The Age | 7 November 2012
Students and staff want universities to follow Melbourne University’s lead and condemn proposed laws that strip their right to a place on Victoian uiversity governing councils. University councils and TAFE boards must include elected student and staff representatives under present rules. But Higher Education Minister Peter Hall says they will need to have the “necessary skills and experience” before they could sit on their institutes’ governing bodies under the proposed rules.
While Melbourne’ s chancellor Elizabeth Alexander has come out strongly against the change, other universities seemed to be not fussed or keen to embrace them.
Monash chancellor Alan Finkel has told staff in an email that the changes would give universities greater flexibility in the size and composition of their councils. The changes would “allow for a healthy mix of skills”.
La Trobe deputy chancellor John McKenzie welcomed the proposed changes as did Victoria University’s pro vice-chancellor Rob Brown, while the University of Ballarat said it isn’t concerned with the changes.
Students and the National Tertiary Education Union have promised to fight the changes. They will lobby universities to guarantee them council representation if the legislation is passed.
See
University lashes governing council changes
Staff and students to lose board seats
