As Australia’s top universities prepare for a possible windfall under changes proposed by the federal government, CSU fears it could spell disaster.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday that leaked documents show the country’s elite metropolitan universities – such as the University of Melbourne and the University of NSW – stand to gain millions if the changes are introduced.
The proposed legislation would allow universities to set their own fees and allow the government to increase interest rates on loans and slash course funding by 20 per cent.
Professor Garry Marchant, acting vice chancellor of Charles Sturt University, admits he is worried about the changes – although he concedes there is a lot of uncertainty as to whether they will actually be passed.
If they are, he said CSU will be lobbying local members to see if more support and investment can be provided to regional universities.
“We will need to push the case of regional universities to make sure they survive,” he said.
“Charles Sturt University employs more than 5000 people and pumps over $1 billion into the economy, so we are a massive employer and economic force in the region.
“If this goes through in its current form, which is highly unlikely, but if it does, we’d probably have to think about what we are going to do in order to survive.
“We might have to cut courses, and some campuses wouldn’t be viable. These are the possibilities we would face.”
Professor Marchant said the cost of operating a university in the regions is higher.
Students at regional universities are more likely to come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, he said, and therefore need more support.
Regional universities are also more likely to have more mature age students, and those who started out in a trade.
Professor Marchant said for this reason, if the changes come into effect, regional universities will become more price sensitive.
“We may need to look at what we charge,” he admitted. “We are going to have to change something to recover the cost.”
However, Professor Marchant said increasing the interest rate on loans will have the greatest impact on students.
Agriculture students, who are very important to CSU, have starting salaries that are quite low, but their costs will be high, he said.
He said students might avoid some courses because they are worried about the debt they build.
