Fix this text
UNIKEN
Fix this textTHE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Fix this textNo. 250 (No. 10 of 1988)
Fix this textPublished fortnightly by the Public Affairs Unit
Fix this textRegistered by Australia Post - Publication No. NBF 4388
Fix this text22 July 1988
Fix this textUNSW Council
Fix this textopposes
Fix this textgraduate tax
Fix this textThe Council of the University
Fix this textof NSW has resolved to oppose
Fix this textthe Commonwealth Govern-
Fix this textment’s proposed graduate tax on
Fix this texthigher education. At a regular
Fix this textmeeting of Council on 11 July
Fix this textthe following motion was
Fix this textpassed;
Fix this textRecognising that a special tax on
Fix this texthigher education students;
Fix this text• is likely to act as a disincen-
Fix this texttive for any qualified people
Fix this textseeking to undertake higher
Fix this texteducation, particularly for
Fix this textgroups previously under-rep-
Fix this textresented in the student popu-
Fix this textlation;
Fix this text• may undermine Common-
Fix this textwealth Government targets
Fix this textfor growth in the number of
Fix this textgraduates produced by higher
Fix this texteducation institutions; and
Fix this text• will create many administra-
Fix this texttive difficulties for individual
Fix this textinstitutions, and undermine
Fix this textthe confidentiality of student
Fix this textrecords,
Fix this textCouncil expresses its opposition
Fix this textto the introduction of a special
Fix this texttax on higher education
Fix this textstudents.
Fix this textThe motion was put by
Fix this textMr Antony Sachs, a student-
Fix this textelected member of Council. Mr
Fix this textSachs is an Arts/Law student at
Fix this textUNSW. The motion was
Fix this textseconded by Dr lan Somervaille,
Fix this textan academic-elected member of
Fix this textCouncil, who is also President
Fix this textof the UNSW Staff Association.
Fix this textA student Background Paper
Fix this texton the Wran Plan has been
Fix this textwidely circulated in the Univer-
Fix this textsity and was used in support of
Fix this textMr Sachs’ motion at Council.
Fix this textThe paper labelled the proposal
Fix this textfor a tuition tax on higher
Fix this texteducation as inefficient and
Fix this textunworkable, warning that it
Fix this textwould result in an electoral
Fix this textbacklash against the Common-
Fix this textwealth Government.
Fix this textEntitled A Tax On Know-
Fix this textledge, the Background Paper was
Fix this textcompiled by Greg Giles and
Fix this textPeter Reeves of UNSW’s
Fix this textStudents’ Union and Kerri
Fix this textWatson, of the University of
Fix this textSydney’s Postgraduate Represen-
Fix this texttatives’ Association.
Fix this text‘Wran argues that growth in
Fix this texthigher education enrolments
Fix this textcannot be funded from the
Fix this textpublic purse because of the need
Fix this textfor a reduction in public sector
Fix this textexpenditure . . . Why is it that
Fix this textgrowth in higher education
Fix this textcannot be funded by the Com-
Fix this textmonwealth, but private school
Fix this textgrowth can. Clearly, this is not a
Fix this textresult of some mysterious
Fix this texteconomic law, but of political
Fix this textchoice’, according to the authors
Fix this textof the Background Paper.
Fix this text‘The reason for allocating
Fix this textpublic resources to higher educa-
Fix this texttion is obvious higher educa-
Fix this texttion is a community benefit
Fix this textand a community rPgnrmdhilitv
Fix this textBoth the public and private
Fix this textsectors gain directly from higher
Fix this texteducation by being supplied
Fix this textwith a highly trained workforce,
Fix this textwhich provides vital expertise to
Fix this textgenerate profits and oversee
Fix this textmanagement. Business and
Fix this textindustry also benefit by access
Fix this textto a wide range of basic and
Fix this textapplied research undertaken at
Fix this textpublic expense in the nation’s
Fix this texthigher education institutions.’
Fix this textThe Paper says business and
Fix this textindustry’s contribution to higher
Fix this texteducation needs to be increased.
