Concern on forced funding proposal for student-led organisations

Unis being required to allocate at least 40pc of their student services and amenities fees to student-led organisations ‘does not give universities enough oversight about where the money goes’.

Universities Australia Chief Executive Officer, Luke Sheehy. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Requiring universities to allocate a minimum of 40 per cent of their student services and amenities fees to student-led ­organisations, which sometimes “lack professionalism and stability”, does not give universities enough oversight about where the money goes, experts have warned.

It is one of the measures that form part of the Inquiry into the Universities Accord (Student Support and Other Measures) Bill 2024. A Senate hearing for the inquiry on Tuesday also heard that veterinary, medical, psychology and occupational therapy students – who do between 1000 and 2000 hours of unpaid practical during their degrees – should be “urgently” included in the government “prac payment” scheme, as a record number of students defer or drop out due to the cost of living.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson blasted Group of Eight deputy chief executive Matthew Brown for “broadly supporting” the minimum 40 per cent of its Student Services and Amenities Fees to student-led organisations as “grossly irresponsible”, arguing some student unions that would receive the money were running “quite anti-Semitic campaigns” at their universities.

Senator Henderson said the total pool of SSAF funds was estimated to be $278m.

CANBERRA, Australia – NewsWire Photos – September 20, 2024: Shadow Minister for Education, Sarah Henderson and Senator Paul Scarr hold a press conference to discuss the senate inquiry into the Coalition's bill to establish a Commission of Inquiry into anti-Semitism at Australian Universities at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“On what basis would you hand over millions to … an organisation that has a predetermination on issues such as its position to Palestine, which gives rise to very significant safety concerns to Jewish students,” she said.

Mr Brown said the Go8 supported the measure but wanted funding to include safeguards “to ensure funding is appropriately applied”.

ANU professor Andrew Norton, speaking as an independent expert, said he was “concerned the bill does not leave enough power for the universities to step in if it turns out the student-led organisations are not delivering the services the university expects them to deliver”.

“It’s taking a bit of a risk. Every year you’ve got student elections, a new group comes in,” he added.

Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy said the measure should be deferred for further consultation as it could have a “detrimental impact on the ability of universities to deliver” the entire spectrum of services.

The UA inquiry submission said some student-led organisations “lack the professionalism and stability required”.

Andrew Norton is a Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Universities, such as the University of Adelaide, the University of Newcastle and the Univer­sity of Tasmania supported the 40 per cent minimum (with some already providing more than that to their student associations), but wanted a transition period of up to three years.

The federal government previously announced nursing, teaching, midwifery and social work students would be eligible for $320 a week payments while completing mandatory prac units, but a number of other professions have been left out of the assistance packages.

The inquiry heard that veterinary students complete 52 weeks of mandated placements over their university degree, which was a “big barrier to completion” of the course.

Medical students complete 2000 hours of unpaid placements over their course, and without Government support, the most disadvantaged students are being “priced out”, the Senate Committee heard.

“We see it as a matter of urgency that medical students are actually included in this because it is going to create further barriers to getting into the degree, (and) we are seeing people drop out, defer,” Australian Medical Students’ Association President Allen Xiao said.

The National Youth Peak body, the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, said it had received “many reports of young people having to defer their tertiary studies or drop out altogether simply to make ends meet in the current cost of living crisis”.