Students, staff demand VC resignation
BY ROHAN PEARCE
HOBART — Students and staff at the University of Tasmania have called for the resignation of the vice-chancellor, Don McNichol. One hundred and fifty students and staff marched on the VC's office on July 13 to protest against planned staff and course cuts.
President of the Student Representative Council Sam Ling told the rally, organised by the SRC and the Education Action Collective (EAC), that the cuts would reduce humanities staff by 10%, halve physics staff, cut five teaching positions in the art school and end studies for the Bachelor of Tourism. Ling said the university administration was undemocratic and urged those present to sign a petition calling for the termination of McNichol's contract of employment.
EAC activist Shua Garfield said the cuts are planned even though McNichol is sitting on a $13.8 million surplus. She described the administration as "incompetent".
Garfield, also a member of the socialist group Resistance, demanded that the University Council respond positively to a log of claims formulated by the EAC and to a separate list of demands formulated by the SRC.
National Tertiary Education Industry Union representative Kelvin Michael told the protesters that the academic and general staff at the university's Launceston and Hobart campuses had passed no confidence motions in McNichol's governance.
Students and staff are awaiting a response from the University Council before deciding what further action to take.