BY JAMES CRAFTI

MELBOURNE — On July 8, the Sydney University Senate met in secret to vote to support the federal government's “reforms” to higher education. When rumours circulated that the La Trobe University Council was to do the same, members of the Education Welfare Action Collective (EWAC) decided to take action.

La Trobe University has no full-fee paying domestic students and the vice-chancellor Michael Osborne is against the introduction of full-fee paying places. However, Osborne is prepared to accept increase in the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS). EWAC feared that the university council would adopt a policy of supporting increases in HECS when it met on August 4.

Students rallied outside the meeting. They demanded the right to attend the council meeting to argue their case against increases in HECS. After being refused entry, the students linked arms, preventing council members from entering.

Council members pointed out that the students have an official representative on the council, Student Representative Council president Caroline Levett (who was nowhere in sight), and that if students have a problem, they should raise it with her. Protesters pointed out that since students are the majority of the university population, they should have a majority of the representatives on the council, not just one token position.

Some council members claimed that HECS was not on the agenda. The students demanded a written statement to that effect. After half an hour, La Trobe University secretary Doug Bishop came outside with a signed statement that said: “The matter of tuition fees and possible increases to HECS charges are not on the agenda for council tonight and will therefore not be discussed.”

Satisfied, the students voted to end the picket, but vowed to maintain their opposition to fees.

Student Union president Steve Brown, who attended the meeting, said he considered that the council not being able to discuss fees was a lost opportunity to find out what the university administration was planning. However, socialist activist Robin Laycock disagreed. “It was good that people turned out and that the picket forced a concession from the council”, she said.

From Green Left Weekly, August 13, 2003.
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