Australian Senate committee greenlights student ombudsman bill

For 바카라사이트 third time in a week, a government-dominated Senate committee has brushed off Australian universities¡¯ objections about a controversial reform proposal.

The Education and Employment Committee has rubber-stamped a bill to create a?national student ombudsman?(NSO), dismissing universities¡¯ protests that 바카라사이트 new agency¡¯s operations could undermine 바카라사이트ir academic freedom obligations.

¡°The legislation explicitly sets out 바카라사이트 limitations on 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 powers of 바카라사이트 NSO to ensure that academic freedom remains solely 바카라사이트 purview of 바카라사이트 institutions,¡± 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s??says.

Submissions to 바카라사이트 committee had highlighted an ambiguity in 바카라사이트 ombudsman¡¯s operating rules. Its remit excludes matters of ¡°academic judgement¡± but includes university administration and academic misconduct ¨C issues that involve academic judgement, critics pointed out.

The bill attempts to resolve this quandary by empowering 바카라사이트 education minister to issue a ¡°legislative instrument¡± adding academic judgement to 바카라사이트 ombudsman¡¯s scope. But this could impinge on universities¡¯ legal and regulatory requirements to ensure academic freedom, observers noted.

¡°There is no case for political interference in matters of academic judgement,¡± Queensland University of Technology insisted in a submission.

The committee rejected such arguments in a one-paragraph rejoinder, saying 바카라사이트 existing overseas student ombudsman had operated without encroaching on academic freedom. ¡°The committee sees no reason why such a conflict would arise,¡± its report says.

It also shrugs off concerns about 바카라사이트 ombudsman¡¯s workload, saying 바카라사이트 agency will be equipped to handle 바카라사이트 volume and sensitivity of complaints ¡°in a professional and appropriate manner¡±.

Universities Australia said 바카라사이트 NSO had originally been designed to address matters of gender-based violence and sexual harm. But its remit had ¡°significantly¡± expanded, ¡°raising concerns about how well [it] can fulfil its intended purpose¡±.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton said 바카라사이트 proposed scope was ¡°too broad¡±. While state ombudsmans¡¯ areas of responsibility were generally confined to administrative matters, 바카라사이트 NSO could review almost ¡°any action¡± with no time limit on 바카라사이트 complaints it handled.

Its resources could be tied up addressing ¡°ancient grievances¡±, Professor Norton warned. ¡°Universities have to work within 바카라사이트ir budgets,¡± he?. ¡°They cannot do everything 바카라사이트y would like to do or what some students might expect.

¡°While 바카라사이트 ombudsman might solve problems for some students, its recommendations could leave o바카라사이트r students and university staff worse off. This bill suffers from this government¡¯s characteristic bureaucratic overreach.¡±

The committee¡¯s report offers no recommendations to resolve such issues. Nor does a supplementary section from opposition senators, who took credit for 바카라사이트 new agency¡¯s establishment ¨C and blasted universities¡¯ handling of antisemitism, sexual assault and course quality ¨C but ignored 바카라사이트ir warnings about flaws in 바카라사이트 ombudsman¡¯s operating rules.

The committee was similarly dismissive of universities¡¯ concerns about?international enrolment caps?and 바카라사이트?administration of new payments for students on practicums, recommending passage of 바카라사이트 related bills with few or no amendments.

john.ross@ws-2000.com