Campus Review Vol 30. Issue 04 | April 2020 | Seite 15

campusreview.com.au
policy & reform
Dan Tehan. Photo: Gary Ramage/ News Corp
COVID castaways
thrown lifeline
Universities help struggling students
as education minister says there’ll
be no emergency funding.
By Wade Zaglas
Seven universities belonging to the
Innovative Research Universities (IRU)
group have committed to supporting
students through the COVID-19 crisis by
offering food packages, emergency cash
and fee waivers.
This comes as other universities across
Australia implement similar support
packages for struggling students, and peak
sector bodies urge the government to
provide emergency support.
While some universities have established
fundraising appeals that have already
raised thousands of dollars for food, rent
and other essentials, IRU agrees with
calls from Universities Australia and the
National Tertiary Education Union that the
government must “step up its efforts to
help students”.
The IRU is “particularly concerned
about the lack of government support for
international students”, as COVID-19 has
destroyed much of the part-time work that
helps supplements their study.
In frank language, IRU executive director
Conor King said the government “must give
international students access to hardship
funds where no other support is available
to them”.
“Many students are doing it tough, so
it’s great to see universities stepping up by
creating new hardship support mechanisms,”
King said.
“The government has a responsibility
to support all students suffering financial
hardship as a result of COVID-19, domestic
and international. We need a fallback
program that enables anyone legally
in Australia to make a claim in extreme
circumstances.
“International students have lost casual
jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis. Providing
them with last resort financial hardship
payments would enable many to continue
studying in Australia. This in turn would
protect Australia’s reputation as a reliable and
fair country in which to study.”
The calls by UA and the NTEU for
government assistance during this critical
time have so far gone unheeded, with
Education Minister Dan Tehan telling ABC
Radio National’s Fran Kelly that federal
government assistance is unlikely.
“Most universities have relationships with
their state treasuries when it comes to
finances and financial loans,” he told Kelly.
“So, I know many universities are pursuing
that with their own state treasuries.
“I continue to work with them on what we
need to be doing to look at the domestic
load,” Tehan said.
Student hardship support is being
provided at the following IRU universities:
CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY
• Launched the Emergency Student Appeal,
offering grants of $2000 for students in
hardship as a result of COVID-19.
• Census date moved to 7 April to allow
students time to adjust to online learning.
FLINDERS UNIVERSITY
• Created a $12.5 million support package
for students including emergency support
payments. Vice-chancellor has also
contributed $100,000 to the fund, with
other members of the university executive
contributing a further $200,000.
• Student Services and Amenities fee has
been waived for all students.
• Students may apply for special
consideration if they withdraw after
census date.
GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY
• Created a COVID-19 Student Support
Bursary.
• 1000 loan computers made available.
• Increased flexibility around payment plans
for international students.
JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY
• Launched a food pantry for the benefit
of students facing financial hardship,
collecting cash and food donations from
staff and community.
• Created COVID-19 Student Support
Bursary.
• Census date moved to 14 April.
LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
• Student Crisis appeal launched to raise
$550,000 for students in need.
• University leadership taking a 20 per cent
pay cut, with the savings split between
university’s student support appeal and
university budget.
• Students being supported by scholarships
for IT and living costs.
• Semester 1 student services fees waived.
• Census date moved to 15 April.
MURDOCH UNIVERSITY
• Supporting international students with
food vouchers, foodbank, a hardship fund,
$100 data packages and laptops.
• Students can apply for special
consideration if they want to withdraw
from a subject after census date.
WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
• 10 per cent fee reduction will be applied to
all international onshore students studying
a coursework degree.
• Supporting international students by
providing food vouchers, an emergency
fund (staff and alumni contributions) and
allowing students to repeat subjects at no
cost if they do not pass this semester.
• Guarantees that no international student
will be left without accommodation.
Other institutions such as Monash, the
University of Sydney and the University
of Queensland are also offering students
support to keep them afloat.
MONASH UNIVERSITY
• Has pledged $15 million in COVID-19
support, which will be offered in two
instalments, up to $7500.
• Currently no support for HDR students,
but doctoral students on scholarships can
apply for a three-month extension.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Sydney’s vice-chancellor released a
statement saying the university will be
offering “general bursaries” and interest-free
personal loans up to $1000. Additionally,
for students impacted by COVID-19, there
will be a “no disadvantage” policy, which will
include an “adjusted weighted mark”. This
mark will be excluded from students’ official
academic transcripts. ■
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