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VC’ S CORNER reforms, I thought it was important they were rejected in the Senate. The whole policy package is too complex. There has been no modelling, no pilot scheme. It was part of a budget announcement, meaning it was politicised from day one; and just two weeks previously, the National Commission of Audit had recommended a 12-month discussion about fee deregulation.
“ So against that background, it just looks like a political grab for advantage by the Go8, which other universities – for reasons of their own – are tagging along with.
“ These reforms [ also ] contradict assurances given shortly before the election and I think it’ s important that the country says we are not going to have this kind of thing anymore.
The fundamental issue with the reforms, Parker says, is that students will graduate with considerably higher levels of debt.
“ This is bad for social equity, it’ s bad for the future of Australia and we will regret it.”
He continues to call for the package to be taken off the table and a proper process of reform to be conducted – as the commission envisioned.
“ Everyone accepts that it is a challenge to make university funding sustainable but there is plenty of talent and international experience around that can be brought to bear.
“ I am not saying it is easy, and I am not saying that slogans will suffice but it was the National Commission of Audit – not me – that recommended the 12 months of discussion.
“ This is our children’ s future we are talking about.
“ I also think this country needs a mature debate about income tax levels and improving Australia’ s performance in the OECD in public spending on higher education, because [ our input is ] amongst the lowest of OECD countries for public money into higher education. Accordingly, we ask for nearly the highest proportion from students already – that’ s before fee deregulation.
“ So maybe this whole episode could wake the country up [ about ] the need for a discussion about tax levels, priorities and the importance of higher education. But I don’ t think this package is [ salvageable ] from my vantage point.”
THOMAS: BREAK IN DEBATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAFEGUARD STUDENT COSTS
University of Southern Queensland vice-chancellor and president Jan Thomas believes that whilst a deregulated market will be much more positive for all players, some fine-tuning is needed if the reforms are to be truly successful.
“ There has been a lot of discussion about worst-case scenarios but I firmly believe that deregulation will ultimately benefit students, resulting in improved quality and choice.
“ I believe the amended set of government reforms do go some way in addressing the impasse of the last six months, which has created considerable uncertainty and divisions damaging to the sector, [ along with ] anxiety for students. However, I am disappointed that the debate has been muddied by the government’ s decision to associate this reform with other contentious issues, such as cuts in government subsidies that will have a multiplier effect on increasing costs to students.
“ In particular, the 20 per cent government funding cuts must be lessened to reduce the cost pressures on students and a larger structural adjustment package than that being offered by the government is needed.
“ We now have an opportunity to take some of the heat out of emotive debate and to look realistically at what the government is proposing and how that might impact on the business modelling that universities need to consider as part of their strategic plans.
“ Whatever is eventually decided, it is critical that higher education not be out of the reach of capable Australians, and the concessions made by the government have gone some way to assuring that.
“ While the government has proposed a reform package that includes $ 100 million to regional universities and those with a high number of poor students, the decision to associate this with factors such as cuts in government subsidies and changes to the student loan scheme will still have a multiplier effect on increasing costs to students.
“ While the government’ s concessions with regard to the student loan( HECS-HELP) scheme will do much to relieve the financial pressure on vulnerable students, the persistence of significant Commonwealth funding cuts will only add to the financial pressure on students.
“ Criticisms of the UA position are quite unfair. UA has been tireless in its negotiating for a better deal for students and as a vice-chancellor of a regional university, I am concerned that support for regional universities operating in thin markets still needs to be fully articulated.”
BEBBINGTON: WE MUST REFORM TO SAVE OUR UNIVERSITIES
University of Adelaide vice-chancellor and president professor Warren Bebbington is calling on all sides of government to pursue a reform agenda for Australia’ s universities or risk having the sector struggle financially with lower standards of education.
“ Responding to rising cost pressures without the power to increase price means universities endlessly increasing volume,” Bebbington says.“ That means adding more students, making classes larger and [ diluting ] the educational experience.
“ It would eventually ruin Australia’ s reputation for high-quality university education.
“ Those opposing higher university fees are largely silent about what they actually mean for the community – higher taxpayer contributions,” he says.“ Yet both sides of politics know the taxpayer will not pay more for Australia’ s higher education.
“ Moreover, they also know that uncontrolled expansion of the higher education budget will continue unless there is reform.”
Bebbington says the current alternative policy options offer little consolation.
“ Some now suggest the government could control the issue by bringing back compacts – the stultifying centralised government control of degree types and student numbers,” he says.“ I can assure you there will be little enthusiasm for that within the sector.
“ There has been much talk of unfairness in the reform proposals. Yet no one should think the current system is fair: some students pay as much as 400 per cent of the cost of their education, others as little as 8 per cent.”
Bebbington also commends the amendments to the reform package, including the broadening subsidies for non-university providers and loan concessions for those with parenting responsibilities.
“ The truth is that the new Pyne proposal would spread the Commonwealth subsidy more widely than ever before, extending it to students in TAFE and private colleges, as well as offering unparalleled assistance to disadvantaged students and those from the regional areas,” he said.
“ In its amended form, the package has also removed the additional interest burden proposed for student HECS loans and expunged the interest burden for those with young children.” ■
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