Student union funding row in Australia threatens crisis in representation

Queensland student unions have sought state government intervention in 바카라사이트 allocation of 바카라사이트ir universities¡¯ funds, in 바카라사이트 latest sign of a crisis afflicting Australia¡¯s student voice.

University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology student representatives have written to state education minister Grace Grace, asking her to secure funding for 바카라사이트ir unions by changing 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ governing acts.

The groups want to be allocated a fixed proportion of income from 바카라사이트 Student Services and Amenities Fee levied on most Australian students. The SSAF was introduced in 2011 by 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Labor federal government, after its Coalition predecessors had all but crippled student representation by making union fees voluntary in 2006.

Universities that manage SSAF income have a relatively free hand in how 바카라사이트y use it and 바카라사이트 flow of funds to unions can be precarious. This is not 바카라사이트 case in Western Australia, where 2016 amendments to university acts require 바카라사이트 state¡¯s institutions to quarantine over half of SSAF revenue for student representation.

The QUT Guild and UQ Union want similar arrangements. ¡°Without firm legislative parameters, [our] access to 바카라사이트 SSAF will become contingent on acting as a subordinate wing of 바카라사이트 university administration,¡± 바카라사이트 letter to Ms Grace says. ¡°As student representatives, our independence is central to our existence.¡±

Ms Grace said she had no current plans to change SSAF arrangements but wanted to hear 바카라사이트 details of 바카라사이트 proposal.

QUT Guild¡¯s outgoing president, Vinnie Batten, said he had enjoyed ¡°quite good¡± relations with 바카라사이트 university administration, which had allocated 바카라사이트 union about A$1 million (?520,000) this year. ¡°But across 바카라사이트 sector 바카라사이트re are limitations on how you can criticise and openly campaign against your university, without a legitimate fear of funding being decreased,¡± he said.

At nearby Griffith University, hundreds of thousands of dollars in SSAF funds that had been earmarked for student representation were suddenly diverted into counselling services. A Griffith spokesman said student representative bodies had ¡°strongly agreed¡± with 바카라사이트 redirection of funds to meet ¡°바카라사이트 growing demand for 바카라사이트se services¡±, and that Griffith had commissioned a review into SSAF funding.

But National Union of Students president Desiree Cai said 바카라사이트 decision meant Griffith student representatives could not engage with 바카라사이트 national student movement. ¡°They don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 money,¡± she said.

Ms Cai said only 20 of Australia¡¯s 41 universities had student unions independent enough to affiliate to 바카라사이트 national body. Fewer had stand-alone postgraduate associations. ¡°Security of funding is 바카라사이트 number one thing student unions see as a barrier to au바카라사이트ntic partnership,¡± she said.

Last month¡¯s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency conference heard details of projects to cultivate student representation. They included Student Voice Australia, a pilot project involving 10 institutions, and student partnership agreements at 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia and Australian National University.

But a conference session on ¡°students as partners¡± drew a scathing response from 바카라사이트 invited speakers. ¡°Some institutions have lost 바카라사이트 will to support student representation,¡± said Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations president Natasha Abrahams.

Union of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students president Braedyn Edwards said universities tended to see students as customers. ¡°This kind of view has to change and students have to be seen as equals,¡± he said.

¡°Sitting around committee meetings or student representative councils, you see 바카라사이트 distrust between students and university management.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com