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REGISTER TO VOTE 11-Jul-2007 At 3:51:06 PM GravityHound

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Neil, n00bpwn3r, anthonyk and DaCrux have all summed up my feelings pretty goddamn well. but, what about higher education changes. now, if you have the money up front you can get a place with at least 10 UAI points less. if you have money, you get priveleges, we are not on an even wicket anymore. equality has wisped into the ether.
As a % of GDP, the amount of funding to our unis has droppped steadily over the last 10 years and teacher:ratios have risen dramatially. as a point of interest, the money harvard gets donated by benefactors is MORE than the government puts into our EVERY university in Australia.
unis are no longer teaching instituions, they are businesses. you are not a student, you are a customer. looking into the glass ball, i reckon it wont be long before a uni is sued for not 'selling' a good enough degree to someone who has coughed up a $100k.
we went through IR reforms before anyone else. the uni wanted me to sign an AWI. it gave me the benefit of cashing in my holidays BUT it also removed the current requirement for the university to formally investigate an allegation of academic misconduct. (i believe this requirement was needed to ensure the AWI's were 'adequate' in the governments eyes). if an allegation is made and the uni wants to get rid of you, they get rid of you. you'd never get a job anywhere again after being sacked for AM!

in the higher ed arena, and others (health?, work conditions?), we are turning into another version of the good ol' US of A. A good enough reason for me to want to change something!