Higher education legislation needs to pass through the Senate – but with appropriate amendment, says Charles Sturt University (CSU) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Goulter.

Professor Goulter said the legislation offered the type of reform needed for the future of public higher education in Australia, but that Senate debate and amendment of key areas in the package are required.

“As the most significant reform of the sector since 1990, this legislation is heading in the right direction and it is crucial that it gains fair discussion and debate in the Senate so we are able to build on what this legislation proposes.”

Higher education legislation (four separate pieces of legislation) currently sits with 20 bills listed for debate in the Senate. The Senate is in its final three weeks of sittings for the year.

Charles Sturt University, along with the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (AVCC) is concerned at some of the controls over universities proposed in the legislation as well as the costs of introducing the new system and the failure to provide adequate indexation of university funds.  It looks to the Senate to deal with these issues.

In a statement from the university peak body, the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, requested: “the Government…closely examine the array of regulatory and reporting requirements generated by its reforms to ensure that they do not act against its intentions through stifling individual development of universities and unnecessarily intruding on internal university operations and autonomy”.

Additional changes CSU is seeking: 

• Increased levels of equity support. CSU endorses the idea of an ‘equity loading’ for universities to extend support for less well off students. Over half - 60 % of Commonwealth funded students at CSU are from equity groups. 
• An allocation process for new places in nursing and teaching which will ensure these places are used to meet the greatest needs, including critical shortages in regional communities.
• Inclusion of students studying by a mix of on campus and distance education in the calculation of regional funding.  More than 2300 CSU students are studying in this way and are not eligible for regional loading under the current legislation.

“While the legislation in its current form goes part way to meeting the diverse and dynamic needs of our universities, changes are required to ensure the long term goals we are seeking,” Professor Goulter said.

The University is closely monitoring progress of the legislation in the Senate.