In our lead story this week….
STAFFING POLICY WELCOME IF OVERDUE
The Association of University Staff (AUS) is welcoming Labour's policy of a strategic review and plan for tertiary
education staffing but stresses that it is an issue that has been neglected for too long. National President, Dr Grant
Duncan says the Labour policy finally recognises that Government must ensure that the tertiary education workforce is
sustainable. “You can’t have high-quality university education and research without the development of a high-quality
professional workforce," he says. "It looks like we are now getting some active recognition of that from the Minister,
and this will be welcomed by AUS members.” AUS is also welcoming other aspects of the policy, including a 3-year cycle
for tertiary institution funding, training and development initiatives for tertiary-level teachers, an increase in the
number of Centres of Research Excellence and the introduction of funding to enable new researchers to begin their
research careers.
However, student leaders are not impressed. The policy says that if Labour is re-elected it will widen access to student
allowances by raising parental income thresholds, and introduce scholarships and bonding to tackle the issues of
recruitment and retention in key professions. Student leaders says, however that there is no indication how much the
parental income threshold will be lifted, or how many more students would be eligible for allowances.
Also in Tertiary Update this week:
1. New NZVCC Chair named
2. US donation swells Auckland Business School coffers
3. Family-friendly policies cost-effective
4. 'Experts' meet on research funding
5. 'Vague' promotion practices amount to discrimination
6. Less affluent being denied further education
7. 'Learn how to teach' edict out in Australia
8. Universitas 21 faces the questions
NEW NZVCC CHAIR NAMED
The vice-chancellor of the University of Auckland, Dr John Hood has been appointed chair of the New Zealand
Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC). He replaces Professor James McWha, who has resigned as vice-chancellor of Massey
University to take up a position in Australia.
US DONATION SWELLS AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL FUND
A United States businessman has contributed $3.5m. towards Auckland University's campaign to raise funds for its
business school. The gift was made by Paul K. Kelly, who owns a manufacturing company and an investment banking firm. He
also owns property in New Zealand and is behind a golf resort development on Northland's Karikari Peninsula. The
university says to date it has raised about $7.5m. towards the school, with a similar amount under discussion. The
initial target is $25m. to take full advantage of the Government’s offer of $25m. in matching funds.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES COST-EFFECTIVE
A University of Waikato doctoral researcher says paid parental leave and other 'family-friendly' workplace initiatives
could have positive implications for staff loyalty. Jarrod Haar has been studying how employers try to ensure family and
work combine to the best advantage. He says the most popular "perk" in workplaces is flexitime – used by 95% of staff,
but he found it didn't increase company loyalty, perhaps because it is widely available. Initiatives that did increase
loyalty were creches, after-school care, employee assistance programmes and the provision of paid parental leave.
'EXPERTS' MEET ON RESEARCH FUNDING
A group of experts from the world of research have met for the first time this week to discuss the detail of how the new
funding body for research within the tertiary sector will work. The Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) will
complement the Centres of Research Excellence funding announced in the Budget. The working group is chaired by Professor
Marston Condor of the University of Auckland.
WORLD WATCH
'VAGUE' PROMOTION PRACTICES AMOUNT TO DISCRIMINATION
An appeals court in the United States has ruled that a black professor at a University of Arkansas community college can
sue his employer for not considering him for a position, even though he did not apply for the job. Howard Lockridge –
chair of Phillips Community College industrial and technical department – did not apply when the position of dean of
industrial technology and workforce development was advertised, and the position was filled by a white man. Mr Lockridge
subsequently filed a discrimination suit, which the employer countered by saying he had no case because he had not
applied for the job in question. The appeal court disagreed, ruling that a college's failure to establish a clear policy
for hiring and promotions may provide direct evidence of illegal discrimination. It also took into account Mr
Lockridge's previous unsuccessful attempts to be promoted.
LESS AFFLUENT BEING DENIED FURTHER EDUCATION
In the United States, a congressional advisory body has said nearly 170,000 top high-school graduates are not enrolling
at college this year because they come from low-and moderate-income families who cannot afford to pay for a college
education. The report by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance warns that unless the federal and state
governments revitalise needs-based student aid programmes, by the end of the decade millions more students will in
effect be barred from going on to further education.
'LEARN HOW TO TEACH' EDICT OUT IN AUSTRALIA
"The Australian" newspaper has leaked details of a government report that suggests academics be required to have
teaching qualifications before they can teach. The newspaper says the discussion paper – one in a series as part of
Education Minister Brendan Nelson's higher education review – proposes that the link between teaching and research in
universities be broken. Universities, it suggests, would be asked to recognise specialist teaching positions rather than
expecting every academic to perform research.
UNIVERSITAS 21 FACES THE QUESTIONS
A former chairman of the on-line distance education consortium, Universitas 21 says it intends focusing on the 85% of
the world that live in environments where higher education choice is strictly limited, and where demand greatly
outstrips supply. Dr Alan Gilbert, currently vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne, was answering questions put
to him during a web-based discussion on the Chronicle website (http://chronicle.com). The questions included
Universitas' relationship with the consortium universities. Dr Gilbert said the degrees would be Universitas 21
qualifications, not those of the individual member institutions, and he said that while faculty from member universities
would be used, in other cases staff with particular expertise would be brought in. Dr Gilbert was also asked about
academic freedom in the light of the fact that the institution's partner is publishing conglomerate, Thomson Learning –
something groups including AUS has been concerned about. Dr Gilbert said the question of academic freedom had been
discussed at length. "We have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that neither Thomson nor any other 'market
-driven' interest can determine what is taught, or how, or at what level of quality," he said.
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