Students Supporting the VU Staff

Chinese community Council rally

2009-05-04T19:58:00.002+10:00

Dear Friend of VU

Attached media release from Chinese community Council rally today opposing closure of Languages other than English at VU.

Between 100-200 attended – in what was a rousing and vocal rally – in attendance also was Sam Afra Chairperson of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (see another media release below), and the secretary of NUS and Hong Lim, parliamentarian.

The rally appears to have also concerned Victoria University’s administration enough to have K Block, the administrative block in which the Vice Chancellor’s office is housed, locked down for the duration of the rally.

Regards
Paul
www.friendsofvu.org.au

Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria

2009-05-04T19:54:00.002+10:00

MEDIA RELEASE
April 30, 2009

CONCERN CUTBACKS TO UNIVERSITY FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES REFLECT A BROADER TREND

Mr Sam Afra, Chairperson of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) expressed concern today that extensive cutbacks to Victoria University’s foreign language program reflected a broader decline in the opportunity to study languages other than English (LOTE) in Victorian tertiary institutions.

“The announcement that Victoria University students will no longer be able to study Japanese, Chinese or Spanish on campus is deeply disappointing and already a source of alarm to current and prospective students,” Mr Afra said.

On Tuesday it was confirmed that from 2010 only one LOTE course will be on offer at Victoria University – Vietnamese, with arrangements made for Victoria University students of Chinese, Japanese or Spanish to continue their language studies at the University of Melbourne.“While I appreciate that many tertiary institutions are struggling with increased competition for a shrinking pool of available finances, too often it is Humanities courses such as foreign languages and cross-cultural studies that suffer first and suffer hardest,” Mr Afra said

Mr Afra noted that Mandarin and Japanese were among the target languages identified by the Australian Government’s own National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program (NALSSP).

“As recently as December last year, the NALSSP was setting a 2020 timeline for one in eight Australian students exiting Year 12 with sufficient fluency in one of these languages to engage in trade and commerce in Asia and/or pursue further university study.”

“The obvious question arising from the cutbacks at Victoria University is: where will this expectant surge in bilingual Year 12 students go ?”Mr Afra also expressed concern that shuttling Victoria University LOTE students across to the University of Melbourne was not a viable option in the long term.

“I understand that at the moment, second and third year Spanish students at the University of Melbourne already have to transfer across to La Trobe University’s Bundoora Campus to complete their studies,” Mr Afra explained.

“So that means from 2010, a Victoria University student wishing to complete an Honours degree in Spanish can expect to hopscotch between three different Universities around Melbourne. Clearly, this is not the most conducive system for living or learning. Nor is it in keeping with the hard-earned image of Victoria as a prime destination for international activity and home to cultural diversity.”

Mr Afra said that if Universities needed to explore ways of pooling resources to deliver LOTE courses, then greater effort was needed to ensure the availability of an adequate number and variety of LOTE spaces to meet demand without causing undue inconvenience to students.

Chinese Community Council Demonstration

2009-05-03T14:28:00.002+10:00

Dear Friend of VU

The Chinese Community Council of Victoria is organizing a demonstration of 100-200 people to protest against the closure of Chinese languages and Languages other than English (LOTES) this Monday 4th May at Victoria University with the exception of Vietnamese.

Can you please consider supporting this protest. Details are as follows: Chinese Community Council Demonstration against closure of Chinese Languages

Time: 1 pm,
Day: Monday
Date: 4 May
Place: Outside K Block, Footscray Park campus, outside K Block, Ballarat road, Footscray

Closure of LOTE

2009-05-03T14:20:00.002+10:00

Closure of Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
at Victoria University

LOTEs offered at Victoria University include Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Spanish. From 2010, with the exception of the Vietnamese, Victoria University will have no further intake into first year LOTEs programs and these programs will be gradually taught out.
This would be a considerable loss for Victoria University which has one of the most diverse student populations in Australia.

In a recent public statement Victoria University has indicated that it will be negotiating from 2010 for students at VU to undertake LOTEs at Melbourne University. However, it remains to be seen whether students at VU will be able to undertake these languages without restriction (e.g. only students with sufficient enter scores) and/or whether there will sufficient places in language units at the University of Melbourne for all VU students who may wish to undertake a language. The current LOTE have been developed at VU since the 1990s in response to national language policies, and to the needs and demands of employers for graduates with qualifications in world and community languages. Chinese, Spanish and Japanese are 3 of the major world languages. LOTE also receives a much higher level of funding per student than other Arts units of study.

Reasons for retaining LOTE at Victoria University
There will be an increased need for LOTE teacher training at VU from 2009, because of recent Federal Government initiatives.
The National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools program starts in January 2009. This $62.4m program targets Asian language learning in schools, specifically Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Indonesian, Korean.
This program supports: additional Asian languages classes in high schools; teacher training and support to increase the number of suitably qualified teachers; specialist curricula for students who display advanced abilities in Asian languages and studies. (The most acute area of Asian language teacher shortage is Japanese.)
The Rudd Government has identified all languages as part of the second tranch of national curriculum development. (Eg. The National Curriculum Board will work with the States and Territories from 2009 to provide incentives for school students to become proficient in a language.)

SIGNIFICANCE OF LOTE:Australian employers consider the ability to speak a second language makes a potential employee a more attractive employment prospect. 72% of employers surveyed (73 companies across 10 industries) considered that a second language enhanced a candidate’s employment prospects (International Education Association of Australia & QETI, 2006.)

The languages considered most useful by employers are: Chinese; SE Asian languages; Spanish; Japanese. (Chinese is now the most spoken language in the world; in the next decade, Spanish and Hindi will overtake English as the second-most spoken languages.) LOTES provide opportunities for internationalisations: VU students studying abroad, exchanges and attraction of international students. The United Nations has declared 2008 the International Year of Languages. Unesco states:

‘Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet . . . When languages fade, so does the world’s rich tapestry of cultural diversity . . . In this context, it is urgent to take action to promote multilingualism [. . . ] allowing each speaker community to use its mother tongue in private and public domains of language use and enabling the speakers to learn and use additional languages: local, national and international. Mother-tongue speakers of national or international languages should be encouraged to learn and use other languages of the country and regional and international languages.’

Alternatives to closing LOTE
Enrolment numbers in later year LOTE units at VU have been smaller than other Arts units because:
· The tight structure of vocational degrees at VU means that students can take only a small number of electives. Business and Law students usually take first year LOTE units, and not later year units.
· LOTE delivery does not accommodate vocational degree students (ie. Nursing) not at Footscray Park campus.
· LOTE have not been offered to Education students as teaching methods. (Japanese has VIT approval for 2009.)

However, there are a range of alternatives which have not been fully considered.
1. LOTE could be made available to a larger cohort of students. All LOTE could be offered as teaching methods in Bachelor of Education (HBED). Better timetabling to enable more students to choose LOTE; evening and burst mode delivery; more online support. All LOTES could be offered winter semester. Opportunities for students in vocational degrees and in cross-sectoral courses could be increased (ie. Liberal Arts) to study LOTE.
2. Delivery costs could be reduced for LOTE. Implement evening, burst mode and online delivery.
3. LOTE could be internationalised.·
Double degrees developed specifying LOTE (ie. degrees combined with BA, International Studies - ABA).Increase opportunities for study abroad and student exchange, particularly with China, Japan and Vietnam. (Current opportunities could include: China and Vietnam Study Tours; exchange agreements with 7 universities in Spain and Mexico, Utsonomiya University in Japan.) Expedite current exchange negotiations with Liaoning University (China) and Tokyo Gakugei University (Japan).

LOTEs must be retained at Victoria University.
Please consider sending a protest email to Elizabeth Harman Vice Chancellor Victoria University elizabeth.harman@vu.edu.au, emailing your local parliamentarian (see below), or writing a letter to your local newspaper.
Gillard Julia The Hon Ms MP Lalor
Vamvakinou Maria Ms Ms MP
Calwell Roxon Nicola The Hon Ms MP Gellibrand
Shorten Bill The Hon Mr MP Maribyrnong
Kosky Lynne The Hon Ms MP Altona
Brumby John The Hon Mr MP Broadmeadows
Languiller Telmo The Hon Mr MP Derrimut
Maddigan Judy The Hon Ms MP Essendon
Thomson Marsha The Hon Ms MP Footscray
Kairouz Marlene The Hon Ms MP Kororoit
Pike Bronwyn The Hon Ms MP Melbourne
Nardella Don The Hon Mr MP Melton
Duncan Joanne The Hon Ms MP Macedon
Noonan Wade The Hon Mr MP Williamstown
Eideh Khalil The Hon Mr MP Western Metropolitan
Hartland Colleen The Hon Ms MP Western Metropolitan
Madden Justin The Hon Mr MP Western Metropolitan
Pakula Martin The Hon Mr MP Western Metropolitan

For further information, please contact Friends of Victoria University.
www.friendsofvu.org

Community Forum 1 April 2009

2009-03-24T19:08:00.002+11:00

Dear Friend of Victoria University

Official Community Forum to discuss the closure of the Victoria University Melton Campus hosted by the Shire of Melton.

When: 1 April, 7.30 pm
Where: Melton Community Hall,
232 High Street Melton, Next to Melton Shire Civic Offices

(More details soon)

Reply to Vice Chancellor Harman

2009-03-24T18:56:00.002+11:00

Dear Friend of Victoria University

In response to a letter sent to all western region politicians by Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Harman attempting to justifying campus closures and the decision to sack 270 staff, Friends of Victoria University have recently sent a letter in reply. For your interest and edification, please find a copy of the letter below and attached.

Regards
Paul

Wednesday 18 March

Dear ___________________

The Friends of Victoria University (FoVU) is a community group formed to represent the interests of the community, students and staff. FoVU is dedicated to working cooperatively with the University to maximise educational opportunities in the western suburbs.

On March 6 2009 the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University (VU) wrote to you concerning campus closures and staff redundancies. In 15 pages of material the Vice Chancellor sought to defend the VU Council’s decisions of late October 2008. The Friends of Victoria University want to take this opportunity to provide a brief response to the Vice Chancellor’s letter.

A Flawed and Secretive Process

The Vice Chancellor does not address one of the central criticisms that has been levelled at VU Council and management, that of a lack of consultation. As early as 28 October 2008 Don Nardella MP, Member for Melton enunciated this view in the Legislative Assembly:

“Professor Harman does not care, does not undertake real consultation or listen to reason, and is callous about sacking 270 people, with real families, just before Christmas. ….. For an intellectual, Professor Harman has not done any hard thinking in conjunction with local communities, students, staff and other stakeholders to build this institution, not to disassemble it and weaken it…”

FoVU believes that the secretive way that the campus closures was considered and decided upon is constitutes unacceptable behaviour from a major public institution. VU failed to consult the local communities, Commonwealth, State and Local Governments, staff and students.

The timing of the decision, to coincide with the completion of the academic year, was also ill-considered. The criticism in relation to process is not a point-scoring exercise about the past. Currently the University is considering which courses will continue to be offered.

VU refuse to be open with the community about which courses may be cut. Again, it is their intention to make a decision first and notify the community last.

Education in Sunbury and Melton

The Vice Chancellor seeks to justify the decision to close these campuses. One of the factors she points to is the proportion of local students at the campuses. Our response is that the central purpose of VU is to help overcome the long-standing under-representation of Western Suburbs students participating in higher education.

The goal should be to increase the proportion of local students, and VU and stakeholders should do the ‘hard thinking’ required to achieve that. Context is also important here, and while the current proportion of local students is not high enough, it will be zero when the Melton and Sunbury campuses close.

And of course our major consideration should be those students, present and future, who will be lost to higher education altogether due to this decision.

FoVU feels that one thing is certain; closing the Melton and Sunbury campuses will reduce the level of participation in higher education within those communities. This runs counter to the legislated objectives of VU and counter to the policy of the Commonwealth Government, announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on March 9 2009.

“I want to announce today that the Government will pursue vigorously the ambition that by 2020, 20 per cent of higher education enrolments at undergraduate level should be of people from low socio-economic backgrounds. … Equity is an essential element of reform. We want to see our higher education institutions giving every Australian the opportunities they deserve and the nation needs.”

We believe it is not too late for VU to reconsider their decision to close the Melton and Sunbury campuses.

Worsening Student-Staff Ratios: Disadvantaging low SES students in the west

In October 15 last year the Vice Chancellor announced 270 academic staff would be retrenched or one quarter of the entire academic workforce which would give Victoria University, if carried out, the equal worst student/staff ratio in Australia (with CQU). At the present time the University has the sixth worst student/staff ratio in Australia.

The Vice Chancellor also claims that employee costs are too high. However, VU’s academic teaching pay scale is ranked 30 out of 37 in Australia. The poor student-staff ratio and relatively low pay rates makes VU academic staff the sixth most productive academic workforce in Australia.

The Vice Chancellor claims in her letter that ‘many staff understand’ the need for retrenchments at the University. In fact in a recent industrial ballot conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission over 90% of NTEU members voted to take industrial action, as a result of the the proposed retrenchments among other things.

We call on you to write to the VU Council and ask them to embark on a process with the community and Governments to develop an alternative strategy.

We also want to take this opportunity to invite you to become an Associate Member of FoVU to recognise the unique role that the community played in the formation of VU and the vital role that we need to play in ensuring a strong future for our university.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely
Raoul Wainright and Broden Borg
Friends of Victoria University Co-Convenors
www.friendsofvu.org.au

FOVU Stop Press: Industrial action suspended at Victoria University

2009-03-24T18:54:00.001+11:00

Dear Friend of Victoria University

Industrial action which was scheduled by the NTEU at Victoria University for Thursday 12, Friday 13, Tuesday 17, Wednesday 18, Monday 23, and Friday 27 March has been suspended.

President of the VU NTEU Richard Gough indicated in a recent email to staff that substantial progress in negotiations for a new collective agreement was made at a meeting with management today.

The NTEU remains concerned about the processes associated with Sustainable VU and the possibility of retrenchments.

However, the NTEU believes at the present time sufficient progress has been made to warrant suspending industrial action for the time being.We will keep you updated on developments. Once again the support from students, the community and staff has been decisive in this positive outcome.

Best
Paul
www.friendsofvu.org.au

INDUSTRIAL ACTION CALLED OFF AT VU

2009-03-24T18:49:00.001+11:00

Dear Students

I am pleased to advise that proposed industrial action at Victoria University has been called off and that classes and services will continue to be provided without disruption.

The issues in dispute have been worked through in a series of productive meetings between the University and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

Further discussions between the University and the NTEU are planned in order to reach agreement on the details of the new Agreement and we remain optimistic that this semester can continue without the threat of disruption through industrial action.

I thank students and staff for their patience throughout these processes.

Professor John McCallum
Acting Vice-Chancellor and President
10 March 2009

Stephen Weller
Pro Vice-Chancellor Students

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY
03-9919-5460
stephen.weller@vu.edu.au
www.vu.edu.au/people/stephenweller

VU strike action temporarily called off

2009-03-24T18:45:00.001+11:00

Dear Friend of VU

Thank you all your offers of terrific support received this week from students and the local community in support of staff taking industrial action at Victoria University this week.

Industrial action has been temporarily suspended on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March this week to allow for further discussions, following some initial helpful negotiations between the NTEU and senior management of the University.

Industrial action for Thursday and Friday this week will therefore be delayed for 1 week, but unless significant progress continues strike action will again proceed from Thursday March 12 and Friday March 13.

This suspension comes following helpful, but not conclusive, negotiations with senior management of the University.

However, there still remains significant differences between the parties on a number of issues, including the need for the current forced redundancy processes which the University has refused to step away from entirely for 2009.

Other issues such as class sizes, campus closures and VU’s worsening student/staff ratio also remain live issues for the quality of education at Victoria University, and Friends of VU will need to remain vigilant. We will keep you informed as matters progress.

Regards
Paul
www.friendsofvu.org.au

VU academics to begin rolling strikes

2009-02-26T22:26:00.002+11:00

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25101161-12332,00.html

Andrew Trounson February 24, 2009

VICTORIA University is facing a campaign of rolling strikes after academics voted in favour of an indefinite industrial campaign against the university's redundancy plans.

Members of the National Tertiary Education Union will from next week strike for two days a week at different campuses.

