Newcastle University “Save Our Uni” Rally

CPSU, the General Staff Union, in conjunction with students and other unions on campus, has organised a lunchtime rally this Wednesday in the Auchmuty Library Courtyard to call on the Federal Government to provide effective funding to our regional university.

The percentage of funding provided by Commonwealth Grant to Newcastle University has fallen steadily since 1996.

Although this university is an integral part of the Newcastle community and one of the largest employers (at least until these cuts take effect) the Federal Government has also refused to fund the additional student places needed to balance the shortfall in revenue.

One important area in which extra places have been refused is Medicine: the University asked for 100 extra places, which would have gone a long way to dealing with the current skills shortage across Australia. Our teaching in this area is acknowledged as among the country's best. Yet there is an obvious correlation between the shortage of doctors in the community and the lack of medical places in University.

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