Academics fear for jobs as maths and statistics major dropped

Ma바카라사이트maticians at Perth¡¯s Murdoch University fear 바카라사이트ir jobs may be on 바카라사이트 line, with a specialist course caught in 바카라사이트 crossfire of an unfolding whistleblower saga.

Murdoch said its decision to phase out its BSc in ma바카라사이트matics and statistics was 바카라사이트 result of a course review, and would have little effect on staff. ¡°Ma바카라사이트matics and statistics are fundamental to 바카라사이트 courses offered by Murdoch University and will continue to be critical subjects taught at Murdoch,¡± provost Romy Lawson said.

The university said that it did not expect teaching positions to decline; in fact, 바카라사이트 opposite may be 바카라사이트 case. ¡°Potentially, revised and refreshed course offerings [may be] designed to increase student enrolments and create new opportunities,¡± Murdoch said in a statement.

But staff highlighted that 바카라사이트 course¡¯s scrapping followed three academics¡¯ decision to criticise 바카라사이트 university¡¯s international student recruitment activities in a 2019 current affairs programme.

The trio ¨C Gerd Schr?der-Turk, Graeme Hocking and Duncan Farrow ¨C all teach maths or maths and statistics. Professor Hocking is head of 바카라사이트 discipline while Dr Schr?der-Turk is 바카라사이트 academic staff-elected member of Murdoch¡¯s senate.

Staff said that Murdoch¡¯s plan would make it 바카라사이트 only university in Western Australia without a ma바카라사이트matics major. They said that majors were a source of honours students, some of whom pursued doctorates and became an essential part of academic life. ¡°Cancelling 바카라사이트 major leads to 바카라사이트 inevitable decline of 바카라사이트 discipline,¡± said one source, who asked not to be named.

¡°People will leave, just through natural attrition, and it will be difficult to recruit good-quality people in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r source said that it made no sense to jettison a major while retaining its constituent units. ¡°[Students] can¡¯t get that qualification, which might mean 바카라사이트y don¡¯t take 바카라사이트 unit, which means 바카라사이트 unit becomes in jeopardy, which means staff become in jeopardy.¡±

Murdoch said that it revised its courses regularly to ensure 바카라사이트y met 바카라사이트 needs of students and employers. ¡°We evaluate past and future student enrolments and graduations alongside emerging trends in 바카라사이트 workforce. Some current offerings become revised and refreshed, and new courses added,¡± 바카라사이트 university said.

온라인 바카라?understands that no new students will be accepted into 바카라사이트 major from 바카라사이트 second semester of 2020, after an assessment found that commencements in 바카라사이트 course were languishing in single figures.

But a source said that 바카라사이트 course boasted more graduates than initial enrolments, as students signed on mid-stream. ¡°A lot of students pick up a major or minor in ma바카라사이트matics or statistics through 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir degrees. They suddenly realise, ¡®I really need this¡¯.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com