With students already back on campus some classes may be disrupted. The NTEU said it would aim to minimise disruption for student by staggering stoppages.

The union says it is taking protected action to seek job security provisions under a new enterprise bargaining agreement.

"We want the university to back off on its current redundancy plans and deal with this more through negotiation," NTEU Victorian secretary Matthew McGowan told The Australian Online.

VU deputy vice-chancellor Jon Hickman said the strike action was disappointing given the university believed most items on the EBA had been agreed.

"The main points of difference with the NTEU remain with their demand that the new agreement include a clause committing the university to no forced redundancies during the life of the agreement," Mr Hickman said.

"Given the university's commitment to financial sustainability, it would be irresponsible for us to commit unequivocally to a no-forced-redundancies provision without potentially impacting negatively on the university financial status and staff's long-term job security," he said.

VU vice chancellor Elizabeth Harman is seeking $27 million in annual cost savings that she says are need to make the university sustainable in an environment of rising costs outstripping revenue increases.

After last year initially flagging compulsory redundancies and up to 270 job losses, the VU has so far limited job losses to a voluntary programme from which it has secured $7 million worth of savings.

But further job cuts remain on the agenda. Earlier this month Professor Harman warned staff that while VU's staff-student ratios were close to national averages, it was paying more staff at senior lecturer level and above than other universities.

"Therefore we will have to be careful in making decisions on staff changes and redundancies in order to solve the financial problem," Professor Harman said.

But the NTEU says redundancies are unnecessary given a surplus last year of $17 million. It also notes that the university is set to get an extra $10 million to $20 million in funding from 2010 if the federal government implements the Bradley Review of higher education that seeks to encourage universities like VU in Melbourne's lower income western suburbs to expand. But Harman said the extra money would not change the need to cut staff costs.

"We must act now to change this so that we are able to use any new money to help more low SES (social economic status) students to succeed at university," she said.

Motions for Industrial action

2009-02-26T20:45:00.003+11:00

Industrial action to begin at Victoria University next week

Victoria University staff voted at a meetings on Monday and Tuesday to begin a campaign of industrial action which will begin from next week. The two motions which were passed are included below.

Supported motions from NTEU meetings 23rd February Footscray Park and 24th February, St Albans.

1. That we, Victoria University’s staff, record our dismay at the University management’s failure to negotiate a settlement with the Union that would restore job security, acceptable workloads, a fair pay outcome, and decent working conditions for all staff.

Management’s refusal to negotiate such a settlement means that VU’s general and academic staff are all at risk from the largest program of lay-offs, proportionally speaking, in Australian university history — and that the workloads of staff who remain will become a serious risk to health and morale.

Noting the impending release of the federal government’s response to the Bradley review and the University’s $17 million surplus in 2008, we are convinced that the proposed lay-offs are unnecessary.

Further, the changes to workloads are drawing staff time away from the core business of the University, while ongoing faculty restructures will reduce the productivity of general staff and reduced opportunities for sessional staff will undermine the University’s long-term staff development.

This meeting reiterates its lack of confidence in the Vice-Chancellor and the senior management of the University.

2. That we, the Victoria University Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, resolve to take rolling strike action in the form of two consecutive 24-hour strikes at all campuses in each week, commencing in Week 2 of First Semester until further notice.

Strike action will be staggered across a roster of days each week, in order to maximise the pressure on University management and minimise the impact on particular groups of students and staff.

This meeting directs the Branch officers to convene a meeting of members in the week starting 16 March, to review management’s response to date and to agree on dates for further strike action.

If genuine and significant progress is made in negotiating our claims, this meeting authorises the Branch President to suspend or vary the above schedule of strike action.

Finally, we note this is the first time that staff have ever taken such significant rolling strike action at an Australian university — but we also note that no Australian university has ever before treated its staff and students with such contempt.

Industrial Action

2009-02-25T22:54:00.003+11:00

Victoria University Staff Vote to Re-start Industrial Action
MEDIA RELEASE
25 February 2009

Staff at Victoria University voted to re-start industrial action next week to protect jobs and keep class sizes low, the NTEU announced today.

“Strikes will commence next week and continue for the next three weeks, unless the Victoria University senior management genuinely negotiate for a collective agreement with job security and reasonable workload management,” said Richard Gough, President, Victoria University NTEU Branch.

Union members met at mass meetings on Monday and Tuesday at the Footscray and St. Albans campuses to vote on the strike.

“Victoria University is at 106% enrolment, which according to the Vice Chancellor adds up to over $8 million. The university also projects it will receive up to $10 million more in 2010 and $20 million in 2011 from the Federal Government, which shines the light on any financial excuse for the redundancies,” Mr Gough said.

“While there has bee no serious analysis on the impact of job losses on the institution and its students, the senior management continue to promote the need for forced redundancies,” he said.

Last year, the university announced a decision to sack 270 staff, equivalent to a quarter of their academic staff, and a fifth of their general staff.

“Academic staff know that the only way to ensure that teaching and learning standards are maintained is to take industrial action now to ensure class sizes don’t get worse. Class sizes for students at Victoria University will be the worst in Australia if the job cuts go ahead.”

“We are running on empty now. Staff to student ratios will go up, students are facing unprecedented course and subject cuts, and less time with lecturers and tutors,” Mr Gough said.

A two day, 48 hour strike will take place next week on Thursday 5 March and Friday 6 March, with subsequent rounds of strike action for the following two weeks.

“Staff and students know that the strikes can be ended if the University comes to the table,” he said.

Strike Dates at Victoria University
Thursday 5 March & Friday 6 March
Tuesday 10 March & Wednesday 11 March
Monday 16 March & Friday 20 March

Are the cuts to staff and services necessary at VU?

2009-02-25T22:45:00.002+11:00

Is the University budget currently in deficit?
Will there be forced retrenchments?
Are there alternatives to sacking staff?
Are there alternative cash savings which the University could implement immediately to prevent retrenchments?

To find the answers to these questions, please go to http://friendsofvu.org.au/ and click on the 'The Shorter Version of the Victoria University Budget, retrenchments and everything'.

Friends of VU Meeting

2009-02-04T18:59:00.003+11:00

The first meeting for 2009 of Friends of Victoria University will be held at:

Time: 5.30 pm on Monday
Date: 9 February
Place: Room E124, Building E (Basement, Ground level)
Victoria University, Footscray Park campus, Ballarat Road, Footscray

Agenda items for discussion:

1. Report backs – VU, Melton, Sunbury campaigns
2. Friends of VU meeting with Peter Creamer,Pro Vice Chancellor - Industry and Community
3. Planning for Melton and Sunbury public meetings
4. Discussion of support for VU campaign – students and staff.
5. Other business/further ideas for action.

For more information http://friendsofvu.org.au/

Letter from Professors of Victoria University

2008-12-22T23:43:00.001+11:00

We write as members of the professoriate at Victoria University to decry the threat of legal action for defamation against our respected colleague, Dr James Doughney, by the Chancellor, Justice Frank Vincent. (The Age, 18 and 19 December 2008.) The Chancellor’s decision to threaten Dr. Doughney with defamation action clearly undermines the ability of any staff member in the University to publicly raise criticisms or questions in relation to the governance of the University.

It is a sad day for freedom of speech when a person of Justice Vincent’s standing attempts to gag an elected staff representative on the university council for frankly and fearlessly speaking his mind. When John Cain, the father of the Solicitor-General charged with sending the letter to Jamie Doughney, co-authored a book entitled 'Off Course', no legal action followed. In that book he subjected the commercial transactions of the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, Alan Gilbert, to rigorous scrutiny, and was far more critical of that VC's actions than in the current context. Cain's critique was understood to be fair comment. The same is true of Doughney's.

Dr Doughney, as an elected staff representative on the university council, has employed his considerable professional expertise to raise concerns about the justifications used by senior management in their attempt to slash jobs and courses at Victoria University. Concerns about the validity of the justifications given by the Vice Chancellor for the cuts, as well as the entire process, are shared by the majority of VU staff. The right of any staff member to make criticisms about University processes and the budget should be a basic right at any university in Australia. It is also a particularly important role for our staff representatives and the fact that the representative may simultaneously hold a position within the Union is irrelevant. The University is a public institution and controversial public comments should be debated in public.

A university is about argument and debate and this at times will be passionate. It is not about conformity and mediocrity, about turning VU into the kind of place where staff are too afraid to speak their minds. This threat of legal action should be immediately withdrawn. It is inconsistent with the principles of freedom of speech and open debate which have traditionally been at the heart of the University’s mission. There are times when to remain silent is to run the risk of becoming complicit. The attempted silencing of our colleague threatens the academic freedom of us all.

Professor Jill Astbury
Professor Dorothy Bruck
Professor Phillip Deery
A/Professor David McCallum
Professor Emeritus John McLaren
Professor Carolyn NobleProfessor and
Dean Laureate Robert Pascoe

School of Social Sciences and Psychology,
Victoria University

Professors turn on uni boss

2008-12-22T23:40:00.001+11:00

http://www.theage.com.au/national/professors-turn-on-uni-boss-20081219-72fp.h

David Rood
December 20, 2008 - 1:23AM
The Age

A COALITION of Victoria University professors has criticised the university's chancellor over a threat to sue a senior academic for defamation, saying it undermines academics' ability to speak their minds.

In a letter published in today's Age, the professors "decry" chancellor Justice Frank Vincent's legal threat against academic James Doughney — a member of the university's governing council — for attacking university leaders over their plans to scrap hundreds of jobs.

The six professors, including the former dean of arts, Rob Pascoe, also accused the university of trying to silence Dr Doughney and demanded the legal threat be immediately withdrawn.

"It is a sad day for freedom of speech when a person of Justice Vincent's standing attempts to gag an elected staff representative on the university council for frankly and fearlessly speaking his mind," they wrote.

"A university is not about conformity and mediocrity, about turning Victoria University into the kind of place where staff are too afraid to speak their minds.

"Last week, State Government solicitor John Cain jnr sent a letter to Dr Doughney on behalf of Justice Vincent, demanding he withdraw and apologise for "false and defamatory allegations" regarding the job cuts.

In October, The Age revealed Dr Doughney had sent a six-page letter to state and federal MPs accusing vice-chancellor Professor Elizabeth Harman of using a "pea-and-thimble trick" to create a cash crisis to justify slashing 270 jobs.

In a second letter to The Age, another Victoria University academic said Dr Doughney had the overwhelming support of most academics."We didn't put him there to rubber-stamp decisions made in advance and in secret by a small group of senior managers and councillors who have made a mockery of the spirit of democratic university governance," the lecturer wrote.

Dr Doughney, who is also president of the state tertiary union, has accused Justice Vincent of trying to prevent him from expressing legitimate views about how the university is run.But Justice Vincent has defended his decision to engage the Government's solicitor, saying the legal letter was sent on advice from senior counsel that Dr Doughney's statements were defamatory.

BRADLEY RECOMMENDS $6BILLION UNIVERSITY INVESTMENT

2008-12-19T17:19:00.001+11:00

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/bradley_recommends_6billion_un

17 December 2009

The National Tertiary Education Union today welcomed the release by the Minister for Education Julia Gillard, of the final report of the Review of Australian Higher Education.

“The report’s recommendations for significantly increased public investment for both teaching and research in higher education are strongly supported by NTEU. The proposed injection of nearly $6 billion over 4 years will go a long way to improving the quality and accessibility of universities after 15 years of neglect. The importance of regionally based and outer metropolitan universities is recognised and the report’s specific recommendations will help promote the future viability of regional Australia.”

“NTEU is encouraged that the Minister has indicated that the Government’s response to the Report will be based on the core principles of opportunity for all, access based on merit and not ability to pay and maintenance of academic freedom and institutional autonomy,” Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President, said today.

“The Union strongly supports recommendations for improved student income and scholarship support. Increased educational opportunity is critical to improving workforce participation and productivity, especially among those who are seeking a second chance education. Indigenous education and participation is an important example”, said Dr Allport.
One of the important issues identified in the report is that of recruitment and retention of academic staff within universities.

“We look forward to working with both Government and individual universities to help develop strategies to overcome impending staffing shortages including policies aimed at increasing the number of home-grown academics, training more postgraduate students, improving the relative attractiveness of working conditions, and providing greater job security and flexibility in working arrangements.”

“The proposed student demand driven model needs further consideration. The introduction of such a model may undermine the viability of the provision of less popular, high cost and nationally important education programs in science, mathematics and languages”, said Dr Allport.

NTEU strongly opposes any re-introduction of full-fees for domestic undergraduate students as proposed in the Report, which runs contrary to the Minister’s decision earlier in 2008 to phase out such full fee places.

“Public universities must serve the public good, and should not be given the choice of admitting some of their students on a full-fee basis and others as government-supported students”, said Dr Allport.

The new funding arrangements have the potential to disadvantage universities compared to private, non university providers who do not have the same research and community service obligations. A good case has not been made to subsidise these private providers.

Contact: Dr Carolyn Allport, President NTEU 0419 349 064
Paul Kniest 0418 170 622

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/bradley_recommends_6billion_un

Judge accused of attacking freedom of speech

2008-12-18T10:02:00.001+11:00

The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/national/judge-accused-of-attacking-freedom-of-speech-20081217-70sp.html?page=-1
by Paul Austin
December 18, 2008

THE chancellor of Victoria University has been accused of undermining free speech after using the State Government solicitor to threaten to sue a senior academic for defamation.

Government solicitor John Cain jnr has sent a letter on behalf of the chancellor, Supreme Court judge Frank Vincent, to James Doughney, a member of the university's governing council, demanding he withdraw and apologise for an attack on Victoria University chiefs over their plan to slash hundreds of jobs.

Justice Vincent last night defended his decision to engage the government solicitor, and dismissed Dr Doughney's assertion that his academic freedom was under attack.

The Age revealed in October that Dr Doughney, an economist and state president of the National Tertiary Education Union, had sent a six-page paper to state and federal MPs accusing the university's vice-chancellor, Professor Elizabeth Harman, of manufacturing a cash crisis to justify cutting about 270 jobs. Mr Cain's three-page letter to Dr Doughney, dated December 12, says his statements were false and defamatory.

He accuses Dr Doughney of breaching the council's code of conduct, which requires members to "desist from intimidation in any form in connection with the role of the council".
"My instructions are to require you to publish an apology and withdrawal of the false and defamatory allegations that you have made, directed particularly against the vice-chancellor," Mr Cain writes.

"Otherwise, I am instructed that the chancellor and the vice-chancellor reserve their rights."
Dr Doughney, the elected academic staff representative on the council, said yesterday it was extraordinary that the chancellor had engaged the government solicitor in a bid to "gag" an academic expressing legitimate views about university governance.

"This action is at odds with any concept of critical inquiry, debate, argument, logic and freedom of speech that you would think is associated with places of learning like universities," he told The Age.

"If you disagree with each other, argue the toss - don't throw attempted legal gags at your critics."

Dr Doughney said it was critical that debates about community institutions such as universities be conducted in public.

"They are not private corporations and they are not personal fiefdoms," he said. "They are public assets."

He said Justice Vincent needed to recognise the university was not a court of law, but a "learning community where you are going to get arguments and different interpretations".
"My view is simple: get used to it," he said.

Asked whether he would withdraw and apologise, as demanded by the university chiefs, Dr Doughney replied: "They have got to be joking. I stand by my criticisms and I'm prepared to fight this all the way."

Justice Vincent said last night the legal letter was sent on advice from senior counsel that Dr Doughney's statements were defamatory.

"The action that was taken reflects the concern occasioned by the nature of the attack made upon the vice-chancellor by Dr Doughney and the responsibility of council members," he said.

"Victoria University unequivocally supports and upholds the fundamentally important principle of academic freedom. However, it is patently clear from Dr Doughney's comments themselves and the context in which they were made that no question of the restriction of its expression arises in the present situation."

Dr Doughney's attack on Professor Harman was prompted by her announcement in October of a six-month program of forced and voluntary redundancies to "rebalance" the budget and "future-proof" the university.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/judge-accused-of-attacking-freedom-of-speech-20081217-70sp.html?page=-1

A Message From the VC

2008-12-12T17:18:00.005+11:00

Dear Colleagues,

Today’s update from the VC will address two important Government announcements:

1. New Capital Funds for VU and
2. Update on Bradley Report

1. New Capital Funds for VU
The Prime Minister today has announced major infrastructure investments over the next year. These involve major investment of $1.58 billion in tertiary sector infrastructure, including $10.5 million (and more) specifically for Victoria University.

