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I graduated from an Australian uni in 2006 and have nothing but wonderful things to say about the experience. Heartbreaking to think that my kids might not have

I graduated from an Australian uni in 2006 and have nothing but wonderful things to say about the experience. Heartbreaking to think that my kids might not have access to the same quality of institution. Twelve years of Coalition government is part of the problem but imo the decline really started earlier, under Howard, with the shift to “user pays”. The rapid expansion of international student intake began shortly thereafter as a response to funding shortfalls.

stubish 4y ago
I think you need to go back farther. The problem was already starting in the mid-90s, and I think likely triggered by the Hawke government with the introduction of HECS (think student loans) and the changes that made to university funding. By the late 90s I recall conversations with academics that pretty much mirror the comments in the article. Relatively serious money was coming in from international and other full-fee paying students, and the departments who could pull in the numbers and/or charge higher fees growing. All the other departments frantically trying to work out how they could follow suit before they were amalgamated or dissolved. Full-fee student marks would often get bumped up to the next grade on appeal. And the casual tutor positions really kicked in, because a job needed to be found for every full-fee paying masters or phd who wanted one. And because the lecturers were being squeezed, delivering lectures to larger and larger groups in shiny new double or triple sized auditoriums, and needing three or four tutors to handle tutorials and student support and grading. And those tutors complained about how many hours they were paid vs. how many hours it took. And how the contracts were all casual, and carefully ensured so to avoid the liability of accidentally making them full-time. And the lecturers, taking more load because they were not as lucky as their peers who disappeared into research groups (also money spinners). I left in 2000, having worked in two faculties supporting about 10 different departments, two of which were leaders in pulling international students with new offshore campuses (offices really).

stubish 4y ago

I think you need to go back farther. The problem was already starting in the mid-90s, and I think likely triggered by the Hawke government with the introduction of HECS (think student loans) and the changes that made to university funding. By the late 90s I recall conversations with academics that pretty much mirror the comments in the article. Relatively serious money was coming in from international and other full-fee paying students, and the departments who could pull in the numbers and/or charge higher fees growing. All the other departments frantically trying to work out how they could follow suit before they were amalgamated or dissolved. Full-fee student marks would often get bumped up to the next grade on appeal. And the casual tutor positions really kicked in, because a job needed to be found for every full-fee paying masters or phd who wanted one. And because the lecturers were being squeezed, delivering lectures to larger and larger groups in shiny new double or triple sized auditoriums, and needing three or four tutors to handle tutorials and student support and grading. And those tutors complained about how many hours they were paid vs. how many hours it took. And how the contracts were all casual, and carefully ensured so to avoid the liability of accidentally making them full-time. And the lecturers, taking more load because they were not as lucky as their peers who disappeared into research groups (also money spinners). I left in 2000, having worked in two faculties supporting about 10 different departments, two of which were leaders in pulling international students with new offshore campuses (offices really).