Academic Board backs proposed courses

The university’s Academic Board yesterday voted in favour of the proposed Bachelor of Humanities/Laws, including a western civilisation extended major in this new programme. It also supported a Ramsay-major in the existing Bachelor of Advanced Humanities. Both are designed by university academics.

The approvals now go to DVC A Joanne Wright, who will make a recommendation to VC Peter Hoj. The university is continuing discussions on university control of all aspects of staff and teaching with the Ramsay Centre.

The western civilisation major is said to have been supported 45 to 31 in Academic Board, with the dual degree backed 44 to 32.

The decision follows the humanities and social science faculty advisory board voting against the proposals in May. Late yesterday HASS dean Heather Zwicker told staff that she is “mindful” that the Academic Board decision “was not overwhelming.”

“We still inhabit positions of principled disagreement. No matter how you view the results of the Academic Board decision, we have work to do, in ensuring that all our HASS programs are open to the world, engaged with public partners, conversant with our students, and helping to build better relations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and communities.”

However last night university critics of the Ramsay funded programmes suggested, “it is not clear that the Ramsay people will agree to an academic program that tries to reflect the faculty’s academic concerns, and the University of Queensland Senate should still scrutinise any agreement with Ramsay carefully.”