ANU no-cuts campaign continues

ANU no-cuts campaign continues

By Will Williams

CANBERRA — Professor Paul Thom, dean of the faculty of arts at the Australian National University, announced a new restructuring plan on June 9. Thom says the plan — which includes "voluntary" redundancies, the creation of a new language institute funded by fee-paying students, and some course changes — will generate savings of more than $500,000 in 1999.

The plan leaves $300,000 of the debt the faculty supposedly owes, and which the cuts are supposed to address.

Students have rejected the plan. It will result in fewer staff, fewer courses, fewer tutorials, overcrowded classes and an overall reduction in the quality of education.

A "student crisis meeting", organised by the ANU students' association, was held a day after the plan was released. More than 200 people angry over the cuts attended.

From GLW issue 321