Firstly, $580 million has been allocated to eleven projects from the Higher Education Investment Fund. VU did not submit for this round but is looking to put the St Albans development into the second round next year.

Secondly, a further $500 million will be allocated to Universities based on their proportion of domestic higher education student load. VU will receive $10.5 million through this to spend on teaching and learning infrastructure.

Thirdly, a further $500 million will be allocated for infrastructure for vocational education and community education providers, including an element specifically targeting TAFEs for maintenance backlog expenses and competitive applications for additional capital funds for emerging training needs or to address green skills requirements.

These additional amounts are a further valuable investment from the Government which will help us renew the buildings we work in and the teaching facilities we use. It is important to realise these funds are provided to support capital projects and as such do not reduce our Budget challenge to bring our annual underlying expenditure into line with our annual revenue and produce reasonable surpluses.

2. Update on Bradley

We have also been told that the report of the Review of Higher Education (Bradley Report) will not be released until next week. This is despite the briefing provided to The Australian as reported in today’s paper. I need to see the full report before responding in depth to the proposals so far outlined so we can understand the full context in which they have been made.

As reported we will have to compete even more intensely for HE students, as well as VE and FE students. This is because the number of HECS funded places will no longer be “capped” for each University. An important element as reported, however, is that student charges will remain capped so we compete on a fairly even basis with the other Universities – in terms of the “price” of HECS places.

The option of mergers has been raised by an announcement by Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University, with more mergers expected. We know the challenges of providing multi campus education. If there are options for integration we will have to look at them on their merits for the capacity to improve the education and training provided to the west of Melbourne and Victoria more broadly.

Incentives for Universities to enrol more students from low socio-economic backgrounds remains firmly on the agenda, and we will keep you informed as information comes to hand as to how this may benefit VU and our students.

Liz Harman
Vice Chancellor
Professor Elizabeth Harman
Vice-Chancellor and President Victoria University
e mailto:elizabeth.harman@vu.edu.au
Web http://www.vu.edu.au/

Universities to merge in major overhaul as Bradley review recommends vouchers

2008-12-12T17:14:00.002+11:00

Luke Slattery and Andrew Trounson December 12, 2008
Article from: The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24788101-12332,00.html

UNIVERSITIES will be merged, a national voucher system introduced and incentives given to enrol students from low socio-economic backgrounds under recommendations being considered by the Rudd Government.

The reforms, which are understood to be contained in a 200-page report to Education Minister Julia Gillard by former University of South Australia vice-chancellor Denise Bradley, would consolidate the prestige metropolitan universities while leaving the future of several outer suburban, regional and remote campuses in doubt.

In anticipation of Bradley's recommendations, two NSW institutions, Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University, yesterday announced they would merge to form a new national university based in regional Australia.

The two regional universities said they would be the foundation partners in a new national venture triggered by consultations for the Bradley review.

In a prepared release, the two said: "With an expanded course profile and increased investment in digital technology, the new university would improve the accessibility of professional education in its regions and nationally. Consolidation of its research programs will bring increased innovation of particular relevance to regional Australia."

The Bradley review, commissioned in March, is understood to recommend new measures to integrate the vocational training and higher education sectors in order to boost participation among lower socio-economic groups.

Vouchers - or student learning entitlements - represent a radical shift to a student-centred funding system that no government of either political persuasion has been ready to accept. Students could take vouchers to any university that would admit them.

A voucher scheme would introduce flexibility and a potentially better match of courses to students' first choices, but it would also draw students away from less popular universities.

A student-centred approach could also potentially allow more widespread provision of public funding to recognise private providers, as occurs in the vocational education and training and schools sectors.

However, it is understood that the voucher scheme recommended by the Bradley review would not extend to price deregulation.

The reforms are understood to include measures to protect the $13 billion export education program - Australia's third-biggest earner after iron ore and coal and potentially its biggest if the resources boom goes bust.

A new national accreditation agency is also believed to be among Bradley's recommendations. It would challenge some universities to prove they were worthy of the name.

Education Minister Julia Gillard yesterday would not be drawn on the implications of the budgetary stresses on the Government's response to the Bradley review, which she said would be made in February.

"Everybody is aware that these are difficult days as a result of the global financial crisis," Ms Gillard told reporters.

But she said fast-tracked infrastructure funding for the sector was on its way as part of the Government's overall infrastructure spending plans.

"The Government is intending to fast-track an infrastructure announcement - the Prime Minister has made that clear - and that infrastructure announcement will include infrastructure in higher education."

The sector is awaiting the results of the first $304 million funding round from the newly created $8.7 billion Education Investment Fund.

Victoria has been pushing for a more student-driven demand model for universities, in line with its controversial TAFE reforms under which both public TAFEs and private providers are eligible for public funding.

Southern Cross University vice-chancellor Paul Clark told The Australian yesterday that his merger with Charles Sturt was aimed at boosting flagging higher education enrolments in regional Australia, and Professor Bradley was "personally quite supportive of the way in which we want to go".

Professor Clark said Ms Gillard had already asked the pair to submit a commonwealth grant application for a feasibility study to advance the initiative to the next stage.

"They have dentistry and pharmacy and veterinary science; we have law and forestry so there's complementarities," he said.

Professor Clark "pretty much" ruled out forced redundancies as a result of the merger, saying the plan was about growth.

In a separate development, the Government yesterday released $111.5 million to fund specific programs at universities under the annual disbursement of the Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund. About $206 million has now been disbursed from the fund, reducing it to about $75million.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24788101-12332,00.html

Universities ready to spend $1bn

2008-12-12T17:10:00.001+11:00

Andrew Trounson December 12, 2008
Article from: The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24789948-12332,00.html

UNIVERSIITES are vowing to start spending almost immediately some $1 billion in fast-tracked infrastructure funding from Canberra.

After months of intensive lobbying, the sector has received an early Christmas present from the Rudd Government with $500 million in one-off funding for teaching and learning infrastructure, of which much will go into refurbishing facilities built during the 1960s and 1970s.

"This will be a significant boost for the construction industry and it will have a real impact on the economy," said Paul Johnson, vice-chancellor at La Trobe University and an expert on economic and social development.

The higher education infrastructure funds are part of a nation-building exercise as the Government attempts to head off a severe economic downturn.

Canberra has also increased by $276 million the amount of funding for new projects under the Education Investment Fund, and will now fund 11 of the 14 short-listed projects at a total cost of $580 million.

There is a one-off injection of $500 million for vocational education and training infrastructure, of which $400 million will be made available to public TAFEs and a further $100 million for other not-for-profit providers of adult and community education. With most of the additional funding coming outside the $8.7 billion EIF, universities hope there will be significant ongoing money for infrastructure.

The sector believes it is facing a total backlog in infrastructure spending of $10 billion-$15 billion.

“These funds will have a tangible and almost immediate impact on our universities,” RMIT vice chancellor Margaret Gardner said in a statement on behalf of the Australian Technology Network of universities.

“It's welcome, it's unexpected and it can be put to good use immediately,” Professor Gardner said. The funds will be available from 1 July. The $500 million one-off funding for universities will be allocated according to student load, while research intensive national university ANU will receive an additional $10 million top-up.

The funding comes on top of the $500 million Better Universities Renewal Fund distributed earlier this year. Of the 14 short listed projects under the EIF, the three that missed out were Murdoch University's "pedagopolis" education facility, ANU's giant Magellan telescope and Ballarat's innovation and enterprise centre.

The biggest winner was Sydney University's new Centre for Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, which was awarded $95 million. Next in line were $90 million for Melbourne's Peter Doherty Institute for Immunity and Infection and $89.9 million for Monash's New Horizons Centre for science and engineering.

Friends of Victoria University Website

2008-12-12T12:40:00.003+11:00

Friends of Victoria University has their own website with lots of good and up-to-date information.

Please put the website on your favourite page and check it regularly for updates.

http://friendsofvu.org.au/

NTEU end-of-year party

2008-12-12T12:28:00.005+11:00

NTEU end-of-year party

Date: Monday 15 December
Time: 1.00 pm
Place: Riverview Function Centre, Footscray Rowing Club.

Community members and members of Friends of Victoria University are welcome.

Come and have a great end-of-year party with your friends on the banks of the Maribrynong at the NTEU and Friends of VU Christmas party: dancing, food, great conversations.

Victoria University offers voluntary redundancies

2008-12-12T12:21:00.001+11:00

Andrew Trounson December 11, 2008
Article from: The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24784840-12332,00.html

VICTORIA University has delayed any forced redundancies into next year, instead launching a voluntary redundancy program.

Vice-chancellor Elizabeth Harman has suggested that total job losses could be less than first anticipated as management looks to cut sessional and contracting staff while seeking other savings beyond staff cuts.

The National Tertiary Education Union is now claiming a partial victory for its campaign against VU's plans to cull up to 270 people, claiming that the university hasn't been able to find the redundant staff it had been expecting.

“They went searching for a tail of short courses and units and found that the dog didn't have a tail,” NTEU branch president Richard Gough told The Australian.

But Professor Harman said forced job losses were still a possibility next year, with management's work with consultants Ernst & Young to identify non-viable courses and surplus staff simply taking longer than expected to complete.

“This isn't the end of the story,” Professor Harman told The Australian.

“We are still going to end up with staffing changes.”

But Professor Harman said management had identified more than $10 million worth of annual savings from expected voluntary departures, cuts to sessional staff and other savings in higher education. However, that is still short of her total savings target for higher education of $16.5 million.

Mr Gough said any compulsory sackings next year would spark industrial action under the current enterprise bargaining talks.

VU has identified 140 higher education courses and 500 units that it will discontinue or phase out next year, reducing the total offering to around 200 courses and 1,700 units. Mr Gough said many of these course were already being taught out or had fallen into disuse, which is why management had failed to find significant redundancies from them.

VU is looking for further course cuts, including shedding the teaching of languages other than English, with the exception Vietnamese, for which VU is the only provider nationally.

Professor Harman said the cuts would allow VU to redeploy resources into high demand areas like teaching, business, accounting, and nursing.

In October, Professor Harman shocked staff with plans cut up to 150 higher education academic staff to secure $16.5 million in savings. A further $8.5 million in savings has been targeted from up to 100 job losses in administration, and a further $2 million in savings from about 20 job losses in TAFE.

The announcement, which had been formulated without consulting the union, angered the NTEU and worried local politicians. But while Professor Harman admitted that the communication strategy could've been better, she said the announcement had “focused minds” and there was now a renewed focus among deans and school heads to find savings while minimising job losses.

“Minds are now very focused,” Professor Harman said.

“The savings actions now being proposed by higher education faculties are deeper and wider than throughout 2008 when the budget depended on higher education productivity gains that didn't materialise.”

She said “the last few months have been a hard process at VU and I wouldn't be the only person disappointed in that we haven't succeeded in making sure all our staff fully understand what we want to do.”

“I'd have preferred to have had better communication strategies out there.”

Indeed management and the union still remain at loggerheads over the need for staffing cuts. Professor Harman says the cuts are needed to stave off looming deficits and in the wake of the failure of past productivity drives. But the NTEU believes VU is overstating the urgency, which it says is being exacerbated by the cost of the redundancies themselves and the university's construction plans as it reconfigures its spread of campuses.

The NTEU has called for an independent party to give a view on the university's situation and Professor Harman has agreed to consider it in further talks with the NTEU.

Mr Gough said the union wanted to “look for solutions that don't require targeted redundancies but still leave the university in a sustainable position”.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24784840-12332,00.html

24 HOUR STRIKE ON MONDAY 15 DECEMBER

2008-12-12T10:29:00.001+11:00

NTEU members vote to take strike action!

24 HOUR STRIKE ON MONDAY 15 DECEMBER

The meeting of NTEU Members on 8 December voted unanimously for "A 24 hour strike commencing on Monday 15 December, to involve pickets on higher education campuses and a boycott of the Vice‐Chancellor’s end of year party to coincide with a rank‐and‐file end‐of‐year staff party — come and celebrate the end of the year with your friends and colleagues at Footscray Rowing Club!"

All members of NTEU are encouraged to participate in the picket lines and to join us at the alternative staff party on 15 December.

http://www.nteu.org.au//bd/vu#a34197

Stopwork Meeting 8 December 2008

2008-12-12T10:23:00.003+11:00

Stopwork Meeting 8 December 2008
The NTEU Stopwork Meeting passed the following motions:

1. That this meeting condemn:
• The unnecessary decision of the Vice‐Chancellor to continue to proceed with her program of forced redundancies;
• The ongoing failure of VU Council and senior management to consult with staff before implementing major decisions and failure of senior management to manage the University properly;
• The complete lack of respect shown by senior management for the hard working staff of Victoria University; and
• The complete disloyalty shown by management to the University in seeking to destroy Victoria University and education in the western region.

Carried unanimously

2. That this meeting endorse the NTEU’s Enterprise Bargaining log of claims, particularly its claim for job security with no forced retrenchments.

Carried unanimously

3. That this meeting endorse the following actions by NTEU Members in pursuit of a new Collective Agreement at Victoria University. Unless and until such an Agreement is reached, the Union should implement these actions over the coming weeks:

• Comprehensive bans on Making VU, including all course reviews which involve incorporation of any of the five commitments, professional development associated with Making VU, attendance of cluster meetings and attendance of any seminars associated with Making VU;
• Bans on contribution to VU’s Higher Education Research Data Collection processes, including faculty and school level processes;
• Bans on contribution to VU’s course and unit management systems, including the CAMS process and related reporting activities;
• Bans on any recording, or transmission to the University, of assessment results for University Summer School units; and
• A 24 hour strike commencing on Monday 15 December, to involve pickets on higher education campuses and a boycott of the Vice‐Chancellor’s end of year party to coincide with a rank‐and‐file end‐of‐year staff party — come and celebrate the end of the year with your friends and colleagues at Footscray Rowing Club!

Carried unanimously

4. That this meeting call on the National Office and Victorian Division of the NTEU to establish a subdivision of the National Defence Fund to help support staff and their families taking even more forceful industrial action in the New Year.

Carried unanimously

5. That this meeting supports the general campaign against senior management’s proposed round of redundancies in their entirety.

Carried

http://www.nteu.org.au//bd/vu#a34197

Update on Plans for a Sustainable VU, Tues 9 Dec 2008

2008-12-10T14:06:00.005+11:00

Update on Plans for a Sustainable VU:

Course rationalisation, staff redundancies and financial sustainability

Tuesday 9th December 2008

Dear Colleagues,

I am sure that you are looking forward to the break in a few weeks time. The advice in this email should give you a better sense of the situation at this stage on VU’s major sustainability initiatives so you can organise the rest of your year with some peace of mind.

I have listed the headlines for you to skim - with web links for the detail on those aspects that interest you most.

Council last night approved the 2009 Budget and $27m in savings
Progress on savings in HE continues while building on our strengths
Changes to HE courses and units are now in a HE Change Plan
HE staff separations have been extended to voluntary options
Other savings measures
HE Change Plan has now been released for discussion (attached)
Meetings on FE, VE and HEW staffing are going ahead
VU is turning its attention to the Bradley Report, expected soon

Council last night approved the 2009 Budget and $27m in savings

The budget approved last night will be a key document for use by everyone in 2009. For full details on the Budget, including my Introduction, refer to: http://intranet.vu.edu.au/Finance/pdf_files/2002_budget_draft4Feb/2009BudgetDocument.pdf.

We still have a lot of work to do together on the savings plan in the first few months of the New Year. While some non salary savings have been identified, the bulk of the $27m will have to come from savings in employment costs.

A special Sustainability Office is being established to work with managers across VU on both staffing changes and other savings initiatives. At Council’s request we will then be providing Council with detailed advice on the strategies that are linked to the full $27m at the April 2009 Council meeting.

Progress on savings in HE continues while building on our strengths

The process to identify savings has continued in Higher Education over recent weeks.

Firstly, we have had to face and to address the limitations in our data on HE units, courses and staff workloads. Secondly, senior staff members have been working closely to address these challenges and produce the HE Change Plan. Thirdly, there has been an unfortunate coincidence of timing with external commentary about the future of HE in Australia. This has added to

speculation and anxieties of some of our staff. The conversations will be better informed when the Bradley Report, now imminent, is made public.

