Port Macquarie Charles Sturt University campus spared cutbacks despite $49m budget deficit
More than $45m in budget cuts will be made across Charles Sturt University’s seven campuses, but in a promising sign the fallout will not be as heavy locally. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU?
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Charles Sturt University (CSU) students studying or planning to study at the Port Macquarie campus will be saved from massive cutbacks due to impact other campuses, as the education provider looks to reign in a $49 million budget deficit by ‘the end of 2021.’
Just one course will be cut and another moved to online learning at Port Macquarie, despite CSU announcing more than 100 courses would be axed, merged or moved online across its seven campuses.
Dubbed the “Sustainable Futures” program, the measures are “designed to reshape and reposition the university to ensure Charles Sturt delivers excellence” as it suffers from a COVID-led decline in international enrolments.
An update released last week on the performance of the program shows that it is on track to cut its deficit to $22 million by the end of the 2020 financial year.
The Sustainable Futures program is now in full swing across Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Canberra, Dubbo and Orange, but little will change locally.
“Changes at Port Macquarie campus are minimal and students will be taught out,” a university spokesman said.
“Port Macquarie remains a strong and engaged campus for Charles Sturt. We’ll be shifting the Bachelor of Exercise science (Hons) to online, and we’ll no longer offer the Bachelor of Human Services (with specialisations) from the Port Macquarie campus.”
In further good news locally, the university is set to forge ahead with its $65 million campus expansion that will see a two-storey teaching, learning and administrative building completed by December.
Spanning 6300sq m, it will contain tiered lecture theatres, an event space, technology studio, engineering and science labs, a student gym and staff offices.
The spokesman said the campus expansion was progressing well.
“Stage 2A is complete and will shortly be handed over to the university, and at this point 2B is scheduled for completion at the end of the year,” he said.
Stage 2B is partly funded by the NSW Government as part of the Growing Local Economies program.”
While the University has acted to reduce its Capital Program [under the Sustainable Future program] the Port Macquarie works are continuing in accordance with the original planning.