Jaquie Lambie is not waiting for the government’s new university governance panel to say something about Vice-Chancellor’s pay. The Senator for Tasmania proposes a Bill to cap public service heads and VC income at $470,000. But why stop there? Without cuts to other executive earnings this would mean people who work for VCs earning more than the boss. It is probably too late for anything to happen before the election, but if Senator Lambie is returned she may get a chance to introduce her Bill, which will continue to focus attention on pay at the top (and only the very top).
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The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ report on antisemitism at universities finds, “there has been an alarming and abhorrent rise in antisemitism amongst students and staff … . This rise in antisemitism has been exacerbated by the reluctance of many university administrations to enforce meaningful consequences for misconduct, allowing a toxic environment to escalate.”
To which Coalition members added, “the rise in antisemitism on campuses has been exacerbated by the reluctance of many university administrations to enforce meaningful and just consequences for misconduct” (one of the milder conclusions).
It is no disrespect to the seriousness of the subject or to the diversity of evidence and committee member comments to report that this is very bad indeed for the community standing of specific universities and the system in general. And it adds to the scathing Senate Committee report on the way institutions deal with student complaints of sexual violence. Vice-Chancellors and their Councils are frequently perceived to be indifferent to any interests other than their immediate own.
But TEQSA makes clear that it is on the case. In the grand tradition of being seen to be doing something , the agency reminds universities, “of their obligations to uphold student and staff safety.”
“Consideration should be given to the needs of at-risk students and staff (including Jewish people, Muslim people and people from Palestinian backgrounds) to ensure they have a safe learning and working environment.”
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In a singularly un-informative announcement, a Machination of Ministers announces it will be “easier for Australians with a HELP debt to responsibly take out a mortgage.” But how? Probably not by reducing study debt by more than the already promised $16bn but definitely by the Treasurer telling regulators that banks should take a more liberal view of how they class HELP in assessing people’s capacity to repay loans.
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There is high-rising Adelaide optimism about the future for international student numbers, with plans for a 1,000 bed accommodation tower in the heart of what will be, from January, Adelaide University. The North Terrace development will include the existing Holy Trinity Anglican Church. Urgers for the new Adelaide U expect it will attract 6000 extra students by 2034. (This not the 700-bed development first planned for the site of the Crown and Anchor pub and then adjacent to it – which appears to be on hold).
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The US National Institutes of Health reduces the proportion of research grants that can fund indirect costs to 15%. That will be a budget hit and a half – in the US$35bn allocated in the 2023 financial year, the split was 75% research and 25% for support. Cue outrage. The University of Wisconsin, for example warns, the cut, “will significantly disrupt vital research activity and delay lifesaving discoveries and cures related to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and much more.”
However the NIH states the new allocation is higher than the 10% the Gates Foundation awards research institutions. It could have added that the 15% is better than the zero% that Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council allows.
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The Feds opened (February 6) and will soon shut (March 20) applications for the 17th grant round of Cooperative Research Centre Projects. The original idea of CRC Ps was three years and a maximum $3m to work on an industry-identified problem, to “improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries.” However, this round has a wider horizon, with grants for “new technologies, products, processes and services” in,
- net zero future;
- “elevating” Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems;
- “protecting and restoring” the environment;
- “supporting healthy and thriving communities;” and
- “building a secure and resilient nation.”
Whatever a research bid is about, it would be hard not to qualify for those last two.
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Despite the imminence of an election that may render a Labor budget irrelevant, Universities Australia makes its usual submission on what its members need to ensure the country “has it’s best years ahead of it.” And that is more money, and fast. The “university sector is at a financial breaking point, grappling with unsustainable funding cuts, rising costs and dwindling resources.” Specific requests include:
- increase government R&D funding by 0.25 per cent of GDP (0.74 per cent);
- lift research funding by a third – although it does not sound as expensive the way UA puts it, calling for 50c for indirect costs for ever grant dollar; and
- “make course fees fairer” by replacing the Job Ready Graduates package – presumably UA means reducing the cost to students of arts degrees now at $50,000.
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Nominations close March 18 for the Prime Minister’s $250,000 Prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Systems. Which does not give everybody interested much time – the award was only announced last week. But what’s the rush? Who knows, but it can’t be timed for the election campaign; the PM would never use such a serious subject for a stunt.
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The Albanese Government drops the requirement for all financial advisers to be degree qualified in the field. In a speech on Tuesday, outgoing Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said it led to long-standing advisers exiting the industry, without enough new starters. To make up the shortage, advisers will now need a degree, (any discipline will do), plus “meet a minimum study requirement” in “financial concepts such as finance, economics or accounting.” Plus they will have to complete prescribed subjects, including, “ethics, legal and regulatory obligations, consumer behaviour, and the financial advice process.” The professional year and advice exam stay.
“This is all about keeping the pipeline of prospective advisers open as wide as possible for as long as possible,” Mr Jones says.
Which will be until a future scandal when a bunch of savers do their dough on bodgy advice and an assistant treasurer announces mandatory degrees from approved universities.
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Five new Suburban University Study Hubs are announced, adding to the ten named in November. The new ones are in Beenleigh (Qld), Fairfield (NSW), Inala (Qld), Liverpool (NSW) and Mt Druitt-Emerton (NSW). Yes they are all in Labor electorates (ex Beenleigh) but before the Coalition complains, they are mostly in areas where university participation needs to rise to meet Education Minister Jason Clare’s target.
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Vietnam is going all India, expanding access for foreign universities to teach their own courses on campuses of their own, or with local partners. And they aren’t being too picky, providers must be registered in their home country and rank in the top 500 of “prestigious global university rankings.” It is part of a national HE plan to 2030 that includes 260 university students per 10,000 people, 40% of lecturers with doctoral degrees and 35% of disciplines in STEM. “Change the structure of education levels and academic disciplines to meet the needs of intellectual economic growth and deep global integration”, is the big pitch.
