Number of references to higher education in Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s economy statement yesterday. None. Number in Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s vision statement, Monday. Zero (unless you count a reference to “education services).

In Features this morning

Garry Carnegie (RMIT) and James Guthrie (Macquarie U) have analysed Western Australian universities 2019 annual reports. They report UWA recognised early that COVID-19 was going to be a problem.

Plus, Ian Marshman and Frank Larkins warn the real cost of teaching leaves little for research.

Andrew Harvey (La Trobe U). The COVID-19 burden weighs on disadvantaged students. This week’s essay in Contributing Editor Sally Kift’s series on what is needed now in teaching and learning.

And how Flinders U uses  Microsoft platforms to keep its community informed on COVID-19

Lin Martin counsels caution as providers pile into digital delivery

Professional registration bodies are concerned by teaching practical or technical skills on-line, as universities adapt to the COVID-19 crisis. “The basic sciences, engineering technologies and the medical and life sciences are particularly affected,” retired TEQSA commissioner Lin Martin warns in CMM this morning.

Writing in CMM Features this morning, Dr Martin asks, “how does an institution ensure that on-line learning assessment is comparable to in-class assessment to warrant the same subject/course accreditation?

“This is a matter of major importance.”

She also points to concerns with course-quality control, teacher experience and assessment standards.

“Skilled academic leadership has never been more important than in the present COVID-19 pandemic teaching and learning environment,” Dr Martin warns.

Uni Canberra reopens the library, there are also “socially-distant-friendly study” places.

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Macquarie U VC S Bruce Dowton says staff will, “deliver some on-line teaching from designated spaces on campus, with students engaging from home.”

“We may be able to bring more coursework and activities back onto campus in session two (July 27-November 29) if circumstances change. However, we cannot assume this will be possible for all classes to be on campus.”

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Uni Queensland VC Peter Hoj told ABC Radio in Brisbane last week, ““we will have an on-line teaching capability for all of semester two but we also hope that restrictions will be lifted sooner rather than later so that we can reintroduce on-campus teaching activities.”

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From Monday Uni Tasmania will “begin to introduce some essential activities back to our campuses,” such as “practical assessments.” However, they will only involve, “very small numbers of people.”

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Flinders U staff will return to campus on Monday, with “student-facing” services and facilities re-opening May 25. All classes that moved on-line in March, stay there for the rest of semester one (ends July 26).

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UNSW libraries are closed but users can still borrow via a catalogue click and collect.

International students aren’t getting what they paid for-they’re not happy

Monash U’s international students’ service asks VC Margaret Gardner to explain why its members are, “paying full fees when their semester is being conducted off-campus.”

“We understand the necessity of allocating significant financial resources to developing support services, on-line teaching platforms and acknowledge the university’s great initiatives in supporting our students.”

However, and it’s a considerable qualification, “international students are and will remain confused and disappointed about why they are not being offered a refund in their fees, MUISS president Helen Vu warns.

She adds her members want to know how fees are being spent on their “direct experience.”

Ms Vu asks Professor Gardner to email answers to all internationals.

Casual staff teaching in the University of Melbourne’s School of Computing and Information Science are being back-paid for work done

Last year the campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union questioned pay-rates dating back to June 2015 (CMM October 30). The tutorial rate casual staff were being paid included marking and student consultation. Problem was the university’s enterprise agreement has long specified a separate payment for marking.

Discussion, quite a lot of discussion, occurred, concluding with 50 plus past and present casual academics in the school successfully claiming for 2000 hours of underpayment. There are suggestions the amount they will collect is around $100 000.

It’s a tidy addition to the win for casual academics in Maths and Stats, where for some years, staff were paid a practice class rate instead of the higher one for tutorials. This was settled earlier in the year, with $500 000 thought to be owing for last year alone (CMM March 27).

By CLAIRE FIELD

 Now is the time for providers and jurisdictions to make their support for students even more visible

Friday afternoon’s news, that the National Cabinet had agreed a framework to restart the economy , which included international students coming to Australia, was a good way to end the week.

While there is no timetable for when we will see new students arriving – we now know that they are on the government’s radar and seen as a key component in restarting the Australian economy.

This news, combined with the factors below, has seen me start to shelve my earlier pessimism (CMM 8 April 2020) about how prospective students, their families and overseas governments would perceive Australia as a study destination.

That is because:

* Australia is successfully managing the virus (in contrast with the US and UK)

* cracks are emerging in the support being offered to international students in the UK and Canada

* there is an impressive level of support being offered to international students by providers and state/territory governments (New South Wales is the outlier, being the only jurisdiction not to offer financial support)

* current students will be able to safely return to work and face-to-face study earlier than in other countries, and

* early research from IDP shows prospective students looking to continue with their future study plans.

The peak body for the independent higher education sector, IHEA, has done an excellent job compiling all the support available in each jurisdiction and, with the exception of the Premier State, the list is impressive.

Now is the time for providers and jurisdictions to make their support for students even more visible.

And for the small number of providers who have not offered students support during the crisis – I hope the generosity of those who care about their students shines through in future enrolment numbers.

Claire Field advises on VET, international education and private higher education.

With predictions that international student numbers will never recover to the 2019 level La Trobe U needs big savings – and that means jobs

Vice Chancellor John Dewar set out the university’s circumstances in a comprehensive message to staff yesterday.

He warned university revenues could be $150m under budget this year and up to $200m (or 23 per cent of previously estimated revenue) next.

And the good times of international student fees may never roll again. “We cannot assume that (international) students will be able to return in large numbers until late in 2021 – and even then, it will take us a long time to rebuild numbers to where they were last year. Indeed, most predictions are that the numbers will never recover to those levels.”

As for the present crisis, after savings already accounted for, LT U is still short $33m-$63m to cover costs – and that means jobs must go. While Professor Dewar said voluntary redundancy and pre-retirement contract offers will be announced today he expects them to only save $5m. The university is accordingly looking for more non-salary savings, including re-starting work on a restructure put on-hold when COVID-19 kicked-in.

He also referred to negotiations between a group of VCs and the National Tertiary Education Union to make temporary savings on staff costs to protect jobs (details in this morning’s issue, above).

But if the budget gap cannot be closed, “we will have no further alternative but to consider further job losses. This is our last resort and we are doing everything we can to avoid this,” the VC added.

Professor Dewar estimated that to make this year’s required savings solely from staff cuts would need “the financial equivalent” of 200-400 jobs and that the 2021 budget gap could equate to 600-800 jobs.

Provost Mike Brooks could be acting VC for a while

With VC Peter Rathjen on leave during an inquiry by the SA Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Professor Brooks has appointed John Williams acting provost. Professor Williams will keep his day-job as executive dean of the professions faculty. He is also chair of Academic Board.

Brooks will also move executive dean of arts Jennie Shaw to interim DVC A, on May 30. She will take over from Pascale Quester, who is moving to Swinburne U, where she will become VC in August.