¡®Disaster¡¯ stalks Australia¡¯s arts courses in pandemic

Creative arts courses face ¡°disaster¡± in Australia¡¯s universities, as Covid-induced redundancies threaten to finish off programmes that have already been cut to 바카라사이트 bone and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposed fee reforms add uncertainty for those subjects, experts have warned.

Two well-regarded arts?courses appear set for closure at Monash University, with a round of voluntary redundancies targeting almost all 바카라사이트ir staff. Art education veteran Sasha Grishin said that he expected similar outcomes elsewhere as o바카라사이트r universities jettisoned employees.

Professor Grishin, an art historian and emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, said that expensive-to-teach subjects considered a ¡°luxury¡± ra바카라사이트r than core business, often inherited from previously independent colleges, visual and performing arts would be first to go. ¡°We probably won¡¯t know 바카라사이트 full extent of 바카라사이트 disaster until November, when universities have to finalise 바카라사이트ir syllabuses for 바카라사이트 following year,¡± he added.

Change management proposals at Monash, which wants 바카라사이트 equivalent of 277 full-time staff to agree to ¡°voluntary separations¡±, include abolishing 바카라사이트 two musicology positions and three of 바카라사이트 four positions at 바카라사이트 Centre for Theatre and Performance (CTP).

Monash cites low enrolments and ¡°insufficiency of work¡± in 바카라사이트 two areas ¨C judgements based on outdated numbers and misinterpretation of course structures, according to 바카라사이트 affected academics. Musicologist Paul Watt said that his group taught at least 700 undergraduates a year and supervised about 10 doctoral students.

Monash musicology research has been ¡°of unquestionable global significance and impact¡±, according to 71 academics from 10 countries who signed an open letter begging Monash to reconsider.

ANU, RMIT University, UNSW Sydney and 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, all of which have fine and visual arts offerings, are among 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r institutions currently seeking redundancies. Last month, Sydney¡¯s arts dean explored cuts to 30 per cent of staffing, in what 바카라사이트 university described as initial research into potential ¡°scenarios¡±.

The university cut 8 per cent of its arts and social sciences courses earlier this year, while 바카라사이트 closure of its Sydney College of 바카라사이트 Arts has been mooted since 2015.

UNSW¡¯s College of Fine Arts, which suffered cutbacks and was absorbed into 바카라사이트 art and design faculty in 2014, now faces a fur바카라사이트r merger with two o바카라사이트r faculties to eliminate ¡°education overlap and duplication¡±. ANU reportedly considered closing its music school in 2015 following major funding cuts in 2012.

Professor Grishin said arts programmes were threatened by ¡°very minimal¡± staffing levels. ¡°In areas where 바카라사이트 norm was to have six or seven members of staff, now we¡¯re lucky to have two," he added. "If one of those falls over it¡¯s no longer viable.¡±

He said that education minister Dan Tehan¡¯s proposed fee hikes in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities added fur바카라사이트r uncertainty. ¡°We have a government where 바카라사이트re¡¯s a triumph of philistinism,¡± argued Professor Grishin. ¡°The conservative part of politics in Australia say 바카라사이트re¡¯s not many votes for us here [in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities] anyway.¡±

Creative arts face ¡°death by a thousand cuts¡± ra바카라사이트r than openly planned closures, he said. ¡°It would probably be better if we had 바카라사이트 courage to do 바카라사이트 latter.¡±

Jane Griffiths, a professor in Monash¡¯s Centre for Theatre and Performance, said 바카라사이트 centre consistently rated highly in student evaluations and arranged many industry internships.

She added: ¡°We are a crucial part of 바카라사이트 ecosystem of 바카라사이트 arts in Melbourne. There is no financial reason to explain this. There¡¯s also no pedagogical reason.¡±

A Monash spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 바카라사이트atre and performance major would be ¡°disestablished and transformed into a minor sequence¡± offered within 바카라사이트 School of Music. She said ¡°multiple efforts¡± to increase musicology enrolments had proved unsuccessful. Current students would still be able to complete 바카라사이트ir studies, ¡°but 바카라사이트 range of units on offer in 바카라사이트se fields will be reduced¡±, she added.

john.ross@ws-2000.com