Changes to HE courses and units are now in a HE Change Plan

The HE Change Plan advises which courses and units we propose to discontinue from 2009.

The proposal to discontinue from 2009 approximately 140 HE courses and over 500 units is just one step in our efforts to focus our teaching and staff resources on VU’s strengths. This still leaves over 200 courses and over 1,700 units of courses and units that remain on VU’s books for students to take. I am talking to ERB about the progress we have made and what else needs to be done on Wednesday.

The massive task undertaken over the past two months to assess the viability of every HE unit and course will now form the basis for the creation of a Course and Unit Management System that will be used to maintain a sustainable teaching profile in HE. The system will be managed centrally by the PVC (IS).

HE staff separations have been extended to voluntary options

We have not yet made the progress we need to make to reduce our staffing costs because of problems in compiling accurate data about HE staff and their individual workloads. This work is continuing. Feedback from the HE Faculty leadership, staff and the President of the VU Branch of the NTEU, Richard Gough, has suggested that voluntary separation options and other savings measures be considered to mitigate the need for as many targeted redundancies. This request has been agreed to and therefore no targeted HE academic redundancies will be made in 2008. The NTEU has been informed of our progress.

Details of separation options available to eligible HE staff are described in the HE Change Plan and will be available on the HR intranet site from tomorrow. Eligible HE academic staff will be invited to submit an EOI to separate from the University. Please note that EOIs need to be submitted by 16 January; affected staff will be notified of the outcome of their EOI by 2 February 2009.

Other savings measures

Other savings strategies are being explored by the three Executive Deans and their staff, including the cost of sessional staffing (estimated at $12m in 2008) and changes in teaching practices (eg tutorial sizes and time-tabling). All strategies are to be set out in Internal Partnership Contracts (IPCs) with itemised savings for 2009 at the level of each Faculty and its Schools.

And in addition, we are improving our data collection, with workload data of each HE academic will henceforth be collected on a central data bank, as well as in their Schools.

HE Change Plan has now been released for discussion

The purpose of the HE Change Plan is to inform staff of the scope of the changes proposed under the first phase of 2008 Plan for a Sustainable VU and to provide staff with the opportunity to comment on the proposed actions over the next two weeks. The HE Change Plan can be accessed at: http://intranet.vu.edu.au/wp/sustainablevu/Documents/ChangePlan.pdf.

The release of this document begins a 2 week consultation period with staff, between now and 23 December. We invite feedback on the plan, including courses and units and mitigation strategies. I encourage you all to read the Plan carefully and let your views be known by sending your feedback to ProjectManager@vu.edu.au.

Meetings on FE / VE and HEW staffing are going ahead

Following the changes in HE positions, change plans for VE / FE and HEW staff will be developed. Principles and processes for the change process for HEW staff will be agreed with managers in December. Meetings are now being organised to begin discussing the process for reducing employment costs and other savings initiatives in these areas. FE /VE and HEW Change Plans will be distributed as the next step in the consultation process for staff in these areas. A date will be set for issuing these plans following these consultative processes.

VU is turning its attention to the Bradley Report, expected soon

Colleagues, we are all acutely aware that staff members across VU are facing uncertainty and the events of the past six weeks have been particularly hard in the HE faculties. The process is nonetheless giving us a much clearer picture of our course strengths as well as the contributions made by so many of our staff. We are building VU’s financial fitness for a future shaped by contestability, the Bradley Report and global economic change. We will issue a VU comment on Bradley developments as soon as these are known.

I thank staff members across all parts of VU who have helped as we have developed a clearer picture of our teaching and research strengths.

Together, we will ensure that VU has the resources we need to offer the right courses from Certificate to PhD, at the right campuses, with the right staff – for VU students.

Liz Harman

Vice Chancellor

Web http://www.vu.edu.au/

Today Monday 8 Dec

2008-12-08T13:05:00.004+11:00

My thoughts are with all the VU Staff today as some will be receiving news about their employment status. It will be a difficult time for many.

Please know that there are many support groups out there in the community and within VU. These are some services that are available to staff

COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR VU STAFF
Confidential and independent counselling and other services are available to all staff of Victoria University through the Employee Assistance Scheme (EAP).

As an employee of the University you can access short-term assistance for work-related or personal issues that may be affecting your ability to function at work.

An important aspect of the EAP is that it is private and confidential. Everything discussed in the sessions is kept between you and the consultant you speak with, and your details will not be passed on to anyone at Victoria University.

Staff can ring the EAP provider OSA Group on 1300 361 008 any time of the day.
http://www.vu.edu.au/Current_Students/Support_Services/Counselling_Services/Staff/Counselling_for_Staff/index.aspx

CHAPLAINCY
Staff and students of all beliefs or no faith background are invited to visit the chaplain or the Reflection Centre. We are pleased to meet Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and everyone from all walks of life. Everyone is accepted as important and valued as an individual.

Chaplaincy is a caring presence to support you on your journey. The chaplain will companion you with a listening heart and compassionate spirit and to journey with you in times of loneliness, struggles/tragedies, difficult times, study/work pressures, pains/worries, relationship/family concerns, spiritual or faith matters etc. She will be happy to share your stories of joys, surprises, discoveries, dreams, creativities, talents/gifts and your value of self-worth and meaning in daily events.

You are invited to meet Sister Catherine, chaplain, at the Reflection Centre (Footscray Park Campus Building M Room 229, St Albans Campus Building 1L Room L101) or at her office (Building 4 Room 134N) Should you wish to have a private appointment please telephone 9919 2292, or 99192399 or email catherine.tay@vu.edu.au
http://www.vu.edu.au/Current_Students/Support_Services/Chaplaincy/index.aspx

DEPRESSION
If you are feeling depressed, please call and talk to someone at
Beyond Blue
Information Line 1300 22 46 36
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?

NTEU Press Conference

2008-12-08T13:01:00.001+11:00

NTEU State Secretary Matthew McGowan will hold a media conference outside Victoria University at 2:45pm on Ballarat Road outside the main Victoria University campus at Footscray Park.

Where: Corner Ballarat Rd and Hoadley Ct, Victoria University, Footscray Park Campus
When: 2:45pm today, Monday 8 December 2008

Media Enquiries
Alex White
Communications Officer
0403 694 397

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/victoria_university_staff_stop

Victoria University Staff Stop-Work and Strike Today

2008-12-08T13:00:00.001+11:00

NTEU members at Victoria University will be taking strike action today, Monday 8 December from 1pm, commencing with a stop-work meeting.

Staff are engaging in protected industrial action to secure a new collective agreement.

Staff are unhappy at Victoria University over the drawn out negotiations with senior management for a new collective agreement, the lack of respect shown by Vice-Chancellor Elizabeth Harman towards staff, and the controversial 270 forced redundancies.

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/victoria_university_staff_stop

Invitation to Friends of VU

2008-12-05T21:31:00.005+11:00

Friends of VU are invited to attend both events.
A giant picket will be formed around the University at 2.30 pm at Footscray Park Campus following the stop work meeting and a bus will be available to take people into the city for the Council Meeting Protest.

STOP WORK MEETING
Date: 8 December 2008, Monday
Time: 1.00 pm
Place: D231, Footscray Park Campus

NON-VIOLENT PROTEST
Date: 8 Dec 2008, Monday
Time: 4.30pm
Place: VU City Campus 300 Flinders Street.

Please make every effort to be there. VU Staff needs our support.

NTEU stop work meeting and half day strike Monday 8th Dec

2008-12-05T21:04:00.004+11:00

STOP THE SACKINGS - VU STAFF DEMAND RESPECT

Last week NTEU members at VU voted overwhelmingly (98%) in favour of taking industrial action.

The NTEU has imposed work bans at 9.00am on Monday 8 Dec, with a strike and stop-work meeting starting at 1pm, so that staff at VU send a strong message to VU senior management.

We want real job security - not mass staff sackings.

Job security and no net job losses are important parts of the NTEU claim to get a new and improve Collective Agreement. Instead of delivering on these issues, VU management has decided to sack over 270 staff without consultation. Tell VU management to negotiate with your Union in good faith.

STOP WORK MEETING

Date: 8 December 2008, Monday
Time: 1.00 pm
Place: D231, Footscray Park Campus

www.universitybargaining.com.au

Latest News on Retrenchments

2008-12-05T21:00:00.001+11:00

As you read this, the Vice-Chancellor and her leadership team are finalising their lists of names for the first round of forced redundancies.

On Monday 8 December, an unknown number of VU Staff will each receive an invitation to a meeting with our supervisor.

It has become apparent, however, that the likely targeted redundancies will fall well short of the projected 150 academic redundancies that management appeared to want, again because they are finding it difficult to match staff with unprofitable units.

Further retrenchments of General Staff and TAFE staff will occur in the New Year. The University has also announced that in addition to range of further strategies to reduce the number of targeted redundancies for Academic staff.

A voluntary redundancy program will be announced. This represents some mitigation of the targeted retrenchment process which has been put in place; however, targeted redundancies, possibly still in large numbers may occur.

Music Courses closed down at Sunbury campus

2008-12-05T20:52:00.002+11:00

In the first wave of announced cuts to courses, the Vice-Chancellor has formally withdrawn the following courses from VTAC..

Bachelor of Music (Performance)
Bachelor of Music (Technology)
Bachelor of Science (Computer Science and Aviation)

These courses will have no intake in 2009. The cut to the Bachelor of Music degrees at Sunbury campus is particularly significant because it will effectively ‘cut-off at the knees’ a major pathway used by TAFE students in the Diploma of Music to reach Higher Education .

The NTEU has already received a number of reports of aggrieved students who are finding it very difficult to find an alternative destination to finish their qualification, if at all. The West and outer West also remain arguably poor in terms of venues to study the performing arts and this loss will further impoverish the limited range of music offerings available to residents in the west.

Cuts to postgraduate courses are also on the agenda, many of which are fee-paying and profitable. Units of study are also under scrutiny. However, it remains to be seen which courses and units will be cut.

The fiction that VU has a ‘long tail’ of small unprofitable units is proving just that and the University’s razor gang is finding it very difficult to find courses and units which meet their closure criteria.

The Vice Chancellor has also ruled out in a recent meeting with the NTEU that profitable courses would be cut. We wait with interest therefore to see what will be cut and will keep you informed as we are updated.

SHOW US RESPECT, SAY VU STAFF

2008-12-04T10:29:00.002+11:00

SHOW US RESPECT, SAY VU STAFF

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/untitled_3
MEDIA RELEASE
2 December 2008

Staff at Victoria University will be taking industrial action on 8 December, following overwhelming support in a secret ballot last week.

The NTEU today announced plans for a strike and work bans, unless the University demonstrates a new attitude to staff demands.

“Strike action at Victoria University could be averted if Vice-Chancellor Elizabeth Harman suspends the planned mass-sackings over Christmas and comes to the bargaining table in good faith,” said Matthew McGowan, Secretary of the NTEU Victorian Division.

NTEU members voted overwhelmingly to authorise industrial action, with the Australian Electoral Commission announcing the result yesterday. The first round of industrial action will take place on Monday 8 December. A mass meeting of NTEU members on that day will consider recommendations for subsequent rounds of industrial action, including further strike action in December.

“As we head into the holiday season, there are over 270 staff at Victoria University that won’t be celebrating. We have been trying to get the university to bargain for a new collective agreement since May this year, but their response has been to engage in delaying tactics,” said Mr Richard Gough, President of Victoria University NTEU Branch.

“University senior management can end this dispute today by treating staff with the dignity and respect they deserve. We are calling on Professor Harman to end the forced redundancies and come to the bargaining table ready to negotiate a new collective agreement that would ensure that there would be no forced redundancies for the life of any new agreement,” Mr Gough said.

“If these redundancies go through, students will come back next year to the worst class sizes and student-teacher ratios in Australia,” he said.

In a recent NTEU survey of higher education staff which asked whether staff had confidence in the administration, Vice-Chancellor Harman and the senior management at Victoria University rated worst in the state. 94 percent of staff did not have confidence, compared to a 72 percent state average. 95 percent of VU staff did not consider themselves to be respected or valued at work, compared to a 76 percent state average.

Monday 8 December Strike

Staff at all campuses of Victoria University will be taking lawful industrial action, including strike action and the imposition of work bans, on Monday 8 December. There will be a stop-work meeting at 1pm at the Footscray Park campus, which will consider further industrial action.

For more information:

Matthew McGowan, State Secretary, NTEU Victorian Division 0417 054 110

Richard Gough, President, Victoria University NTEU Branch 0418 102 547

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/untitled_3

Industrial Action at VU 08 December 2008

2008-12-04T10:22:00.002+11:00

Dear students,

As you may be aware, the National Tertiary Education Union has called for its members to take industrial action next Monday 08 December 2008.

I do not anticipate that there will any direct impact on students during Monday morning, but some staff may not be present on campus on Monday afternoon which may have an adverse impact on some aspects of University services.

While VU respects the right of staff to take protected industrial action, we regret any inconvenience that may be caused to students.

Regards, Stephen
Stephen Weller
Pro Vice-Chancellor Students
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY 03-9919-5460
stephen.weller@vu.edu.au www.vu.edu.au/people/stephenweller

The 7.30pm Report - ABC

2008-12-02T18:39:00.003+11:00

To watch this report please click the link below
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/

Universities announce staffing cutbacks amid funding crisis

Three Melbourne universities have announced staffing cutbacks and are predicting more in the new year. Universities say they are struggling to compete internationally, after enduring cutbacks in funding for more than a decade.
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/

Note: Thanks to JS for forwarding this information: There was footage from the first VU community meeting in Footscray on the 7:30 report last night. A great extract from Scott's speech (very powerful), a sound bite from Jamie, some of the Mayor's opening comments and David and Tom in the background.

14 Vice-Chancellors

2008-12-02T18:35:00.002+11:00

An extract. For full media release go to
http://www.vu.edu.au/About_VU/Media_Releases/Statement_by_fourteen_Vice-Chancellors_of_Australias_non-aligned_universities/indexdl_94600.aspx

Statement by fourteen Vice-Chancellors of Australia's non-aligned universities before the Bradley Report
24 November

Fourteen Vice-Chancellors have issued the following statement in advance of the report of the Australian Government's Review of Higher Education (Bradley Report) due in December 2008. This includes Professor Elizabeth Harman, Vice-Chancellor, Victoria University.

As the Vice-Chancellors of fourteen non-aligned Australian universities, we keenly anticipate both the upcoming report of the Bradley Review of Higher Education and the government's response.

The Bradley report and its recommendations will require testing through analysis, elucidation and critique. We look forward to a future government plan for the tertiary education sector that is equitable, visionary and sustainable.

Note: to read the rest go to http://www.vu.edu.au/About_VU/Media_Releases/Statement_by_fourteen_Vice-Chancellors_of_Australias_non-aligned_universities/indexdl_94600.aspx

Statement by fourteen Vice-Chancellors of Australia's non-aligned universities before the Bradley Report

2008-12-02T18:25:00.002+11:00

Statement by fourteen Vice-Chancellors of Australia's non-aligned universities before the Bradley Report
24 November

Fourteen Vice-Chancellors have issued the following statement in advance of the report of the Australian Government's Review of Higher Education (Bradley Report) due in December 2008. This includes Professor Elizabeth Harman, Vice-Chancellor, Victoria University.
As the Vice-Chancellors of fourteen non-aligned Australian universities, we keenly anticipate both the upcoming report of the Bradley Review of Higher Education and the government's response.

The Bradley report and its recommendations will require testing through analysis, elucidation and critique. We look forward to a future government plan for the tertiary education sector that is equitable, visionary and sustainable.

As the leaders of universities comprising a critical mass of Australia's Higher Education sector, we stress that it will be imperative in the post-Bradley period that the policy debate about universities be set in the interests of the sector as a whole, not any of its particular components.
A future Higher Education policy that does not deal adequately with all universities will be one that disadvantages a significant number of students, Australian and international, future teachers and health professionals, Australia's underprivileged, rural and metropolitan regions and Indigenous people.

