Undemocratic changes at Wollongong University

By Peter Norford Johnston

WOLLONGONG — In the latest sequence of undemocratic moves initiated by the vice-chancellor, the last meeting of the university council decided to decrease student representation on the Board of Management by half. The board's executive chair, previously democratically elected from and by the board, will now be appointed by the vice-chancellor.

A review of the university union made several recommendations for major changes. Although the union has been operating successfully and responding well to the needs of its "owners" — the students — the vice-chancellor has nevertheless undemocratically pushed through these changes.

The review committee report also recommended that the union board should become an incorporated body more accountable to its "stakeholders" — meaning, primarily, the university.

The report seemed to ignore the fact that students are by far the largest financial contributor to the union, paying $1.7 million annually, compared to $324,876 given by the university. The Student Representative Council contributes just over $50,000 to the union but has now lost its place on the board.

The vice-chancellor has defended the changes to the board as protection from possible voluntary student unionism legislation. In reality, however, these changes pave the way for VSU to be more easily implemented.

The main aim of the changes is allow the university administration to ensure that the union's lucrative book store and other operations are turned into a revenue-generating arm of the university. When the cuts to university funding are made in the federal budget, the financial burden can then be transferred to students through increased prices for union services.

Sources on the Union Board of Management claim that members of the board have been threatened by the vice-chancellor with the sack if they make any attempt to resist or organise against these changes.

From GLW issue 240