin Moodie Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:44:18 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/#comment-41224 Ah, the quaint whiff of the musty don emerging from his cloister! The report of the Bradley review is that of a committee advising government. Fortunately even governments don't move as slowly as academe, for the Australian Government gave its response to Bradley and its plan for higher education in 'Transforming Australia's higher education system', available at http://home.deewr.gov.au/Budget/documents/TransformingAusHigherED.pdf I realise that it's been only a short 5 months since the government released its policy with the 2009-10 budget papers, but hopefully you'll be able to give it a quick squizz before your forum. Incidentally, I couldn't find 'economistic' in my dictionary; does it mean anything different from 'economic'? Ah, the quaint whiff of the musty don emerging from his cloister! The report of the Bradley review is that of a committee advising government. Fortunately even governments don’t move as slowly as academe, for the Australian Government gave its response to Bradley and its plan for higher education in ‘Transforming Australia’s higher education system’, available at

http://home.deewr.gov.au/Budget/documents/TransformingAusHigherED.pdf

I realise that it’s been only a short 5 months since the government released its policy with the 2009-10 budget papers, but hopefully you’ll be able to give it a quick squizz before your forum.

Incidentally, I couldn’t find ‘economistic’ in my dictionary; does it mean anything different from ‘economic’?

]]> By: Scott http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/#comment-41166 Scott Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:02:24 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/#comment-41166 I can't see what the fuss is. The government has to justify increased funding somehow. The economic argument provides a good framework to get it approved by the bean counters at Treasury. Nothing wrong with that. I can’t see what the fuss is. The government has to justify increased funding somehow. The economic argument provides a good framework to get it approved by the bean counters at Treasury. Nothing wrong with that.

]]> By: James Moylan http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/#comment-41115 James Moylan Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:46:58 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/14/university-reform-yes-but-what-is-it-for/#comment-41115 As the Secretary of the LEXUS Union of Students at the Southern Cross University I have been dealing with 'University Reform' on a daily basis for the last few months. 'Reform' for our University consists of taking the traditional semester system (which was two times sixteen weeks plus a summer school) and reformulating it as a trimester system of three thirteen week 'sessions'. Very few students or staff are in favour of this alteration which was introduced by fiat. Following on from months of agitation the VC of SCU decided that he would instigate a review into the proposal. As soon as the review was announced the VC unilaterally altered the timetable again. Two weeks into the review period he decided to alter the timetable once more (three timetables within three weeks). Then as soon as the consultant undertaking the review looked like handing down findings that might be critical the VC simply announced that the three session timetable was now the official timetable that the University would adopt, henceforth, and the review be damned! Perhaps the findings of the review wouldn't even be released. When the Head of the Law School pointed out that the University might lose its accreditation if it persists in teaching a full Law Degree over just 2.8 years of study the VC commented that there is a 'technical fix' available. No consideration that perhaps the Law School should provide sufficient units to abide by the requirements of accreditation – let’s just ‘work around’ all that education stuff! Universities in Australia are suffering from a 'sausage factory' mentality. The sooner we have administrations looking towards the quality of the education being provided rather than the money they can make from overseas and external (on-line) students then the sooner we will be able to stop the rot started by the Liberal Parties desire to eliminate an educated class from our society. James Moylan LEXUS Union of Students Secretary Lismore Campus of the Southern Cross University. As the Secretary of the LEXUS Union of Students at the Southern Cross University I have been dealing with ‘University Reform’ on a daily basis for the last few months.

‘Reform’ for our University consists of taking the traditional semester system (which was two times sixteen weeks plus a summer school) and reformulating it as a trimester system of three thirteen week ‘sessions’.

Very few students or staff are in favour of this alteration which was introduced by fiat.

Following on from months of agitation the VC of SCU decided that he would instigate a review into the proposal.

As soon as the review was announced the VC unilaterally altered the timetable again.
Two weeks into the review period he decided to alter the timetable once more (three timetables within three weeks).

Then as soon as the consultant undertaking the review looked like handing down findings that might be critical the VC simply announced that the three session timetable was now the official timetable that the University would adopt, henceforth, and the review be damned! Perhaps the findings of the review wouldn’t even be released.

When the Head of the Law School pointed out that the University might lose its accreditation if it persists in teaching a full Law Degree over just 2.8 years of study the VC commented that there is a ‘technical fix’ available. No consideration that perhaps the Law School should provide sufficient units to abide by the requirements of accreditation – let’s just ‘work around’ all that education stuff!

Universities in Australia are suffering from a ‘sausage factory’ mentality.
The sooner we have administrations looking towards the quality of the education being provided rather than the money they can make from overseas and external (on-line) students then the sooner we will be able to stop the rot started by the Liberal Parties desire to eliminate an educated class from our society.

James Moylan
LEXUS Union of Students Secretary
Lismore Campus of the Southern Cross University.

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