The Tests for the Bradley Review report and the government's response
Our universities are crucial to Australia's Higher Education system and to the workability and equity of any future policy prescription applied to that system. We will assess the Bradley report and the government's response against the three fundamental imperatives of:

social inclusion;
education and training for a skilled and professional workforce;
support for research with impact.

Social Inclusion
Australia's non-aligned universities have long been institutionally committed to providing more opportunities to those who are doing least well, whether these are students facing social or economical disadvantage, regional and rural students, Indigenous students, older Australians seeking essential skills and learning, or students with a disability.

The same principle underlies the Commonwealth Government's most basic educational policies.

Our universities will look to the Bradley report and the government's response for:

a. major improvement in the support of students, such as extensions of living and accommodation scholarships and greater student income support;
b. systemic change ensuring that funding for teaching and learning takes account of the likely learning support needs of the students educated by each university to support equitable outcomes for students from different backgrounds; and
c. avoidance of proposals that have the practical effect of reducing access to or funding of higher education for the disadvantaged and marginalised.

Education and training for a skilled and professional workforce
Universities are Australia's major sources of skilled, flexible, creative labour. Our universities are the Universities of Work: they have a particular capacity to produce an immense variety of work-ready, internationally recognised graduates. Our graduates are trained to meet both their own expectations of employment and their employers' expectations of quality across all regions of Australia.

Our universities will look to the Bradley report and government response for concrete means to:
d. strengthen the contribution of industry and employers to universities; ande. support those universities with an institutional emphasis upon ensuring the fitness of graduates for employment and life-long adaptability as working professionals.

Research with impact
Research is fundamental to all universities, but types of research do and should vary, from the pure or abstract to the applied and engaged. Our universities' research is heavily weighted to research for deployment in partnership with industry, government and communities. It works towards social, technological, health and other practical outcomes, with significant regional, national and international impact, in fields such as health and well-being, technology, education and social inquiry.

Hence, we believe research should be funded on the basis of its quality, with strong support for research with demonstrated meaningful application.
f. Our universities will look to the Bradley report and government response for concrete means to support strong research funding for research that engages with current industry and community need.

Why non-aligned universities matter
The non-aligned universities comprise a real and varied collectivity of students, staff and associated communities. These universities in 2007:

Enrolled 376,017 students, representing 38% of the national total, more students than any of the formal interest groups;
Enrolled 38%of all international students;
Earned $4.8 billion, being 28% of Australian university revenue;
Taught 51% of teacher education students and 53% of nursing students;
Taught 46% of lower SES students;
Taught 57% of regional students and 45% of remote students;
Taught 43% of indigenous students; and
Taught 39% of students with a disability.

Conclusion
The Bradley Review of Higher Education is vital to Australia's future. As fourteen Vice-Chancellors from the non-aligned universities which make up a significant part of Australian Higher Education, we look forward to its constructive recommendations to ensure our institutions can continue to meet the needs of all Australians and our international students.

Note on Data:
The data cited refer to all universities which are not members of the Australian Technology Network, the Group of Eight, or the Innovative Research Universities Australia.
The data are drawn from:Finance 2007: Selected Higher Education Statistics, DEEWR 2008, http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/higher_education/publications_resources/profiles/Finance_2007_stats.htm
Students 2007 [full year]: selected higher education statistics, DEEWR 2008 http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/higher_education/publications_resources/profiles/Students_2007_full_year_.htm

The fourteen Vice-Chancellors and universities are:
Professor Greg Craven, Vice-Chancellor, Australian Catholic UniversityProfessor David Battersby, Vice-Chancellor, University of BallaratProfessor John Finlay-Jones, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Edith Cowan UniversityProfessor Helen Garnett , Vice-Chancellor, Charles Darwin UniversityProfessor Liz Harman, Vice-Chancellor, Victoria UniversityProfessor Bill Lovegrove, Vice-Chancellor, University of Southern QueenslandProfessor Bill MacGillivray, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Southern Cross UniversityProfessor Sally Walker, Vice-Chancellor, Deakin UniversityProfessor Stephen Parker, Vice-Chancellor, University of CanberraProfessor Alan Pettigrew, Vice-Chancellor, The University of New EnglandProfessor Jan Reid, Vice-Chancellor, University of Western SydneyProfessor John Rickard, Vice-Chancellor, Central Queensland UniversityProfessor Paul Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, University of the Sunshine CoastProfessor Ian Young, Vice-Chancellor, Swinburne University of Technology
Professor Elizabeth Harman, Vice Chancellor, Victoria University will be available for comment in relation to this statement, from Thursday 27 November 2008

Media Contacts:
Ms Christine White, Media Manager,Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884
Andy Gash, Snr. Media OfficerMarketing and Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4950; mobile: 0411 255 900

INDUSTRIAL ACTION

2008-11-29T00:17:00.003+11:00

VIC UNI STAFF OVERWHELMINGLY VOTE IN FAVOUR OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION

MEDIA RELEASE
28 November 2008

Victoria University staff have voted to take protected industrial action to secure a collective agreement and protect quality of teaching, following the largest round of targeted redundancies in Australian university history.

“The initial reports indicate that over 98 percent of NTEU members have voted to take protected industrial action,” said Matthew McGowan, Victorian Secretary of the NTEU.

“This result in this vote is a overwhelming rebuke of the Vice-Chancellor and the senior management behind her and follows on from an NTEU survey conducted over the past fortnight that showed over 80 percent of surveyed staff had no confidence in the Vice-Chancellor.”

“Staff are saying that they want respect from Vice-Chancellor Elizabeth Harman, rather than disdain and contempt,” he said.
The industrial action ballot authorises legal, protected industrial action, including work bans, bans on the transmission of student examination results, over-time bans and strike action.

“There is a strong feeling amongst Victoria University staff, and that has been reflected in the results we are seeing today. Elizabeth Harman needs to come to the bargaining table to genuinely negotiate. VU staff want job security and a restoration of lost conditions, but most of all they want respect,” said Mr McGowan.

“If the job cuts go through and the University refuses to negotiate a collective agreement, students at VU will be facing the worst student-teacher ratios in Australia. We are acting now to protect the quality of teaching and research at VU, as well as to ensure that students in the West receive the best possible education,” he said.

Victoria University NTEU members will be considering in the next few days what form of protected industrial action will be taken and when.
The Union will be meeting with the Vice-Chancellor this afternoon at 4pm in an attempt to get the University to engage in genuine negotiation.

For more information:
Matthew McGowan
State Secretary, NTEU Victorian Division
0417 054 110

Richard Gough
President, Victoria University NTEU Branch
0418 102 547

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/untitled_2

Petition

2008-11-26T22:34:00.004+11:00

PETITION

We, the undersigned, are a concerned group of people who respectively urge Ms Elizabeth Harman, the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University, to act now to support and guarantee the future of the Social Work Unit at St Albans Campus, Victoria University.

The Social Work Unit needs the continued support from University management to be able to provide quality education & training for social work students in the Western metropolitan area. The Social Work Unit has developed and maintained strong links and partnerships with labour force providers in the Western region and broader community. It is paramount that the University retains the Bachelor of Social Work course to be able to meet the ever growing and diverse needs of the community.

The VU Social Work Unit education and training, exemplifies the philosophical principles of social justice, equality, anti-oppression, client self - determination and empowerment.

Mary Hutchinson
Western Region
Social Worker: ISIS Primary Care.
mlouhutchinson@optusnet.com.au
mary.hutchinson@vu.edu.au

Maree Corbo
Western Region
Djerriwarrh Health services
Social worker/Counsellor:
mareeco@djhs.org.au

*******************************************************************************************************************

If you support this petition and would like to add your name to the petition please send an email to Mary mlouhutchinson@optusnet.com.au / mary.hutchinson@vu.edu.au or Maree mareeco@djhs.org.au and let them know. Please include

Your Full name

Region, Occupation, Organization - Optional

Email address

Brief Comment - Optional

Date

Mary & Maree will collate all the names present the petition to the Vice Chancellor, Liz Harman.

*******************************************************************************************************************

Support from former students of VU

2008-11-26T22:20:00.004+11:00

I received this very encouraging email from Maree, a former student of VU Social Work Unit informing me about a petition she and other former students have started.

Maree has given me permission to blog their petition. Following is an extract of her letter...

We just wanted to give you a bit of a heads up about what we as alumni are up too. We received notice last week that the future of the social work unit, while reasonably secure is by no no means out of the woods. My former student colleague and I decided that we could get a petition going around the various networks that we work in and hopefully present a petition to the vice chancellor. As you could imagine Liz Harman will not like to get on the wrong side of the community that supports the university and are hopeful that she may listen to our concerns.

Cheers
Maree Corbo
Counsellor Coordinator of Men's Faxback
Melton, Caroline Springs and Bacchus Marsh
Djerriwarrh Health Services
Cnr High & Yuille Sts
Melton Vic 3337
mareeco@djhs.org.au

Friends of Victoria University – Statement of Intent

2008-11-26T21:32:00.003+11:00

Friends of Victoria University – Statement of Intent

Introduction
Friends of Victoria University was formed on 19 November 2008 to represent the interests of communities served by Victoria University. It is comprised of community members from the Western Suburbs, as well as staff, students and alumni at Victoria University.

Background
Friends of VU formed following the announcement by the Vice-Chancellor of sudden campus closures in Melton and Sunbury, and the forced redundancies of over 270 staff. This decision undermines the original purpose of VU.

Vision
Friends of VU will work to ensure the original vision of Victoria University is maintained: to have a university to serve the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, to provide higher education opportunities to students from the western suburbs.

To this end we will seek to uphold those principals outlined in section 6 of the Victoria University of Technology Act 1990, in particular objects 6 (i), (j) and (k).
6. Objects of the University

The objects of the University include-

(a) the development of an institution with excellence in teaching, training, research and scholarship, with particular emphasis on technological development and applications of knowledge;
(b) the provision of high quality educational, research, residential, social, recreational, sporting and other facilities;
(c) the promotion, advancement and transmission of knowledge and its practical application by research and other means, the dissemination by various means of the outcomes of research and the commercial exploitation of the results of that research;
(ca) to promote critical enquiry within the university and in the general community;
(d) the provision of a wide range of programs and courses of study in post-secondary education, including courses of instruction or training relevant to a trade or other skilled occupation and facilitation of articulation between programs;
(e) the participation in commercial ventures and activities;
(ea) the conduct of teaching, research, consultancy and development activities within and outside Australia;
(f) the fostering of the general welfare and development of all enrolled students;
(g) the conferring of prescribed degrees and the granting of prescribed diplomas, certificates and other awards;
(h) the offering of opportunities for development and further training to teaching and other staff of the university;
(i) the development and provision of educational, cultural, professional, technical and vocational services to the community and in particular the fostering of participation in post-secondary education for persons living or working in the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne;
(j) the provision of programs and services in ways which reflect principles of equity and social justice;
(k) generally the development and carrying on of a university providing such appropriate and accessible academic and other programs, courses of study and research activity as the Council considers necessary for the attainment of the foregoing within Victoria and elsewhere.

Aims
Friends of VU will work to pursue the short-term interests of VU to ensure that the integrity of VU’s mission is not undermined. It will also work to ensure VU’s long-term interests by supporting efforts to improve VU’s profile and funding.

Friends of VU is politically unaligned, and works solely for the interests of the communities, staff, students and alumni of Victoria University.

Action
Friends of VU will engage in a wide range of activities to represent the communities served by VU, including:
§ Community meetings;
§ Publishing fact sheets and newsletters;
§ Preparing submissions for Government Inquiries or funding processes:
§ Issuing media statements;
§ Lobbying the Vice-Chancellor, University Council, Deans, heads of schools and other leaders of Victoria University;
§ Lobbying local, state and federal government; and
§ Working with staff and student unions.

Lionel Newman: Project Manager's update

2008-11-22T13:48:00.003+11:00

Project Manager's update on outcomes of initial consultation phase

The consultation period in respect of the measures outlined in the Vice Chancellor's 17 October announcement 'Course Rationalisation, Staff Redundancies and Financial Sustainability' concluded 14 November.

Staff feedback was received via a broad range of consultative mediums. Feedback received included both opposition and support for the measures, concerns about possible course closures, and suggested strategies to mitigate potential redundancies. Strategies staff felt should be considered included more effective utilisation of our existing teaching capacities, a reduction in the use of sessional, contract and casual staff, and alternative separation strategies, such as voluntary redundancies, pre-retirement contracts and a voluntary early retirement scheme.

Feedback from staff has been considered and the University is committed to mitigating the impact of possible redundancies by reducing its use of non permanent staff where appropriate. The extent to which we can do so will be determined by the skills and experience required to deliver our continuing educational programs.

The feasibility of offering alternative separation options is currently being examined by our HR department and agreed measures will be announced as part of detailed Change Plans for the three categories of staff, HE Academics, VE/FE teachers and General staff. Timings are set out below.

Higher Education Change program

Further work is being conducted over the next few weeks to determine non viable HE courses and units, the HE academic positions that maybe excess to requirement, and the mitigation strategies. It is the University's intention to announce these details in a HE Academic Change Plan in early December.

The planned timeline is to:·

Advise all staff on 8 December which HE courses and units are proposed to be discontinued.·
Begin a two week consultation process from 8 December to further discuss proposed course and unit changes.
Advise affected academic staff from 8 December in writing, and wherever possible in person, of the intention to make their position excess to requirement.
Undertake a two week consultation process with affected staff from 8 December to discuss mitigation strategies and the available separation options that apply to them.
Advise staff of the outcomes of consultation processes relating to both courses and units and staff redundancies.

Vocational & Further Education and General Staff Change Programs

The process of identifying savings in VE and FE has also commenced and is examining both the viability of courses and units and the effective use of existing resources. We expect to have a clearer indication of the proposed savings measures by mid- December.

Meetings are planned with the managers of corporate and support services in early December to discuss the principles and processes to be used in determining the scope of savings measures for General staff.

A benchmarking exercise will also be conducted to identify better practice in the field of corporate support structures to inform decision making processes.

More information on change plans for VE/FE and General staff will be announced over the next few weeks.

Lionel Newman
Project Manager

Vice-Chancellor's Video Blog

2008-11-22T13:39:00.003+11:00

This is a video message from VU Vice-Chancellor Liz Harman

Dear colleagues,

Recognising this is a period of great uncertainty and stress, I speak to you for five minutes in today's VOD. Please be patient as the file is large and will take about 20 seconds to load.

http://tls.vu.edu.au/vcblog/index.html
(If the above link does not open directly from your email, please cut and paste the link directly into your web browser).

An update on the current status of the Course and Staffing initiative from the Project Manager follows below. (Note from blogger: Im blogging it separately. Check next blog)

Regards,
Liz Harman.

FRIENDS OF VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

2008-11-21T23:51:00.002+11:00

MEDIA RELEASE
19 November 2008

FRIENDS OF VICTORIA UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY GROUP FORMS

Friends of Victoria University officially formed tonight following the University's controversial campus closures and job cuts.

Raoul Wainwright and Broden Borg were elected as inaugural co-convenors.

Friends of Victoria University is a broad coalition of community members in the West, including Melton, Sunbury, Werribee and Footscray, as well as staff and students.

"There is a great deal of concern out in the community about the direction that Victoria University is headed," said Raoul Wainwright, a resident of Yarraville.

"Friends of Victoria University will hold Victoria University accountable to the original vision of a community university that serves the West. Victoria University needs to show that it is still committed to the West," he said.

Broden Borg, a resident of Melton, one of the communities that will be affected by Victoria University's campus closures said: "Victoria University has held a central role in Melton and the West. We are very disappointed that the University management has decided to close Melton and Sunbury without consulting the communities."

"In the long-term, we hope that we will be able to work cooperatively with the University senior management. In the short-term however, we want senior management to know how valuable and loved VU is in the community – something they seem to have forgotten at the moment," said Mr. Wainwright.

Friends of Victoria University endorsed the National Tertiary Education Union's campaign promoting job security and collective bargaining.

For more information contact:
Friends of VU co-convenors
Raoul Wainwright
Broden Borg

Note: When the contact info is available I will update it.

Protest over more Victorian universities job cuts

2008-11-21T13:28:00.002+11:00

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24676219-12332,00.html
Andrew Trounson November 20, 2008
Article from: The Australian

an extract... for full article click on the above link

INDUSTRIAL unrest at Victorian universities is set to worsen after La Trobe University warned staff that voluntary job cuts weren't meeting targets, raising the prospect of compulsory layoffs.
In response the National Tertiary Education Union has accused the university of accelerating the pace of previously announced savings targets.

