There are reports the (student) University of Sydney Union opposes Vice Chancellor Michael Spence’s proposal for the Ramsay Western Civ Centre to fund people taking existing civilised subjects

The Ramsay Centre plan, as adopted at the universities of Queensland and Wollongong, will provide $50m over eight years at each to fund scholarships for selected students in custom-created courses on western civ.

Uni Sydney management’s suggestion last year that it could adopt something similar was met with uproar over course content and outrage at a role foe the Ramsay Centre campus.

Dr Spence now proposes using Ramsay money to support up to 1100 students in 130 appropriate subjects (CMM September 19)

USU board members opposed the idea Friday, joining academics whose open letter to the VC decries connecting with the Ramsay Centre’s, “narrow, masculinist, Anglocentric view of ’the West’.” And campus National Tertiary Education Union leader Kurt Ivison argues that given the university already teaches the subjects suggested, Dr Spence just wants to secure Ramsay funding.

Neither Ramsay management nor board has commented  on the Spence prop.