By Mark Bahnisch and Sacha Blumen
BRISBANE — At least one department has been closed at the University of Queensland; it has completely disappeared, though nary a word has been heard from our student union.
The Russian Department has been "amalgamated" with the German Department. This means that students will find it impossible to complete any Russian course.
Now why would the Russian Department be closed? Is it because it was several millions of dollars in debt to the university (as several other departments are alleged to be)? Or is it that the Russian Department does not fit into the money-making aims of the university administration, led by the new vice-chancellor, John Hay? Hay has reportedly gone to all university departments and services and told them to cut up to 50% of their costs. This means that many university staff will be sacked, and subjects and services will be reduced to a shadow of their former selves.
The Classics and Ancient History Department has recently been reviewed. A very persistent rumour is that this department too will be completely abolished. The university has generously proposed, however, that students will be able to study ancient history by watching videotaped lectures mailed up from the University of Sydney.
As well, the head of the Physics Department has recently told students about the suggested abolition of that department because it does not fit in with the economic rationalist approach.
The vice-chancellor has been pushing cost cutting so that the university can be a "world class academic institution". In reality it only wants to make UQ into a training institution for economically viable courses.
If your course is not medicine, commerce or engineering, will it be axed soon? So far, the university has shown no qualms in abolishing academic departments that fail to make money. The university now treats education as a commodity. Subjects are not treated as important in their own right, but rather are subject to market choice. What this means is that if a department does not attract enough students, it isn't worthwhile for the university to offer its courses.
Education is not a commodity, it is a right. Subjects should not be offered according to the prejudices of the vice-chancellor.
Traditionally, universities have been sites of independent thought and research. Now the traditional liberal values of "light and learning" are to be sacrificed to the market. How many departments will be slaughtered on the altar of John Howard's economic rationalist agenda?