Today hundreds of university staff across the Victorian sector will hold a public protest in Melbourne. The NTEU has accused vice-chancellors of acting prematurely in seeking to cut jobs when a funding boost from Canberra is expected following the release of the Bradley Review next month.

Over 470 administrative and academic jobs are on the block in Victoria as universities get squeezed by chronic government under-funding with indexation at only half the inflation rate.
Tumbling investment income is also set to hit well-endowed institutions, while growth in offshore student revenue is expected to slow.

But the NTEU is angry that universities are choosing to cut staff while still funding instrastructure expansions.
"In an environment when we are expecting increased funding from the federal government, the moves to cut staff is premature,"

At Victoria University vice chancellor Liz Harman is facing a revolt over job cuts with the NTEU set to strike next month after the job cut soured stalled enterprise bargaining talks.

NTEU Media Release 20 Nov 2008

2008-11-21T13:17:00.001+11:00

UNIVERSITY STAFF DEMAND MORE INVESTMENT,
HALT TO SACKINGS

MEDIA RELEASE
20 November 2008

Over 80% of staff in Victorian Universities believe that the sector is underfunded, and while a similar percentage of academic staff expressed the view that educational quality has suffered from funding limitations. These findings are part of a survey of University staff conducted by the National Tertiary Education Union over the past 2 weeks.

University staff from around Victoria will be rallying today calling on the Federal Government to turn around the decade long decline in public funding to universities and to call on universities to suspend any redundancies and job cuts until after the outcomes of the Bradley Review have been announced.

“It is about respect” said Matthew McGowan, Secretary of the NTEU Victorian Division. “After over a decade of hostility from the Howard Government, some universities have forgotten what collegiality means. Universities should be demonstrating best practice in employee management, not worst practice.”
The NTEU survey measured staff attitudes towards university management, Federal Government funding and the Bradley Review. The survey of over 3,300 staff found that most staff believe that:

Universities have become worse places to work over the past two years;
Funding limitations has negatively affected the quality of education at universities;
Universities are more concerned about gaining income than on outcomes for students;
Vice-Chancellors and senior management do not respect or value university staff; and
Universities should wait until after the Bradley Review is completed before making staff cuts.

“The Federal Government is also on notice. Universities are in dire need of increased public funding to undo the damage that has left Australia as one of the worst investors in higher education in the OECD,” he said.
Rally details

Today, Thursday 20 November, 11am
Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins St, CBD

For more information
Alex White, NTEU Communications Officer, 0403 694 397, awhite@vic.nteu.org.au

VU quashes student accommodation rumours

2008-11-21T13:15:00.000+11:00

http://www.vu.edu.au/About_VU/Media_Releases/VU_quashes_student_accommodation_rumours/indexdl_94435.aspx
Media Release
18 November 2008

Victoria University's Pro Vice Chancellor - Students, Mr Stephen Weller, said today that he was outraged about malicious rumours surrounding the future of student accommodation at Victoria University.

He said: "I can categorically state that students residing at Sunbury Hall and the Student Village in Maribyrnong have absolutely no need to worry about where they are going to live."
"Contrary to spiteful and inaccurate speculation, there has been no decision made in relation to the future of accommodation at Maribyrnong. In the case of the future of accommodation at Sunbury - that will be determined in parallel with decisions around the future of that campus - but at this stage we expect no changes to occur until at least the end of 2010."

"Recent assertions have caused distress to students living at these residences and this is unconscionable."

"VU is looking to increase the amount of accommodation available to students in the vicinity of its campuses, and to that end in July we sought expressions of interest for the provision and management of accommodation from potential, financiers developers and operators. We have had more than twenty expressions of interest and these are under consideration."

"The University provides accommodation for 500 students at Maribyrnong and 120 students at Sunbury."

"Far from cutting back on accommodation, the University has recently taken a head lease of a development of some 60 units on Ballarat Road."

"We want to set students minds at rest in relation to accommodation at Sunbury Hall and the Student Village at Maribyrnong."

"For the students who are living in the University's student accommodation, I want to make it absolutely clear that we have no plans to make any changes to accommodation arrangements and no one will end up without a roof over their head."

Media Contacts:
Ms Christine White, Media Manager,Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884
Andy Gash, Snr. Media OfficerMarketing and Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4950; mobile: 0411 255 900

Victoria Uni closure rally

2008-11-21T13:11:00.002+11:00

http://moorabool-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/victoria-uni-closure-rally/
Moorabool Leader
Local News
13 Nov 08 @ 11:00am by Billy Crossland

ABOUT 50 students, staff and community members have rallied against the closure of Victoria University’s Melton Campus. The protest at the campus on Thursday followed public outcry over VU’s decision to close it and the Sunbury campus.

It was organised by education student Broden Borg, who addressed the crowd.
“The decision by VU to close this university has seen them fail in their commitment to provide tertiary education to the west,” he said. “The (university) council has put an economic rationalist need ahead of the community of Melton’s need.”

Certificate three disability student Cloie Robinson finished her course this year, hoping to go on to higher studies. But said she was having second thoughts. “Some people can’t afford to get into the city and this campus is bringing money down here and bringing more people to this area,” she said.

The protest was also attended by several members of the National Tertiary Education Union.
The union’s VU branch president, Richard Gough, said he was concerned about the future of sacked staff and the impact of the closure on the region.

“Obviously these campuses are part of a growing region of Melbourne and we think they have a future,” he said. “As part of our protest and our concerns we are here to support people in the Melton community as well as our members.”

VU has said the campus was not attracting students, operated at a higher cost per student than bigger campuses and was unlikely to reach a viable size by 2031.
Moorabool Council has condemned the decision and is calling on VU to extend courses offered at the campuses.

SPECIAL VU COUNCIL BRIEFING – 17 NOV 2008

2008-11-16T23:32:00.008+11:00

"MORE CLASSES NOT MORE CUTS!"
[non-violent protest]

Agenda: “Courses and Redundancies”
Date: Monday 17 November 2008
Time: Meet at 5pm (5:30pm Council Meeting Begins)
Place: VU Footscray Park Campus - 227 Ballarat Road
Council Chamber, Level 6, Building K

On Monday 17 November, Victoria University Council will again be meeting to vote on the sacking proposal, campus shut downs and the relocation of student housing. A staff, student and friends of VU 'welcoming committee' has been set up to 'welcome' Council members before the meeting in the hope of it persuading members to vote against the proposals. Student support and solidarity on Monday is very much needed as it may just provide a back-bone to some members and apply some more public pressure to VU management.

For more information write to VU Student Action Group vu_sag@yahoo.com

If you are interested in attending the Council's meeting as an observer, please contact Lyn Duffy to request for an Observer's Pass: Lyn.Duffy@vu.edu.au

Victoria University faces strike over staff cuts

2008-11-14T22:44:00.002+11:00

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24646992-12332,00.html
The Australian
by Andrew Trounson November 13, 2008

VICTORIA University is facing strike action after the Industrial Relations Commission today approved the union's application to ballot members on a proposed industrial campaign over pay talks and job security.

Any strike will put pressure on VU vice-chancellor Elizabeth Harman whose plan to cut 270 jobs and close two of VU's smaller campuses in Melbourne's west has angered the union and concerned the Victorian Government.

"We are now on a fast-track to industrial action," NTEU Victorian president Jamie Doughney told The Australian.
The result of the ballot will be known by December 1, which Dr Doughney said is expected to be around the time VU starts issuing redundancy notices.

The strike move comes as the NTEU plans to rally in Melbourne on November 20 to protest what it sees as aggressive moves at some Victorian universities to cut staff and introduce new work arrangements. It is also aimed at highlighting to Canberra the funding needs of the sector.

"We want to send a signal to the federal Government about the desperate needs of the sector, and to the universities, that they have to start treating their staff with some respect," NTEU victorian secretary Matthew McGowan said.

for full article
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24646992-12332,00.html

PUBLIC RALLY 20 Nov

2008-11-14T22:30:00.003+11:00

PUBLIC RALLY organised by NTEU

Date: Thursday 20 November
Time: 11am
Place: Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins St, Melbourne CBD

Australia’s universities need to urgently invest in staff
University staff need job security, not job cuts

organised by NTEU. For more information check these websites
http://www.nteu.org.au/
http://www.nteu.org.au//bd/vu
www.universitybargaining.com.au

Friends of Victoria University

2008-11-14T22:24:00.002+11:00

The first meeting of Friends of Victoria University

Date: Wednesday 19th November in
Time: 5.30 pm
Place: Room E102F (E Block) Footscray Park Campus,
Ballarat Road, Footscray
There is an entrance to Building E from Ballarat Road via ramps or a stairway.
E102F is on the bottom level of the building.

At the first meeting, it would be probably helpful to talk about the purpose of Friends of Victoria University and ways in which the group can help support the university, campuses, students and staff facing retrenchments.

Things we can do 11

2008-11-12T22:27:00.002+11:00

Sent the PM an email regarding VU Staff cuts and how this goes against their Education Revolution and Social Inclusion policy.

This idea is from fellow student, Christine, who received the following email from our PM about his new website www.kevinpm.com.au. Thank you, Christine.

Dear Christine,
As a supporter of the Kevin07 campaign, I wanted you to be the first to hear about my new website: KevinPM.com.au

I'll be using the site to speak frankly with you about the big challenges facing Australia; the global economy, education, climate change, and the health of Australians, but just as importantly it will enable me to hear your ideas for the direction of the nation.

We'll also be posting video messages to the site - and here is a link to the first one: www.KevinPM.com.au There are also links to social network sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and the photo-sharing website Flickr so you can participate in the democratic process in the way you feel most comfortable.

Please feel free to share the new site with your friends and colleagues. I look forward to talking with you through this new site.

Kevin Rudd

Support staff against cuts

2008-11-10T23:05:00.003+11:00

“MAINTAIN YOUR RAGE” PARTY

Time: 4.00 -- 8.00pm
Date: Friday November 14
Place: Footscray Park Bowls Club
(corner Hoadley Court & Ballarat Road, adjacent to FP campus)
MC: Rod Quantock
Music: The Conch and Trish Anderson

Drinks at the bar, snacks provided
Staff, students, families and community welcome
Free admission
Organised by the VU NTEU Branch
VU MATTERS!

NTEU Members' Meeting 6 November 2008

2008-11-08T00:42:00.001+11:00

NTEU Members' Meeting 6 November 2008
Members attending the meeting at Footscray Park on 6 November 2008 passed the following motions unanimously;

Motion 1
That this meeting notes with anger and dismay:
1) the University management’s determination to see through the largest redundancy program in Australian university history.
2) that the redundancies, combined with course cutbacks, campus closures, car-parking changes, and management’s failure to enter seriously into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with its staff, have done great harm to the University’s reputation. They will do even greater harm to its reputation in the months to come.
3) for the University management’s failure to manage the University’s resources in a way that could avoid this scale of trauma. Senior management should be held accountable. We note that no senior managers will take a pay-cut, much less a job-cut, for their ineptitude. What is more, we remain profoundly skeptical about management’s motives in launching this program of redundancies.

Motion 2
That this meeting reaffirms the five motions passed unanimously by 350 VU staff at a meeting on 21 October 2008. In particular, we reaffirm our commitment to taking industrial action in pursuit of a Collective Agreement that would protect VU staff against such mistreatment by management in the future, should that be necessary.

Motion 3
That this meeting endorses the Union’s recommendation to pursue disputes over section 65 ‘Organisational Change’ of the current Enterprise Agreement. We shall take up these disputes ourselves, and we call on our colleagues also to take up these disputes.

Motion 4
That this meeting endorses the Union’s community campaign of engaging local politicians, media, and others with the scale of management failure of this crucial community asset for Melbourne’s greater western region.

NTEU Public Meeting 6 Nov - Update

2008-11-08T00:38:00.001+11:00

Motions from community meeting on 6 November in support of VU staff

A well attended community meeting in Footscray heard from members of staff and students at Victoria University, and from Labor and Greens members of Parliament, on the concocted crisis at Victoria University and passed the following motions:

1. That this meeting calls on Victoria University to:Immediately stop its plans to cut 20% of education courses and sack 270 staff which will have a negative effect on higher education, the western region community and students who attend Victoria University.Halt campus closures until affected communities have had adequate time to review these decisions and have real input into the decisions which will have an impact on tertiary education in their area.Consider a wider range of sustainable alternatives to the present course of action that trades buildings for core education services and jobs.

2. That this meeting further calls on the Federal Government to provide improved funding to strengthen education services at Victoria University and repeal John Howard’s workchoices legislation.

3. That this meeting authorises the formation a Friends of Victoria University to lobby, support and take action to defend Victoria University as a valuable community asset for the west and the region.

4. That this meeting calls on Elizabeth Harman Vice Chancellor of Victoria University to resign immediately.

Things we can do 10

2008-11-06T13:23:00.002+11:00

Attend the Public Meeting organised by NTEU this evening

Time: 7.30 pm
Date: 6 Nov
Place: The Church Hall 10a Hyde street. Footscray (next to Town Hall)

What is the future of Victoria University?

Confirmed Speakers:
Dr James Doughney, President, NTEU Victorian Division
Hon Colleen Hartland, Greens MLC for Western Region
Leon Burger, President, VU Student Association
Joanne Duncan MP, (ALP) member for Macedon
Scott Jordan, VU Politics, History and Social Sciences Association

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY BRANCH - NTEU

2008-11-06T13:20:00.002+11:00

Check this website for more information about VU Staff cuts situation.

http://www.nteu.org.au//bd/vu

Western Suburbs Day of Community Action 6 Nov 2008

2008-11-05T21:51:00.002+11:00

For those who are interested:

Western Suburbs Day of Community Action – Stop the Cuts: staff, students and western region community.

Thursday 6 of November :

Time: 9am, leave by 9.15 am.
Event: Melton Community Protest. All Welcome. Join the Melton Community in a protest against the closure of Melton campus and cuts to Victoria University and retrenchments. Melton Freedom Ride Bus leaves from outside Footscray Bowling Club, Hoadley Crescent , Footscray (Next to D Block, Footscray Park). Or meet us at Victoria University, Melton campus, Rees Road, Melton at 10 am. Return around 11 am.2.

Time: 1pm – 2 pm, NTEU members meeting (students and non-members welcome).
Report back on IRC application for an industrial ballot and strategies for action. Room G370, Footscray Park Campus.

Time: 7.30 pm, Public Meeting.
The Church Hall 10a Hyde street. Footscray (next to Town Hall) What is the future of Victoria University? Victoria University has announced it will sack 270 staff. What does this mean for the future of VU? What are the implications of quality of education provided to VU students? Defend Victoria University as a valuable public asset.

Confirmed Speakers:
Joanne Duncan, MLA for Macedon (covering Sunbury campus of VU);
Colleen Hartland, MLC for Western Metropolitan;
Dr Jamie Doughney, President NTEU Victorian Division;
Leon Burger, President VU student union;
Scott Jordan, VU student action group.

Invited but not confirmed: Elizabeth Harman, Vice-Chancellor Victoria University,
Hon. Julia Gillard, Minister for Education and Workplace Relations;
Hon. Jacinta Allen, Minster for Skills and Workforce Participation.

Attack the Issues

2008-11-03T11:33:00.004+11:00

I have maintained from the beginning of this blog that I support VU Staff. I will get involve in students activities that highlight discussions and debates pertaining to how we can try and save as many jobs as possible.

However, I will not make this personal. Therefore I do not support any personal attacks on the Vice Chancellor, Liz Harman or any of the council members. I disagree with the manner in which the decisions were made (i.e lack of consultations, mediation or mitigating factors). I do not know the VC personally so I cannot make a value judgement or give you an opinion of her. As I reflect some people's career and achievements, most do not get to be at the top management without intelligence, management and people skills, hardwork, specialisation, peer recognition of their abilities... etc. Regardless of these abilities they can make mistakes and error in judgment pertaining to the decisions. And on these errors and mistakes we shall judge them.

So let's stick to the issues.