Fix this textIt has urged the Government to
Fix this textestablish a committee composed
Fix this textof education, industry and
Fix this textgovernment representatives to
Fix this textexamine the most effective way
Fix this textof achieving this goal.
Fix this textThe Paper adds; ‘Compared
Fix this textwith the fees that existed in
Fix this textAustralia before the Whitlam
Fix this textGovernment abolished them, the
Fix this textproposed contribution, at 20 per
Fix this textcent of course costs, is quite
Fix this textheavy. In 1973, fees represented
Fix this textaround 15 per cent of course
Fix this textcosts. The fee is also heavy com-
Fix this textpared with the zero tuition
Fix this textcharge in Sweden, the Federal
Fix this textRepublic of Germany and
Fix this textFrance, and the 13 per cent fee
Fix this textcharged in Canada.
Fix this text‘The already substantial cost
Fix this textof tertiary study makes the
Fix this textintroduction of a fee or tax, at
Fix this textany level, quite unfair. In under-
Fix this texttaking study, students are penal-
Fix this textized by huge losses in income.
Fix this textWran notes that students lose
Fix this textincome of an average of $60,000
Fix this text'l'hilp ttnHinnn
Fix this text‘The fact remains that the
Fix this textpeople most likely to be
Fix this textdissuaded from undertaking
Fix this textstudy because of high levels of
Fix this textcost and debt are those who are
Fix this textthe most marginal to the system;
Fix this textpoorer people, older people,
Fix this textpeople with dependent children,
Fix this textwomen, Aboriginal people and
Fix this textsome categories of migrants.’
Fix this textOn the question whether the
Fix this texttax will make the system more
Fix this textequitable, the Background Paper
Fix this textgives a resounding ‘no’. It argues
Fix this textthat the introduction of fees or
Fix this texttuition charges in any form
Fix this texterects barriers to participation in
Fix this texteducation and training and acts
Fix this textas a disincentive to those least
Fix this textable to pay.
Fix this text‘The Wran Committee has
Fix this textpresented evidence on the socio-
Fix this texteconomic background of higher
Fix this texteducation students which pre-
Fix this textsents a misleading picture of
Fix this textthe effect of fees abolition on
Fix this textsocial composition. The Com-
Fix this textmittee has argued that there has
Fix this textbeen no change in this back-
Fix this textground since the abolition of
Fix this textfees sufficient to justify the con-
Fix this texttinuation of free education.’
Fix this textHowever, according to the
Fix this textBackground Paper; ‘Much of the
Fix this textbackground evidence does not
Fix this textsupport this conclusion. Given
Fix this textthe factors influencing partici-
Fix this textpation such as the decline in
Fix this textstudent financing and the down-
Fix this textturn in the economy, it is diffi-
Fix this textcult to prove that the abolition
Fix this textof fees has had no positive
Fix this textConfidence of
Fix this textthe University
Fix this textin Academic
Fix this textBoard sought
Fix this textby new heads
Fix this textThe first elected President and Deputy President of the Academic
Fix this textBoard have a clear goal they would like to achieve: to make the
Fix this textBoard’s advice so worthwhile that it cannot be ignored.
Fix this textThe President (Professor Derek
Fix this textAnderson, School of Biological
Fix this textScience) and Deputy President (Dr
Fix this textJane Morrison, Senior Lecturer and
Fix this textHead of the School of Spanish and
Fix this textLatin American Studies) believe that
Fix this textit will be important in the early life
Fix this textof the Board to gain the confidence
Fix this textof the University - including its own
Fix this textBoard members.
Fix this textThe Academic Board, the senior
Fix this textacademic body of the University,
Fix this texthas replaced the Professorial Board
Fix this textwhich held its last meeting on 7 June
Fix this textand was formally disestablished on
Fix this text30 June.
Fix this textProfessor Anderson said the
Fix this textBoard still had to get its committees
Fix this textin place and determine an order of
Fix this textpriority for an agenda already packed
Fix this textwith pressing issues.
