UPDATE: Victoria University is defending its possible takeover of a campus in Melbourne’s outer-east while cutting courses, closing campuses and shedding jobs in the western suburbs.
VU is considering a long-term plan to take over Monash’s Berwick campus, despite withdrawing from campuses such as Melton and Sunbury in Melbourne’s rapidly growing west.
VU has allocated a notional $3 million towards possible start-up costs for moving to a new campus, with about $50,000 towards a feasibility study for the proposal.
A VU spokeswoman said this expenditure would only be made if VU determined that moving to a new campus is a viable option.
“Any venture would only proceed if there were clear benefits for the students and the community, and after widespread consultation.”
The National Tertiary Education Union has questioned VU’s priorities in considering the possible campus takeover while making cuts in the western suburbs.
The situation coincides with an auditor-general report showing the cut-ravaged university last year lost millions of dollars.
VU’s operating budget to the end of 2014 was $423.7 million, with almost $16.8 million in savings from redundancies but a $16 million operating deficit.
A VU spokeswoman said the university has incurred significant restructuring costs while making “radical but necessary changes” such as cutting staff in a move towards improved cash-flow and no debt.
The university’s management insists the “short term pain” is necessary to see VU “better positioned in the competitive tertiary education market place”.
NTEU VU President Paul Adams accepts VU has been heavily hit by massive funding cuts, but questions the decision to cut staff and close campuses while looking to expand into Melbourne’s outer east.
“Essentially they are looking at establishing a campus at what is now Monash Berwick; $3 million has been set aside and it looks very much to us as if money is being taken out of the western suburbs and going into the eastern suburbs,” he said.
“We think this is a misguided initiative and a betrayal of the university’s commitment to providing education in the western suburbs.”
Mr Adams said the move comes with up to 80 further staff still to be cut from the University.
He points to the Victoria University Act, enacted by state parliament, which requires the university “to develop and provide educational, cultural, professional, technical and vocational services, and, in particular, to foster participation in post-secondary education for persons living or working in the Western Metropolitan region of Melbourne.”
The VU spokeswoman said the university is investing $58 million predominantly into western campuses.
“We have plans to see old and under-used buildings like the Melton and Sunbury campuses substituted by new Learning Links: modern, collaborative spaces with new facilities to improve learning.”
She said a core part of VU’s mission as “the university of opportunity” is broadening accessibility of education.
“Given the University’s proven track record in the west of Melbourne in growing aspirations and participation in tertiary education, VU would be well credentialed in providing opportunity to similar students from elsewhere, where participation in tertiary education is significantly lower.”
