Mind of the Nation

Some of you let me know how much you have enjoyed Mind of the Nation, the book by Professor Michael Wesley who is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement) at the University of Melbourne. I requested that the library order a copy but plan to personally donate it if they are not able to provide it from current resources. Through this text Wesley explores why universities have not achieved greater impact and involvement in public life. He proposes there are three attitudes to universities held by the general public in Australia. There is agnosticism, aspiration, and antagonism. Whatever the cause of these responses, no doubt many of us can point to responses claiming the irrelevance of higher education when explaining the impact and need for universities to people in our community. His chapters have captivating titles indicating reflection on the some of the challenges for the current state (or plight) of higher education in Australia: Value, Loyalty, Integrity, Ambition, Money, and Privilege. Personally, I continue to be shocked there is not more concern from our government about the difficulties faced by Australian universities, and the challenges for students, especially in the arts and humanities as they take on burdensome and potentially lifelong debt to achieve a degree qualification following the Job Ready Graduates (JRG) changes introduced in January 2021. As Andrew Norton noted:

…the core objection to JRG is that it is leaving some students in life-changing debt for inadequate reasons. The government should have moved before now to reduce at least arts student contributions, even if a long-term, all-discipline pricing system is postponed to the ATEC [Australia Tertiary Education Commission] period.

Faculty Forum

This month’s HASSE Faculty Forum was attended by around 100 participants. I received positive feedback so thank you to those who understand and appreciate the effort involved, the goals of the meeting, and the value of attending. Our next Faculty Forum will be in Trimester 3 before the end of the year. As mentioned if you would like a spotlight 5 minutes to highlight an activity please use the Dean-HASSE email address to send your request. The item should be focused on a university wide activity, or a community event inviting participation from university staff.

Recruitment in HASSE

Currently we have six proposals in the stage of request to recruit for existing vacant positions sitting with the DVC office for progression/approval, and a business case for a further position in development. As advised previously we currently have one position, the Level E in Indigenous Knowledges, which is in active recruitment with in-person interviews to be held with short-listed candidates soon. We are also interviewing for the Deputy Head of School service roles currently as part of our formerly advised strategic response to anticipated turnover of executive staff through to early 2026; to assure succession planning.

We miss Eilish O’Shea and her bright and engaged approach to work in the HEO5 Executive Assistant role in the HASSE Faculty Office. Her new project at Armidale Council will undoubtedly benefit from her skills and passion for work and her team. Her replacement is being sought, and we hope to find someone to match her competence in wrangling a challenging calendar and endless requests. In the interim please be patient with responses from the HASSE Faculty Office.

As this information advises, there is no hiring freeze but there are challenges to recruitment momentum. There is definitely constraint in our budget due to load reductions. That is, far fewer students are enrolled in our courses than at this time in 2021. This impacts our income and consequently the budget bottom line. It is a delicate dance to ensure that there are enough staff to deliver our units and courses, but not so many that we are not financially viable due to salary costs. Further challenges due to change of casual employment due to FairWork legislation are in discussion to find a solution that both addresses the needs of casual staff who wish to be converted to ongoing permanent roles, and those who are happy with what they do with us currently, and are not seeking a conversion opportunity. In the meantime, we request your support in creatively managing our offerings and especially in reducing low enrolment units, and totally casualised units as potentially unviable offerings in the current climate.

Changes at UNE

The UNE Executive welcomes a new Chief Operating Officer, and a new Chief Financial Officer, Karma Auden. The new Director of Library Services Ben Conyers started recently. With two interim Executive Deans and two interim Executive Principals, there is change aplenty at the UNE executive level. I anticipate there may be discussions of some kind of restructure early next year depending on the new Chancellor and the appetite for any proposed change from UNE Council. However, I have no knowledge of proposals to share with you at this stage. I am known to throw in my own ideas from time to time as I perceive we have an unbalanced faculty structure with the two largest schools located in HASSE, and some tiny schools that are the same size as some HASSE departments in the other faculties.

Inclusion training

Please consider taking time to undertake this online training.