Fix this textAt the inaugural meeting of the
Fix this textBoard on 5 July, members agreed to
Fix this textthe formation of four standing com-
Fix this textmittees - Policy Advisory Com-
Fix this textmittee, Postgraduate Studies Com-
Fix this textmittee, Undergraduate Studies Com-
Fix this textmittee and the Academic Services
Fix this textCommittee. Membership of these
Fix this textcommittees is expect to be settled
Fix this textat the next Board meeting on 2
Fix this textAugust.
Fix this text‘Compared with the old Professor-
Fix this textial Board, we now have a much leaner
Fix this textBoard which should be more effec-
Fix this texttive. The committees will play a vital
Fix this textrole in achieving the transition from
Fix this textthe old Board’, says Professor
Fix this textAnderson.
Fix this text[The former Professorial Board com-
Fix this textprised 170 members compared with
Fix this text55 members on the Academic Board.
Fix this textThere were 14 Standing Committees
Fix this textof the Professorial Board.]
Fix this text‘The committees will be teasing
Fix this textout the important issues that must
Fix this textbe discussed and, more importantly,
Fix this textsuggesting the most constructive
Fix this textoptions on courses of action to be
Fix this texttaken.’
Fix this textDr Morrison pointed out that the
Fix this textBoard was not only a leaner version
Fix this textof the Professorial Board but that it
Fix this textwas also more representative of the
Fix this textwhole academic community includ-
Fix this texting undergraduate and postgraduate
Fix this textstudent representation.
Fix this textBoth Professor Anderson and Dr
Fix this textMorrison expect that a range of
Fix this textstudent matters will come before the
Fix this textBoard involving such things as
Fix this textstudent/staff relationships and post-
Fix this textgraduate work.
Fix this textProfessor Anderson believes that
Fix this textthe Board will be ‘walking a tight-
Fix this textrope’ during the formative stages of
Fix this textits development. There is certain to
Fix this textbe some debate about what areas of
Fix this textacademic enterprise the Board should
Fix this textreally be involved in.
Fix this text‘lt can be argued that some
Fix this textmatters are solely in the domain of
Fix this textthe University’s senior executives or
Fix this textbest handled by the Vice-Chancellor’s
Fix this textAdvisory Committee (VCAC) while
Fix this textother matters are clearly the Board’s
Fix this textresponsibility’, Professor Anderson
Fix this textsaid.
Fix this textDr Morrison says that the respon-
Fix this textsibilities of the new Board will be
Fix this textevolving over the next months. ‘ln
Fix this textthis period, I expect that there will
Fix this textbe some significant changes in the
Fix this textBoard’s role, but I also think that we
Fix this textmust avoid change purely for
Fix this textchange’s sake.’
Fix this textContinued on page 2
Fix this textWill these students be among those who will be subject to the Commonwealth
Fix this textGovernment's proposed graduate tax? During the recently completed June/July
Fix this textexamination period, students sat for a total of 36,500 exams.
Fix this textPublic Affairs Unit
Fix this textThe first elected President of the Academic Board, Professor Derek Anderson
Fix this textPublic Affairs Unit
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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University of New South Wales. Public Affairs Unit & University of New South Wales, issuing body. (1975). Uniken Retrieved April 4, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-252342210
University of New South Wales. Public Affairs Unit and University of New South Wales, issuing body. Uniken Kensington, N.S.W: University of New South Wales, 1975. Web. 4 April 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-252342210>
University of New South Wales. Public Affairs Unit & University of New South Wales, issuing body. 1975, Uniken University of New South Wales, Kensington, N.S.W viewed 4 April 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-252342210
{{Citation
| author1=University of New South Wales. Public Affairs Unit.
| author2=University of New South Wales, issuing body.
| title=Uniken.
| year=1975
| section=volumes : illustrations ; 30-43 cm.
| issn=0312-7877
| issue=1988, no. 10 (22 July, 1988)
| location=Kensington, N.S.W
| publisher=University of New South Wales
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-252342210
| id=nla.obj-252342210
| access-date=4 April 2025
| via=Trove
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