Humanities academics at CSU have spoken out about the agonising wait to learn if they will become jobless as major cuts loom.
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The university recently announced it would be axing its Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Liberal Studies programs, slashing its humanities staff from 23 down to just 12 in the process.
The National Tertiary Education Union’s Kevin Poynter, who represents CSU, said the 23 staff in question were feeling enormous stress.
“They’re really worried about their lives and their families, but they’re also worried about their students,” Mr Poynter said.
“It’s heartbreaking in many ways to see them be concerned about a whole lot of people other than themselves – it’s a measure of who they are as people.”
Two humanities academics, who wished to remain nameless to avoid retribution, told The Daily Advertiser the university had been “hypocritical” and “secretive” in its decision to slash jobs.
“Recently, they’ve adopted this Wiradjuri expression – ‘Yindyamarra Winhanganha’ – that means ‘the wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in’,” one academic said.
“That is a central function of the humanities, so it’s just a contradiction that the university is claiming to engage with these values but is cutting the courses and staff who promote them.”
It’s heartbreaking in many ways to see them be concerned about a whole lot of people other than themselves – it’s a measure of who they are as people.
- Kevin Poynter
CSU is now in an ongoing ‘consultation’ process with staff until October 8, but the same academic said staff feel as though that is all for show.
“The process in many ways is a sham – they call it a consultation period, but the process leading up to this has been very secretive,” he said.
“We had some inkling this was happening, but we were cut out of the discussion when we desperately wanted to have our input, so it’s been a very disrespectful process.”
Another humanities academic said she feared not just for her job, but for what these impending cuts meant for the whole region.
“For me, it’s a matter of equity for regional and metro students – I think students here should have access to the BA, and I think they should have access to study it on campus,” she said.
“Distance education is frankly not appropriate for most 18 to 20-year-olds – for young people, you need to be growing up and learning alongside your peers.”
While the consultation process is still ongoing, Mr Poynter said Arts and Liberal Studies students have already been told that their courses will be discontinued.
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