AUS Tertiary Update

Victoria denies underhand tactics over fees
Victoria University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pat Walsh, has described as absolutely absurd claims of underhand behaviour by the University in dealing with a proposal to apply to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) for permission to increase student-tuition fees in Humanities and Social Sciences, Education, Architecture and Law by 10 percent on 2006 levels from the second trimester of this year.
Earlier in the week, the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) expressed outrage at the proposal, saying that the plans had been kept confidential until exposed for public debate at the University’s Council meeting on Monday this week. VUWSA President, Geoff Hayward, said that the worst-case scenario was coming to fruition for students, in that tuition fees would increase at a rate faster than the 5 percent allowed under the Government’s fee-maxima policy. “More troubling, these decisions have almost been made behind closed doors without student input,” he said. “Without consultation, thousands of students would have to pay the increase not even knowing it had happened. They wouldn’t be able to express their opinions or take action on an issue which has huge ramifications for their studies and their lives.”
Professor Walsh said that, in September last year the Council discussed, in public, a proposal to apply to TEC for an exemption to raise the fees in question by a further 5 percent in addition to the five percent increase being applied to all courses in 2007. This was deferred for future consideration and it was due to be discussed at Monday’s Council meeting. “The report on this proposal was mistakenly included in the confidential section of the order paper when it should have been in the public section,” he said. “As soon as this oversight was spotted the Council moved to defer the matter so that it could be considered in public at its March 26 meeting. I’m surprised Geoff [Hayward] made [his statements] considering he was present at Monday’s meeting and knows the matter has not yet been voted on.”
Victoria University did not respond to specific questions from Tertiary Update, including whether the University should have revealed proposals to prospective students earlier in order that they could accurately inform decisions about study this year. Instead, however, it issued a general media statement rejecting the claim of underhand behaviour.

Also in Tertiary Update this week
1. Glassed off, not Glasnost
2. University disappointed cheating linked to country of origin
3. Government considered closing WITT
4. Barriers to student-loan repayment eased
5. Student-loan interest rate set, interest-free student loans extended for volunteers
6. Canterbury VC reappointed, Wintec boss new ITP Chair
7. VCs’ pay-rise twice that of staff
8. Union to campaign against casualisation
9. Mammoth faculty strike looms
10. US university fires transgender professor

Glassed off, not Glasnost
Palmerston-North-based tertiary-education provider, UCOL, has reacted to claims that it never asked the Government for help to save the financially troubled Diploma in Glass Design and Production programme at its Whanganui Campus. Last week, the Tertiary Education Commission told Tertiary Update that it had not been approached by UCOL with a request to save year one of the glass programme and that, while Quality Reinvestment Fund money had been approved for the institution, support for the Diploma of Glass had not been a part of the institution’s submission.
Last week, UCOL Chief Executive, Paul McElroy, said that the institution had approached the TEC under the Quality Reinvestment Fund specifically for assistance for the glass programme, and he has since reiterated that the Diploma in Glass was included in the first business case presented to the Crown in June last year. He says that senior UCOL councillors and officials, together with representatives of Whanganui iwi and mayors and officials from Ruapehu, Wanganui and Rangitikei districts, presented the business case on behalf of Whanganui UCOL to government education officials in Wellington. The business case supported the redevelopment of the UCOL’s Whanganui campus and annual ongoing support for its continued operation.
Mr McElroy says that the subsequent dialogue with the Crown resulted in the business case being rejected and UCOL being advised of set fiscal limits within which to resubmit a case. It was due to the fiscal limitations imposed on UCOL by the Crown that glass was not able to be supported in the re-submitted version. “I stand by my comment that we did approach the Tertiary Education Commission for funding to continue the Diploma in Glass in Wanganui,” he said.

University disappointed cheating linked to country of origin
Lincoln University says that it is disappointed that media attention on issues common to all educational institutions, such as plagiarism, has been publicly linked with students’ country of origin. The statement follows a major story in The Press alleging that cheating and plagiarism is rife among Chinese students at the University. The story cites serious incidents which occurred last year, including a student breaking into an office to steal an examination paper, another who paid others to do her assignments and one who was awarded a PhD scholarship despite breaking rules twice during honours study. The Press also reported that, in July last year, a Chinese student studying winemaking and viticulture was caught copying a colleague’s work, and that students at the time said widespread cheating by Chinese students was going unchecked.
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Sheelagh Matear, says that the University does not collect data on the basis of race or country of origin in relation to disciplinary matters as it would not have any impact on the way in which a student is treated. “We aim to treat all students fairly and according to their needs,” she said. “We provide learning support for all students and, in addition to that, the University also has a dedicated International Student Advisor.”
A staff member spoken to by Tertiary Update said, however, that, while the University may not keep information on the country of origin of cheats, it would be well aware that students from mainland China were involved in most incidents of cheating.
With students from more than sixty countries making up approximately 45 percent of its student population, Lincoln has the highest proportion of international students at a New Zealand university. Last year, the University had fifty-two cases of plagiarism and forty-seven incidents of cheating in exams or tests.
Professor Matear said that that information and warnings relating to the University’s policies on dishonest academic practice are accessible to all students and staff, and that all international students have to meet English language requirements before being admitted to the University.

