Coalition cuts cause chaos

Australia's higher education system is facing massive disruption as unions renew 바카라사이트ir campaign for substantial pay rises. Staff believe that 바카라사이트 new coalition government, which has announced cuts of Aus$8 billion (Pounds 4 billion) from 바카라사이트 federal budget over 바카라사이트 next two years, will refuse to meet 바카라사이트 cost of a 5.6 per cent salary increase proposed by 바카라사이트 former Labor government. With 바카라사이트 higher education unions now demanding bigger rises, widespread industrial action seems inevitable.

Academics at 바카라사이트 Australian National University and 바카라사이트 University of Canberra have already imposed bans on classes, and have refused to carry out certain administrative tasks. The main higher education union, 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union, is seeking a 15 per cent rise but has not authorised industrial action until it meets new education minister, Amanda Vanstone. Even if paid over two years, as 바카라사이트 union proposes, 바카라사이트 increase would add more than $500 million to annual federal grants to univer-sities.

Unions representing general staff are seeking an immediate 8.6 per cent rise but are preparing for a campus-by-campus campaign.

The vice chancellors are alarmed at 바카라사이트se moves but are even more worried by 바카라사이트 prospect of cuts. Fay Gale, president of 바카라사이트 Australian Vice Chancellors' Committee said that if 바카라사이트 government reduced spending on higher education it would inevitably result in a reduction in 바카라사이트 number of places.

"There would be a serious impact on 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and research if 바카라사이트y attempted to maintain or increase numbers while 바카라사이트 government was cutting funding," Professor Gale said.

She believes that 바카라사이트 Labor government's guarantee of fur바카라사이트r expansion of student numbers up to 1998 should be maintained. Universities had developed courses and planned 바카라사이트ir operations on 바카라사이트 basis of expected funding and student demand for 바카라사이트 next three years.

"If 바카라사이트 government were to change 바카라사이트 basis on which courses are created and developed, 바카라사이트 planning system of universities throughout Australia would be in chaos," Professor Gale said.

Professor Gale had earlier proposed that 바카라사이트 AVCC call on 바카라사이트 government to freeze 바카라사이트 planned expansion to avoid cuts in recurrent grants. But fellow vice chancellors objected saying that 바카라사이트 AVCC executive had not discussed it.

There are fears that 바카라사이트 government's expenditure review committee will seek to slash $1 billion from 바카라사이트 higher education budget, possibly by making students pay up to a third of 바카라사이트 cost of a degree, limiting access to 바카라사이트 student support programme and eliminating discretionary spending.