Justice Frank Vincent calls for apology from Don Nardella, MLA

2008-11-03T11:29:00.002+11:00

31 October 2008

The following statement has been issued by the Hon. Justice Frank Vincent, AO, Chancellor Victoria University.

The Hon. Justice Frank Vincent, AO, Chancellor of Victoria University is surprised and distressed that the MLA for Melton, Don Nardella, has made a unreasonable and personal attacks on Victoria University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Elizabeth Harman, under Parliamentary Privilege.

He says: "It is important to note that the Vice Chancellor is an employee of the University who is charged with implementing the decisions of Council and entrusted with the management of the affairs of the University in accordance with the strategic directions and mission as determined by Council."

"It needs to be made clear with respect to the matters raised by Mr Nardella that the Vice Chancellor is acting under the directions of Council and in line with its decisions."

"The matters Don Nardella has raised about the future of Melton and Sunbury campuses and the University's need to staff it's courses and deliver its programs as efficiently as possible to which Mr Nardella referred, have been the subjects of the most serious consideration by Council over a substantial period of time through its committees, formal Council meetings and retreats.

The Vice Chancellor is responsible to Council for the implementation of its policy decisions."
"I call upon Mr Nardella to retract his inaccurate and highly emotive comments and apologise to the Vice Chancellor for the deeply regrettable personal nature of them."
The Hon. Justice Frank Vincent is not available for interview on this issue

Media Contacts:

Ms Christine White, Media Manager,Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884

Andy Gash, Snr. Media OfficerMarketing and Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4950; mobile: 0411 255 900

VU Council Composition

2008-11-01T13:44:00.002+11:00

VU Council
Composition

The Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor

Two persons elected by the board or boards established under the Statutes to be responsible for academic programs and courses of study in higher education and technical and further education in the University

Three persons elected by and from the staff of the University prescribed by the Statutes;
(Note 1 H/Ed, 1 TAFE and 1 General Staff)

Two persons elected by and from the students enrolled at the University prescribed by the Statutes; (Note 1 H/Ed and 1 TAFE)

Six persons appointed by the Governor-in-Council

One person appointed by the Minister

Six persons appointed by the Council;
Of the members appointed under sub-section (2)(g) & (i) -
(a) two must be persons with financial expertise with relevant qualifications and experience in financial management at a senior level;
(b) one must be a person with commercial expertise at a senior level;
(c) one must be a person who has substantial knowledge or experience of vocational education and training.
(d) three must be persons who live in or about the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne.

VU Council

2008-11-01T13:09:00.004+11:00

Last week I was lucky to get an Observer's Pass to observe the Council Meeting. I had no idea who are the VU council. A big mistake. I should have familiarise myself. Anyway, this week, I decided to satisfy my curiosity and do some research. Ok. Ok I admit it. Any excuse to get out of working on my assignments. But... I can justify this as part of Human Service Organisation research?? Right?? Oh well, I tried :)

The information is available at VU websites & therefore public information. Im sure most of you have more interesting things in life than go surf websites for such interesting (NOT) information. Yes, I do need to get a life but that's another story for another day. So, here goes

Victoria University of Technology was established on 1 July 1990 by an Act of the State Parliament entitled the Victoria University of Technology Act 1990. The University, thorugh its Council and other Committees and Boards, pursues the objects and exercises the powers conferred upon it by the Act.

The Council is the governing authority and has the direction and superintendence of the University. The Council monitors aspects of university-wide activity, and oversees the formulation and implementation of the University Strategic Plan. It works closely with the Vice-Chancellor and President as the University's Chief Executive Officer to maxmise the efficiency and effectiveness of the University.

The Council has established a number of standing committees to assist it in its work, namely:

the Chancellor's Committee;
the Resources Committee;
the Strategy Committee; and
the Audit and Risk Committee.

These committees address specific and specialised matters and refer their advice and consideration of these matters to Council for final decision making. Membership of these standing committees consists primarily of members of Council. During the academic year, the Council usually meets six times a year. The standing committees generally meet on a monthly or bimonthly basis.

In addition, there is one statutory Board that is required by the Act or subordinate legislation to provide advice to Council or the Education and Research Board.

http://gpps.vu.edu.au/committee/id/1/cid/9/parent/0/t/committee/title/Council

NTEU Public Meeting

2008-11-01T13:03:00.002+11:00

NTEU Public Metting

Date: Thursday, 06 NOV 2008
Time: At 7:30 p.m.
Place: Church Hall [Uniting Church]
10a Hyde Street, Footscray, VIC
Topic: “What is the Future of VU?”

Those Invited, include:
Julia Gillard, AU Deputy Prime Minister
Jacinta Allen, VIC Minister For Employment and Youth Affairs
Hon Justice Frank Vincent, VU Chancellor
Elizabeth Harman, VU Vice-Chancellor
NTEU Representatives to answer questions
All students interested in preserving VU
Any interested person or one who offers support of VU

Student Support Meeting

2008-11-01T12:59:00.002+11:00

Next Student Support Meeting

Date: Wednesday, 05 NOV 2008
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: Footscray Campus, Bldg A, Room 315

For more information contact vu_sag@yahoo.com

Parliamentary comments by Don Nardella, Labor MLA for Melton

2008-11-01T12:49:00.002+11:00

PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
DAILY HANSARD
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Adjournment motion, Don Nardella, Labor MLA for Melton
Victoria University: campus closures

Mr NARDELLA (Melton) — My adjournment matter matter is for the Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation. The action I seek is for her to have discussions with Victoria University, following its decision yesterday to close the Melton and Sunbury campuses, to force the university to institute transitional arrangements to retain higher education, TAFE courses and community activities at the Melton campus and to do what she can to stop as many redundancies of the 270 forced redundancies as possible.

Victoria University vice-chancellor, Professor Liz Harman, is destroying this great institution. She has presented a fait accompli to the university council regarding the campus closures and the 270 redundancies. Professor Harman and her sycophant management team announced the forced redundancies last week and then presented this fait accompli of the closures to the council yesterday. The council had toaccept the proposal or take a no-confidence position with regard to her. The vice-chancellor would have been forced to resign if her decisions had not been adopted. Professor Harman and her management toecutters took the easy decision in the Thatcher mould to implement economic rationalist policies that weaken local communities and to take away a critical piece of infrastructure that adds to the social capital and lifelong learning opportunities available in the disadvantaged and growing areas of the outer west where greater access and equity are needed.
She has form in the 2006 sackings and now these sackings two years later. Professor Harman is selling and closing the heritage, the assets and the legacy of generations of western suburbs residents, students and communities who have built up this great institution. She is just selling it off. In two years time she will move on. She will leave once her contract ends, but her legacy, her disaster and her scorched-earth policy and practice will remain from heringlorious wasted term of office.

Since being appointed to Victoria University (VU), Professor Harman’s modus operandi has been to sell,sell, sell — like an auctioneer — the campuses under her control. She is shutting down the Newport VU campus, not caring about the students in automotive studies who have nowhere to go next year. Who will train the western suburbs motor mechanics in the future? Certainly not VU! Professor Harman does not care, does not undertake real consultation or listen to reason, and is callous about sacking 270 people, with real families, just before Christmas. This is heartless. This is the Christmas present awaiting 270 families this year, following in the footsteps of Kennett, who sacked 1600 school cleaners just before Christmas in 1993. It is cruel and heartless.

For an intellectual, Professor Harman has not done any hard thinking in conjunction with local communities, students, staff and other stakeholders to build this institution, not to disassemble it and weaken it, to sack great committed hardworking staff at all levels, and to bring this great institution to its knees and into disrepute, where all staff are scared for their future and where VU will have real difficulty attracting staff in the future. It is a real tragedy that VU is disappearing into its own orifice and becoming unviable, where in the near future it will be taken over to survive long after Professor Harman and her sycophantic managers are gone.

Keep writing to your MP

2008-10-29T22:22:00.004+11:00

Please continue to write (letters/emails) to your Member of Parliaments (MPs). As evident from the email Christine sent to her local state member and the respond she received our MP will listen and advocate on our behalf.

Christine had also written to her local Federal MP last week and received a supportive reply.

I wrote to my local Federal Member for Deakin, Mike Symon, last week and he too replied and said that he had forwarded my letter to the Minister of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations, and Social Inclusion, Julia Gillard for her consideration.

I know many have written to their local members. Email the reply to me if you are happy for me to blog it.

Letter to Joanne Duncan MP and her reply

2008-10-29T22:01:00.005+11:00

A fellow student, Christine, wrote this email to Joanne Duncan, MP Member for Macedon and received the following response. [Christine has kindly given me permission to post the emails on this blog. Thanks.]

To: joanne.duncan@parliament.vic.gov.a
Date: 23/10/2008 11:39PM
Subject: Victoria University

Dear Joanne

I am writing to express my concern about the proposed staff cuts atVictoria University. Once again those of us who live in the Northern andWestern suburbs are being deprived of resources. I am a second yearstudent in the Bachelor of Social Work at the St Albans campus. I am asingle mother returning to study after many years at home caring forchildren (including 2 with disabilities). It would not be possible for meto study elsewhere largely because of other State Government educationpolicies which result in me needing to drive my children to St Albans eachday in order to access an education to meet their special needs. As aresident of Sunbury I am also concerned about the potential closure of theSunbury and Melton campuses. As our local member I would urge you toadvocate on our behalf for some degree of equity in the provision ofeducational resources.

Yours sincerely
Christine Quilty

From: joanne.duncan@parliament.vic.gov.au
[mailto:joanne.duncan@parliament.vic.gov.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 29 October 2008 11:14 AM
To: christine quilty
Subject: Re: Victoria University

Dear Christine,

Sorry I should have combined these two emails..
I raised this issue in Parliament last night with the Minsiter for Skills and Workforce Participation and wrote to the VU Council last week. Basically we want a meeting to ensure there is some transition plan and that post compulsory education continues at that site. I was very disappointed in their press release because I am of the view that if they offer courses that are relevant, students will come and this decision is premature given the Federal Governments current review which is very likely to increase funding to univerisites etc.The Minister and I will do all we can to keep this campus open keeping in mind the financial management decisions rest with the university and the university council..

Kind regards
Joanne

Joanne Duncan MP
Member for Macedon
telephone: 54 282138
fax: 54 282919

Draft Template

2008-10-29T21:52:00.003+11:00

A fellow student, Anna L, wrote this letter to her MP and she is happy to share with other students who might like to use the template. Thanks Anna.

*********************************************************************
Date

[Name of Elected Federal MP for your area],
Federal Member of Parliament,[your electorate name]
Electorate,[address of MPs office in electorate][postcode]
(you can google this info once getting name from AEC)

Dear [MP’s name],

I am a resident of the [your electorate name, (look up in AEC website)] Electorate, and the (friend, sibling, parent, employer) of a social work student of Victoria University. I understand that effectively 1 in every 5 staff members, or 270 staff in total, will be cut from VU courses, and that smaller courses will be lost to the students of VU.

Victoria University was established to be accessible and to accommodate the learning needs of students who come from very diverse backgrounds and experiences. This had the flow on effect of encouraging professional employment and opportunities for individuals and families to not only improve their life prospects and escape the poverty trap, but also to reduce their dependency on social security payments, and to instead contribute to the economy through gainful employment.

VU gave hope to the community, hope to families that through appropriate education their children may have greater opportunities in life and a very realistic chance that they would be offered a place at a local campus in a wide variety of courses offered. The variety of courses and pathways catered to the needs of students who live or work in the western suburbs and therefore encouraged engagement in higher education and meaningful activity. Many of these students cannot afford a lot of travel on a daily basis, nor to live away from home in order to access a university education. Furthermore, many students both work and study within the western region and contribute to and strengthen local community.

Welfare and social work are key services to the western suburbs and many students complete the field education component of their studies within this region, and some then gain employment at these workplaces on completion of their placements; unpaid placements which amount up to a year’s worth of free service to the community. The Social Work course at VU sends students into the community field education placements each year, therefore creating strong and viable community links. If the social work course, or indeed staff from within it, were lost from VU, its service and contribution to the community would also be largely lost. Furthermore the welfare sector in the West may struggle to find employees and to provide the services required by residents. I believe the loss of jobs especially across social work and welfare related courses will prove to be detrimental not only to students but also to the western suburbs, and the economy over the longer term.

If major cuts occur Victoria University will no longer be a “New School of Thought” within the western suburbs of Melbourne. Such action will exclude many disadvantaged students from obtaining tertiary qualifications.

I appeal to you to lobby in support of retaining staff and courses at all campuses of Victoria University, particularly in the areas of Social Work and Welfare, and on behalf of many VU students who live or work within your electorate.

Yours sincerely,

(your name)

Media Release - Vice Chancellor

2008-10-29T13:42:00.002+11:00

http://www.vu.edu.au/About_VU/Media_Releases/VU_will_provide_whats_best_for_west/indexdl_94087.aspx
VU will provide what's best for west
28 October 2008

Victoria University's (VU) Vice Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Harman today reaffirmed Victoria University's commitment to provide high quality post secondary education for all people living in the western region of Melbourne.

Professor Harman said: "The decision made by Victoria University's Council last night will see the University staying on track by offering the courses that students want, at the campuses they prefer in the western region of Melbourne, with the right staff and support services."

"Our aim is to make VU the first choice for vocational and higher education students in western Melbourne."

"We are currently teaching courses at eleven sites across the west and in the city. The arrangements are not optimal for students or for the University. Council has been planning for a better campus future for more than a year and deliberations will continue into 2009."
During 2008, VU commissioned major external reports about the educational needs of the western region and separate reports on each campus.

Council has now resolved to advance plans to meet the growth in student numbers in the western growth areas through development of VU at Footscray, St Albans, Sunshine and Werribee ensuring those campuses are viable and vibrant.

Council agreed that VU should stop enrolment of new students at two of its small outer suburban campuses at Melton and Sunbury from 2010, although it recognised that in courses deemed to be too small across the whole university enrolments may cease from 2009.
These decisions are subject to approvals from relevant Governments.

Professor Harman said: "Students who are currently enrolled at Melton and Sunbury campuses - 850 at Melton and 1550 at Sunbury - will be supported through their studies so that they can successfully complete their courses."

"Our analysis shows that even if we were to change our course mix and attempt to relocate other courses to Melton and Sunbury there is little possibility that either campus would reach a viable size by 2031."

The University will continue discussions with authorities at local, State and Commonwealth level with a view to VU assisting in partnerships for educational services that better meet the needs of local residents. This might be because other providers make use of VU land and facilities at Melton and Sunbury. Alternatively, students from Melton and Sunbury will continue to travel to other VU campuses in the western region, as the majority now do.

Professor Harman said: "Planning for our campuses, must be based on the real trends and forecasts of actual student demand for tertiary education over the next few decades in the western region."

"The University aims to develop an investment strategy that recognises that while the first call on funds goes to student needs, learning, teaching and research, the University nonetheless must find the means to provide first class facilities in the west for this education and research by improvements or extensions to our existing infrastructure."

Media Release - Chancellor

2008-10-29T13:37:00.001+11:00

http://www.vu.edu.au/About_VU/Media_Releases/Council_backs_VU_VCs_plans/indexdl_94086.aspx
Council backs VU VC's plans
28 October 2008

The following statement was issued by the Hon. Frank Vincent, AO, QC, Chancellor Victoria University, following the VU Council meeting held on 27 October 2008.

Victoria University stayed on track last night to offer the courses that students want, at the campuses they prefer in the western region of Melbourne, with the right staff and support services.

The University Council supported the Vice Chancellor's redundancy plans for up to 270 staff linked to nonviable courses and disproportionately high salary costs compared to other expenditure.

The Vice Chancellor indicated that every possible avenue would be explored to reduce the number of redundancies required and the consultation period with staff will be extended.
In a separate debate, Council agreed to advance overall planning strategy for the University's eleven campuses to ensure that these best suit the region's future growth and educational needs. Progress on a comprehensive plan will be made in March 2009.

Council agreed that VU should stop enrolment of new students at two of its small outer suburban campuses at Melton and Sunbury from 2010, although it recognised that enrolments may cease in 2009 in courses deemed to be too small across the whole university. These decisions are subject to approvals from relevant governments.

The decisions will provide time for the University to continue discussions with authorities at local, State and Commonwealth level with a view to VU assisting in partnerships for educational services that better meet local needs than is currently the case.