Government considered closing WITT
Cabinet papers relating to the Government’s decision to appoint a commissioner to Taranaki’s troubled Western Institute of Technology (WITT) show that independent advisors, PricewaterhouseCoopers, considered four options for the Institute, including closing it down altogether.
A report in Education Review says that documents show that Cabinet concluded in June 2005 that WITT was technically insolvent. It decided, however, not to start the process for appointing a commissioner at that time because it was thought the institution could break even by reaching 2000 EFTS and with having a new Council chair and chief executive to provide a fresh look at strategy.
Education Review reports that, in early 2006, the Government was advised that WITT had a business-recovery plan but, by June, the Minister for Tertiary Education, Dr Michael Cullen, was describing the situation as grave and an increasing risk, and concluding that more financial support for the institution was unavoidable. By September, Graeme McNally, the Crown Observer, reported that there was serious risk to the operation and long-term viability of WITT.
The four options considered by PricewaterhouseCoopers included closing or breaking up the institution at a cost of $19-23 million, paring it back to only its profitable courses at a cost of $17-29 million in the next two years, redirecting it to deliver mostly programmes sourced from other, larger providers at a cost of $25-35 million or continuing “as is”, which would cost $29-38 million over the next four years with little likelihood the operation would ever break even.
The advisors warned that the first two options would involve “substantial reductions in public provision in Taranaki”.
A spokesman for Dr Cullen, said the costs associated with each option included Crown debt and assumed that WITT’s debt, currently about $11 million plus underwriting of a further $4 million, would be written off.
Education Review says that this year’s enrolments are 10 percent ahead of the same time last year, with extra courses provided in some areas.

Barriers to student-loan repayment eased
Legislation aimed at removing barriers that deter student-loan borrowers from returning to New Zealand was reported back to Parliament by the Education and Science Select Committee this week. The Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill (No 2) introduces a three year “holiday” from student-loan repayments to ensure that the loan balances of borrowers going overseas short-term will not increase at a punitive rate. The rationale for the changes is that the current student-loan rules, and particularly the complexity of repayment obligations for overseas-based borrowers, may discourage them from meeting their repayment obligations. The Select Committee’s report says that, as the penalties for non-payment may be punitive, borrowers may be deterred from returning to New Zealand.
Under the proposed legislation, provision is made for data matching between the New Zealand Customs Service and the Inland Revenue Department to allow the Department to determine correctly the entitlement of borrowers to interest-free loans. Under current legislation, only student-loan borrowers who remain in New Zealand are exempted from paying interest on their student loans.
Also included in the Bill is what is described as an opportunity for a new start for overseas borrowers who have not been meeting their repayment obligations by extending the current amnesty from 31 March this year to the same date in 2008.
Fifteen submissions were received on the Bill by the Select Committee, with the majority of submitters supporting its intent.

Student loan interest rate set, interest-free student loans extended for volunteers
The Revenue Minister, Peter Dunne, announced this week that the interest rate on student loans for the 2007-08 tax year has been set at 6.8 percent, down from 6.9 percent. The change was approved by Order in Council on Monday. Making the announcement, Mr Dunne said that the interest rate for those borrowers who still have to pay interest on student loans is based on a five-year average of the ten-year bond rate, plus a margin to cover administration costs.
In another announcement, Mr Dunne named a further six organisations whose volunteers may qualify for interest-free student loans while working for those organisations overseas. In addition to the forty-eight qualifying organisations named last year, the six new charitable organisations approved are Interserv (NZ), Mission Aviation Fellowship of New Zealand Inc, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand, NET Ministries (National Evangelization Teams), OMF New Zealand (Overseas Missionary Fellowship) and Bright Hope International Trust.
Student-loan borrowers are generally required to be present in New Zealand for six months in order to qualify for the interest-free provision. However, the law allows Inland Revenue to grant an exemption for certain borrowers who are overseas, including those who are working without pay or for a token payment for a charitable organisation.
Mr Dunne said that the regulation recognises the special circumstances of these charities, their employees and the contribution they make through various activities that are not based on profit or remuneration.
Borrowers working overseas for named charitable organisations would still have to apply to Inland Revenue to determine if they qualify for the interest write-off.

