AUS Tertiary Update

Statistics show women graduates earn less than male classmates
A Statistics New Zealand report into student loans and allowances released this week found that the average income for males is higher when they enter the workforce than the average income of their female classmates. The study found males’ incomes to be consistently higher five years after study, with males earning 20 percent more than females on average.
Association of University Staff Deputy Secretary, Nanette Cormack, said this report indicated that the growth in participation of women in tertiary education had not translated into equal remuneration in the workforce. Ms Cormack said this report was yet another indication that tertiary education for women in itself was not enough to close the gender pay gap. “We are concerned that female graduates are not being remunerated at the same level as their male classmates. It is disappointing that we are still hearing the bump of female graduates’ heads against the glass ceiling,” she said.
This concern was echoed by the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations National Women’s Rights Officer, Natalie Absalom, who said that a commitment from the Government was needed to eradicate this gender pay gap. “Women, while paying the same price for their education, are not reaping the same rewards,” she said. Ms Absalom said legislation that implemented flexible working hours would help women achieve pay parity.
Equal Opportunities Commissioner Judy McGregor is quoted in the Dominion Post as saying the figures showed employers still did not value female staff enough, and that female graduates should find out the going rate for their job and insist on equal treatment by holding out for that rate. Dr McGregor said this approach was even more relevant at a time of a skills and labour shortage.
The reported statistics were for students who had taken out a student loan or received an allowance during study. They showed a 34 percent rise in average graduating debt, from $11,220 in 1997 to $1,780 in 2004 and that the number of students receiving student allowances had decreased by 44 percent since the year 2000.

Also in Tertiary Update this week
1. Four weeks’ annual leave finally a reality for workers
2. PBRF results to be announced
3. Cullen signs private–providers’ protocol
4. Families Commission launches research fund
5. Victoria Vice-Chancellor to chair CUAP
6. US Brigham Young University staff and students protest against Cheney
7. UK further-education lecturers fight for the same pay as teachers
8. UK ‘illiteracy’ will render students unemployable

Four weeks’ annual leave finally a reality for workers
From 1 April this year, all workers in New Zealand will now be entitled to four weeks’ paid annual leave. New Zealand Council of Trade Unions’ President, Ross Wilson, said that working New Zealanders should take a moment to reflect on the success of the union movement campaign in achieving that fourth week of annual leave for all workers. “The fourth week of leave will set a fairer minimum standard and will help workers get more balance in their lives and meet commitments to their families and community and other cultural obligations,” he said. “This change brings New Zealand into line with Australia where they have had four weeks’ leave for over thirty years.”
Mr Wilson said four weeks annual leave will be added to the long list of achievements of the Labour-led governments of the past seven years, which includes increasing the minimum wage for low-paid workers.
For more information go to the Department of Labour’s website:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/

PBRF results to be announced
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is set to announce the results of the 2006 Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) Quality Evaluation phase on 1 May. Tertiary institutions will be sent the results for their PBRF-eligible staff on 2 April 2007 but will not be able to access the results until 9.00 am on Monday 30 April 2007. The public release will be at 1.00 pm on 1 May after a sector briefing that morning. The TEC say they are committed to ensuring that these results are released in a fair and transparent manner.

Dr Cullen signs private–providers’ protocol
The Minister for Tertiary Education, Dr Michael Cullen, has recently signed an updated protocol with the New Zealand Association of Private Education Providers (NZAPEP). The protocol was first signed in 2003 by the then Minister of Education, Steve Maharey. The protocol supports the continued practice of consultation on relevant policy changes between the private providers and the Government. According to the NZAPEP newsletter,, Peptalk, Dr Cullen noted that the protocol is a good faith agreement that will have ongoing benefits for tertiary education.

Families Commission launches research fund
The Families Commission has launched a fund of up to a million dollars per year to fund research that is likely to make a difference for families. Families Commission Chief Commissioner, Rajen Prasad, said that this is a significant fund and the Commission expected it to attract applications from a wide range of researchers who will be approaching family issues from a variety of perspectives. Mr Prasad said by providing evidence-based information on current family issues the Families Commission can build up a broad body of knowledge that supports the Commission’s role as an advocate for the interests of families.
There will be two funding rounds for the new fund in May and November of each year. Proposals are invited on the themes of family-friendly environments, fathering, intergenerational transmission, family assets, the impact of climate change on families and families benefiting communities.
Projects receiving funding may run for up to two years, although this may be increased once the fund is well established.
For more information on research funding can be found at:
www.nzfamilies.org.nz

Victoria Vice-Chancellor to chair CUAP
Professor Pat Walsh, Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University, has been appointed Chair of the Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP). CUAP is a committee of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, and Professor Walsh has been appointed Chair for a three-year term starting on 1 August 2007.
CUAP is charged with approving all new academic programmes at New Zealand universities before they are introduced.
CUAP also has two other new members: Associate Professor David Crabbe of Victoria and Josh Clark of the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations. Professor Walsh will take over from current Chair Professor Roger Field, Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University.

Worldwatch
US Brigham Young University staff and students protest against Cheney
The Times Higher Education Supplement reports that more than 2,300 people, including Brigham Young University students and alumni and members of the Mormon Church, have signed a petition asking that the United States Vice-President, Dick Cheney, does not deliver the University’s commencement address later this month.
Critics are concerned about Mr Cheney’s ties to the use of faulty intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war, as well as by the Valerie Plame case, in which MsPlame’s role as an undercover Central Intelligence Agency operative was leaked by Mr Cheney’s Chief of Staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.
A University spokeswoman said administrators were working to find a location for protesters who are planning a demonstration on the day of the Vice-President’s speech.

UK further-education lecturers fight for the same pay as teachers
Lecturers at further-education colleges in the United Kingdom, which are similar to New Zealand polytechnics and institutes of technology, are seeking an above-inflation pay rise this year as part of a claim for parity with teachers’ salary scales. Unions representing the 43,000 lecturers in further education colleges want to close the 6.3 percent gap in pay they say exists when their salaries are compared with teachers.

UK “illiteracy” will render students unemployable
Lecturers at some of the new universities in the United Kingdom are calling for a public debate on standards because they say functionally illiterate students are being passed so they do not drop out of courses. The lack of writing skills and sloppy punctuation and spelling will render students unemployable in graduate jobs despite their degrees, they say. Among the written howlers cited from students at both new and old universities are the cringe-making ”language is a mean's of self expresun”; the dreadful ”garunteed” for ”guaranteed”; and the utterly impenetrable ”case in point to me alone but not all”. The Times Higher Education Supplement highlighted other complaints yesterday and said the time was right ”for an honest and open debate on the qualities we expect from those entering university”.

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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 . Between 5 April and 10 May 2007, all enquires should be made to either Camilla Belich or Rebecca Matthews, AUS Policy Analysts, Phone 04 803 3999 or Email rebecca.matthews@aus.ac.nz or camilla.belich@aus.ac.nz

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