It will also give time for the outcomes of the Bradley Report to be considered and for any material assistance that this may recommend to government that could benefit VU to be taken into account.

Council split on planned job cuts

2008-10-29T11:24:00.002+11:00

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24566844-12149,00.html
Andrew Trounson
October 29, 2008

IN the face of looming strike action, Victoria University has determined to carry through with its plan to cut up to 270 staff in the next six months despite the prospect of a federal funding boost following the Bradley review in December.

But it was a split 13-7 vote with two independent councillors backing a motion from staff council members to freeze the redundancy pending a review of finances. While chancellor Frank Vincent said the redundancy program remained on track, noting that every effort would be made to minimise job losses, the National Tertiary Education Union claimed it was encouraged by the split vote.

In an email to staff, NTEU branch president Richard Gough said the vote "indicates a level of disquiet in council about management decisions that has rarely been seen".

The NTEU has condemned the job losses as premature given the prospect of a funding boost from Canberra in 2010 once the Bradley review reports in December. And commenting on the job losses earlier this week, Victorian Skills and Workforce Participation Minister Jacinta Allan told The Australian "it is unfortunate that Victoria University has made this decision prior to the completion of the federal Government's review of higher education which is expected to report in December 2008".

Victoria University courses and enrolments cut

2008-10-29T10:10:00.001+11:00

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24567680-2862,00.html
October 29, 2008 12:00am
VICTORIA University will cull unpopular courses from next year and stop enrolments at Melton and Sunbury from 2010.

The move follows fury over plans to slash up to 270 jobs across all campuses through forced and voluntary redundancies to save $27 million next year.

Victoria University has about 44,000 students at 11 sites in the western suburbs and city.
The university yesterday confirmed plans to scrap courses with small enrolments, and to develop growth areas in Footscray, St Albans, Sunshine and Werribee.

Things we can do 9 - Attend Public Meeting

2008-10-29T00:12:00.005+11:00

We can plan to attend the Public Meeting organised by National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and the community.

Date: Thursday 6 November
Time: 7.30 pm
Place: The Church Hall, 10a Hyde street Footscray.

Mark this date in your diary.

Things we can do 8 - Letters to Editor

2008-10-29T00:04:00.003+11:00

We can consider writing letters to the Editor

letters@theage.com.au

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/editorial/letter/

http://www.mxnet.com.au/lettertoeditor/

fcnvic_mail@fairfax.com.au (The Mail Footscray)

http://maribyrnong-leader.whereilive.com.au/contact/ (Maribyrnong Leader)·

editorial@starnewsgroup.com.au (The Footscray Star)

What can we do 7

2008-10-28T22:58:00.000+11:00

I know it's exam period for some. For others, there are assignments to be completed. It's a very busy time for everyone. When you get a short break, could you please consider writing to your State Member of Parliament, local councils and Ministers. If you scroll down this blog you will find a template which you can use. You can locate the name of your electorate and your Member of Parliament through www.aec.gov.au and you can then Google further details such as their local office site, email address etc.

Please raised your concerns / issues and attack any issues but please do not attack the persons.

Victoria University to close Melton, Sunbury campuses

2008-10-28T21:35:00.001+11:00

An excerpt. For full article go to the webpage

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24564965-2862,00.html
Victoria University to close Melton, Sunbury campuses
Billy Crossland
October 28, 2008 02:28pm

VICTORIA University will close two campuses, affecting thousands of students after intense speculation about its financial troubles.

Chancellor Frank Vincent confirmed the closure move in an announcement today. “Council agreed that VU should stop enrolment of new students at two of its small outer suburban campuses at Melton and Sunbury from 2010, although it recognised that enrolments may cease in 2009 in courses deemed to be too small across the whole university,” it said.

Melton State Labor MP Don Nardella slammed the decision, calling it “shambolic” and a “disaster”. The statement also said decisions were “subject to approvals from relevant governments’’, but Mr Nardella said this was misleading attempt to shift the blame to goverments.

The Melton Campus has 606 higher education students and 230 TAFE students. Victoria University has 11 campuses and sites in Melbourne's western suburbs and the CBD, including the campuses earmarked for closure.

Victoria University sackings are 'premature': Victorian Government

2008-10-28T21:17:00.001+11:00

An excerpts. For full article go to the webpage below

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24559796-12149,00.html
Victoria University sackings are 'premature': Victorian Government
by Andrew Trounson
October 27, 2008

While careful to avoid criticising VU, Victoria's Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation Jacinta Allan told The Australian, "it is unfortunate that Victoria University has made this decision prior to the completion of the Federal Government's Review of Higher Education which is expected to report in December 2008".

"The Victorian Government looks to VU to ensure the people of western Melbourne continue to have access to quality education," Allan said.

Victoria University's council will consider tonight a proposal to eventually shut down its Melton and Sunbury campuses in Melbourne's north west in what will be a fiery meeting, at the centre of which will be the planned job cuts.

Council Observer's Pass

2008-10-28T11:27:00.001+11:00

I was issued an Observer's Pass late yesterday afternoon and was able to be present at the Council's meeting. This is what the pass looks like. From the attendance sheet, 50 Observer's Pass were distributed on first-come-first-serve basis.
This is not a criticism or judgement, just an observation: some of my friends who applied before me did not get a pass. Interesting.
*************************************************************************************

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

COUNCIL 2008

Council Observer’s Pass

This pass enables …(Name of Observer)

To be an observer at the Council meeting scheduled to be held at:

TIME: 5.30PM

DATE: Monday, 27th October 2008

VENUE: Seminar Rooms 1 & 2
Convention Centre
SUNSHINE CAMPUS

Observers are requested to observe Council policy as set out in the attached document.

Please note this pass is not transferable.

Ms Leitha Nilsen
Secretary to Council

*************************************************************************************

Students and Staff Meeting today

2008-10-28T10:21:00.000+11:00

Hope you can come to the students and staff meeting this afternoon. Hope to see you there

Date: Tuesday 28 October
Time:1 pm.
Place: Room D531 Footscray Park Campus, Ballarat Rd

Please be there

2008-10-28T02:28:00.000+11:00

I will be showing my support by turning up at the Sunshine Campus Convention Centre even though I could not get an observer's pass to attend the Council Meeting. I know many students are planning to turn up. So, I hope you can be there too.

Council meeting
Date: 27 October 2008, Monday
Time: 5.00 pm for 5.30pm start
Place: Sunshine Campus Convention Centre

Things we can do 6

2008-10-27T21:51:00.000+11:00

Please consider attending the student and staff meeting to develop support/actions. Please pass the word around and encourage other students to attend. Hope to see you there

Date: Tuesday 28 October,
Time:1 pm.
Place: Room D531 Footscray Park Campus, Ballarat Rd

I Support VU Staff

2008-10-27T20:04:00.000+11:00

Hi fellow students, friends and supporters

I started this blog as a way of showing support to the VU Staff. I would like to use this blog as a site for healthy discussions and debate on the issue of staff cut. I welcome all comments and discussions on this issue. However, I wish to be upfront that I discourage any personal attacks on any individuals and I reserve the right to ask for a withdrawal on any malicious comments. Let's attack the issue without attacking anyone.

As a Social Work student, I encourage us to put into practice all that we have learned thus far. Let us show through our collective actions the positive impact our learning have had on our lives and the lives of those we will be working with and for. I hope our lecturers are proud of their input in our learning and our lives.

National Tertiary Education Union 21 Oct 2008

2008-10-27T12:37:00.001+11:00

http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/vu_action

NTEU to recommend industrial action at Victoria University
21 October 2008

The National Tertiary Education Union will be recommending industrial action be taken at a meeting of Victoria University staff tomorrow, said Matthew McGowan, Victorian Secretary of the NTEU.

“Victoria University staff are shocked by the announcement on Friday of the largest ever mass redundancy in Australia’s higher education sector. The Vice-Chancellor has shown disregard for staff and for students in slashing 250 jobs, and staff are fed up with this arrogance.”

“In troubled economic times, job security is an important issue for staff at universities, many of whom are forced onto short-term contracts or only given casual positions. The NTEU is seeking a collective agreement that would increase rights for casual staff and put limitations on the use of contracts. It is disappointing that rather than negotiate in good faith, the Vice-Chancellor and her negotiating team have decided to engage in mass sackings.
“Such a large number of job losses can only mean increased workloads for remaining staff.”

“This decision by the Vice-Chancellor is a serious blow to higher education opportunities for students from the Western Suburbs. There is no doubt that student services will be affected, and diversity of courses will reduce.”

“Staff at VU have been left with no other choice but to take industrial action. The Vice-Chancellor and senior management have consistently failed to negotiate seriously, and have refused to treat the bargaining process with respect.”

“Victoria University’s Vice-Chancellor can turn this around by coming to the negotiating table in good faith, and give up her reckless and derisory attitude towards collective bargaining and staff.”

VC Media Release

2008-10-27T12:33:00.002+11:00

In order to discuss this current situation, it will be good for us to know what has been happening. I have been searching the web for media releases and newspaper articles on this issue. I will provide link so you can read the entire article. Let me start from the beginning.

On 17 October, Vice Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Harman announced that Victoria University will undertake a program of targeted and voluntary redundancies over the next six months. This is an extract of the media release. For full media release please go to: http://www.vu.edu.au/About_VU/Media_Releases/VU_to_future_proof_itself_for_new_competitive_education_environment/indexdl_93897.aspx

VU to future proof itself for new competitive education environment
17 October 2008

"While the University has been consistently returning a surplus each year, we need to rebalance our budget if we are going to have the means to invest in new facilities and services to meet the growth demands of the western region of Melbourne."

"This is a matter of pre-emptive action and sound financial management. Without action now, we could face difficulty by 2010 - which would short-change the communities we serve."

"We are making substantial budget savings across the University and while this will include non-salary savings, cost reductions can only be achieved by substantial savings on salaries. At 65 per cent, salaries are by far the largest component of VU's expenditure."

"The bulk of the savings, $16.5 million will be made in Higher Education faculties where there is a concentration of small units and courses. We expect these to be adversely affected also by Australia's declining population of school leavers - forecast to be 5 per cent over the coming decade."

"Vocational and Further Education schools will make a small contribution of $2 million in 2009 as they gear up to provide more training."

"Administrative areas that support the main education and research functions of the University will contribute salary savings of a further $8.5 million."

2008-10-27T12:33:00.001+11:00

Things we can do 5

2008-10-27T12:07:00.000+11:00

If you are familiar with facebook and prefer that to the blog, please check this for more students supporting the VU staff

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=31172679982

Things we can do 4

2008-10-27T12:01:00.000+11:00

We can attend the council meeting. I have just received via email an observer's pass to attend the meeting. Hope to see you there

Date: 27 October 2008, Monday
Time: 5.00 pm for 5.30pm start
Place: Sunshine Campus Convention Centre

Things we can do 3

2008-10-27T11:53:00.000+11:00

We can write to our Vice Chancellor. We can express the positive impact our learnings have had on our lives. Outline the many good qualities of your lecturers and the unit of studies. Outline the support we received. Outline how our learnings have challenged our thinking, actions and behaviors. Let our VC know that if we lose our department (social work) it will be THE BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER. Let's argue our case, using all the skills and knowledge we acquired this semester.

Remember to attack the issue and not the person! Remember anti-oppressive practice!

VU Vice Chancellor: Elizabeth.Harman@vu.edu.au

Things we can do 2

2008-10-27T11:44:00.000+11:00

We can write to our local MP, state and federal minister. You can locate the name of your electorate and your Member of Parliament through www.aec.gov.au and you can then Google further details such as their local office site, email address etc.
A few examples

The Hon Julia Gillard MP
Minister for Education
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Minister for Social Inclusion
Electorial Office:PO Locked Bag 14Werribee Vic 3030 Fax: (03) 9741 6213 And/OrMinisterial Office:PO Box 6022House of RepresentativesParliament HouseCanberra ACT 2600Fax: (02) 6273 4115
Email: Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au

The Hon Bronwyn Pike MP
Minister for Education
Electorate Office: 146-214 Peel St, North Melbourne 3051Ph: 9328 4637Fax: 9326 8747 And/orMinisterial Office:Level 12 Treasury PlaceEast Melbourne VIC 3002Ph: 9637 3196Fax: 9637 2800
Email: bronwyn.pike@parliament.vic.gov.au

Local federal members:
Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au (MHR for Gellibrand)

Bill.Shorten.MP@aph.gov.au (MHR for Maribyrnong) Local state member

Marsha.Thomson@parliament.vic.gov.au State Minister for Education

Things we can do 1

2008-10-27T11:25:00.000+11:00

We can send emails / letters to the VU staff. Let them know we are thinking of them and their families. We can let them know we support them. We can listen to them. We can encourage them. Remember those skills we learned this semester? Remember those 'tensions' and issues of power. Remember, sometimes it's not black or white... it's gray. Maybe there are opportunities to put them to good use.

(I think, my lecturer would be proud of me for saying this :))

Draft Template

2008-10-27T02:30:00.000+11:00

Here is a template drafted by a fellow student (used here with her consent. Thanks).

[Student Address]

23 October 2008.

[Name of Elected Federal MP for your area],
Federal Member of Parliament,
[your electorate name] Electorate,
[address of MPs office in electorate]
[postcode].
(you can google this info once getting name from AEC).

Dear [MP’s name],

I am a resident of the [your electorate name, (look up in AEC website)] Electorate, who currently studies at Victoria University. I am studying [year in your degree] year of a 4 year Undergraduate Social Work Degree and am extremely concerned by the imminent cuts to staffing at Victoria University. I understand that effectively 1 in every 5 staff members, or 400 staff in total, will be cut from VU courses, and that smaller courses will be lost to the students of VU.

Victoria University was established to be accessible and to accommodate the learning needs of students who come from very diverse backgrounds and experiences. This had the flow on effect of encouraging professional employment and opportunities for individuals and families to not only improve their life prospects and escape the poverty trap, but also to reduce their dependency on social security payments, and to instead contribute to the economy through gainful employment.

VU gave hope to the community, hope to families that through appropriate education their children may have greater opportunities in life and a very realistic chance that they would be offered a place at a local campus in a wide variety of courses offered. The variety of courses and pathways catered to the needs of students who live or work in the western suburbs and therefore encouraged engagement in higher education and meaningful activity. Many of these students cannot afford a lot of travel on a daily basis, nor to live away from home in order to access a university education. Furthermore, many students both work and study within the western region and contribute to and strengthen local community.

Welfare and social work are key services to the western suburbs and many students complete the field education component of their studies within this region, and some then gain employment at these workplaces on completion of their placements; unpaid placements which amount up to a year’s worth of free service to the community. The Social Work course at VU sends students into the community field education placements each year, therefore creating strong and viable community links. If my course, or indeed staff from within it, were lost from VU, our service and contribution to the community would also be largely lost. Furthermore the welfare sector in the West may struggle to find employees and to provide the services required by residents. I believe the loss of jobs especially across social work and welfare related courses will prove to be detrimental not only to students but also to the western suburbs, and the economy over the longer term.

If major cuts occur Victoria University will no longer be a “New School of Thought” within the western suburbs of Melbourne. Such action will exclude many disadvantaged students from obtaining tertiary qualifications.

I appeal to you to lobby in support of retaining staff and courses at all campuses of Victoria University, particularly in the areas of Social Work and Welfare, and on behalf of many VU students who live or work within your electorate.

Yours sincerely,

[Student name]

The Australian 17 Oct 2008

2008-10-26T20:49:00.001+11:00

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24510896-12332,00.html

Victoria University to cut 250 jobs
October 17, 2008

UP to 250 jobs are expected to be cut at Victoria University in the next six months.Vice-chancellor Elizabeth Harman today announced the university will “undertake a program of targeted and voluntary redundancies”. The increasingly competitive nature of Australian universities and poor enrolments in unpopular courses are being blamed for the decision. “Victoria University wants to be ready to embrace the new challenges and opportunities this will bring in 2009,” Professor Harman said on the university's website. She said staff would be lost in small units and courses that were failing to attract student numbers.

But the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has called on Professor Harman to resign, calling the announcement the largest job cut in Australian university history. “The university management must be held to account for this disaster,” Matthew McGowan, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary said. “Both the state and federal governments must intervene to protect the future of education in the western region of Melbourne.”