Canterbury VC reappointed, Wintec boss new ITP Chair
The University of Canterbury Council has voted to re-appoint the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Roy Sharp, for a period of four years from February 2008. The vote was taken at the Council’s monthly meeting held yesterday after being recommended by the Council’s Vice-Chancellor Employment Committee.
Professor Sharp has outlined to Council his vision for a period of stability at the University, with a focus on teaching and research excellence. He intends to outline his vision for the University to staff shortly.
Chancellor Robin Mann said that he was delighted that Professor Sharp has renewed his commitment to the University. “I am also delighted that his significant achievements, during what has been a challenging period in the University’s history, have been recognised by Council,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wintec Chief Executive Mark Flowers has been elected as Chair of the Board of the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand (ITPNZ). ITPNZ, formerly the Association of Polytechnics in New Zealand, is the collective voice that represents the nineteen public institutes of technology and polytechnics around the country.
A press statement from Wintec says that Mr Flowers has made a significant contribution to the local scene since late 2002. He is on the Board of Katolyst, the Board of ITPNZ and the ITPNZ Chief Executive Officers’ Committee and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Worldwatch
VCs’ pay-rise twice that of staff
The salaries of university chiefs in the United Kingdom rose by more than twice that of academic staff in 2005-06, according to The Times Higher’s annual vice-chancellors’ salary survey. Vice-chancellors earned an average of 7.9 percent more in 2005-06 than in 2004-05, according to an analysis of official figures for vice-chancellor pay published by universities. In the same period, academic salaries rose by just 3 per cent.
Between 2004-05 and 2005-06, the average pay packet for vice-chancellors, including benefits but excluding employer pension contributions, grew by £12,044, from £153,061 to £165,105. The highest earner was Laura Tyson, former Director of the London Business School at £322,000, while vice-chancellors of the Russell Group institutions earned an average of £217,927 in 2005-06, an increase of 8.2 percent on the previous year.
The survey also revealed huge pension contributions made to some vice-chancellors, either as one-off or retirement payments. The highest of these was to Michael Sterling at Birmingham University, who received a pension of £126,000 in 2005-06 up from £88,000 in 2004-05
When asked whether it was aware of or concerned about the level of pension payments in 2005-06, the Higher Education Funding Council for England said it was powerless to control or rein in vice-chancellor pay packets or pension payments.
The University and College Union said that the results of the survey of vice-chancellors’ pay sent out the wrong message to staff.
From The Times Higher Education Supplement

Union to campaign against casualisation
Mounting casual academic employment in Australian universities and the risk this poses to quality is the target of a major nationwide campaign launched by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) yesterday.
NTEU has estimated that the number of casual staff in Australian universities increased by 34 percent between 1996 and 2004, compared with a 6 percent increase in academics with more secure employment. It predicts the problem will worsen as universities make staff redundant, in some cases as part of the jockeying to secure Research Quality Framework funding. NTEU estimate that, in the states of Queensland and Victoria alone, more than 450 academics were laid off last year as a result of redundancies.
NTEU President, Dr Carolyn Allport, said that the growing casualisation of the academic workforce and the challenge this poses to universities in terms of providing quality teaching and research is one of the most serious issues facing the higher-education sector. “The fact that casual academics are only paid on an hourly basis is a major impediment to them performing their job to the best of their ability,” she said. “Whereas full-time academics are paid for their research and teaching, casuals are expected to maintain their academic qualifications and remain up to date in their field in their own time.”
More information on the campaign can be found at:
http://www.unicasual.com.au/

Mammoth faculty strike looms
More than 24,000 California State University instructors are voting this month to determine whether to take strike action if their salary demands aren’t met by the University’s administration. The California Faculty Association says the faculty walkout, which would be the first of its kind in the system’s history and potentially the most massive in the history of US higher education, would be likely to take place across the University’s twenty-three campus system. As many as 400,000 students would be affected.
Negotiations between the union and the University, which began nearly two years ago, are at an impasse, with the parties disagreeing over the true nature of the employer’s offer. University officials say their offer amounts to a 25 percent salary increase over the next year, while the Faculty Association says the deal would assure just a 15 percent across-the-board increase for all instructors over the four years. A spokesperson said the union is looking for what it calls a true 25 percent raise for all its members over four years.

US university fires trans-gender professor
A private Christian university in the United States has fired a male faculty member, now living as a woman, a few days after she legally changed her name. Last Friday, a US judge approved John Nemecek’s petition to change her name to Julie Nemecek.
When Nemecek announced, late last year, that she would start dressing and living as a woman, Spring Arbor University officials cut her pay and reduced her job responsibilities, saying that she had violated the terms of her employment contract and warning that she would lose her job at the end of May.
Nemecek said she was told on Monday this week, three days after legally changing her name, that she had been fired but would be paid through until May. The University confirmed the dismissal in a written statement. “A primary reason for this is John’s decision to not honor the contract we had agreed on,” the statement said. “We will honor our end of the contract financially and pay John through the end of the academic year.”
Nemecek has filed a gender-discrimination complaint against the University and the two sides are scheduled to meet in mediation on 6 March.
The Associated Press

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AUS Tertiary Update is compiled weekly on Thursdays and distributed freely to members of the Association of University Staff and others. Back issues are available on the AUS website: www.aus.ac.nz . Direct enquires should be made to Marty Braithwaite, AUS Communications Officer, email: marty.braithwaite@aus.ac.nz

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