Comments on: Is the Commonwealth a university customer or shareholder? http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/ Observations from Carlton's Lone Classical Liberal Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:32:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Club Troppo » Missing Link http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/comment-page-1/#comment-6621 Club Troppo » Missing Link Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:38:11 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/12/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/#comment-6621 [...] Norton, meanwhile, puts some ministerial pronouncements about who ‘owns’ higher education - the Commonwealth or the States - under the [...] [...] Norton, meanwhile, puts some ministerial pronouncements about who ‘owns’ higher education - the Commonwealth or the States - under the [...]

]]> By: Andrew Norton http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/comment-page-1/#comment-6624 Andrew Norton Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:43:06 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/12/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/#comment-6624 Leon - Though at the top of p.55 in Silencing Dissent you'll notice a passing reference to an event that parallels Nelson's action in 2004. Right at the end of Menzies' term his then Minister for Education, John Gorton (later PM), refused to approve the grant decisions of the Australian Research Grants Committee, a predecessor of today's Australian Research Council. There was the same indignation then that there was in 2004 and 2005. In the context of my post above, however, the government's action may be inadvisable but it is not stepping beyond its rights as a 'customer' to get what it is paying for. Leon - Though at the top of p.55 in Silencing Dissent you’ll notice a passing reference to an event that parallels Nelson’s action in 2004. Right at the end of Menzies’ term his then Minister for Education, John Gorton (later PM), refused to approve the grant decisions of the Australian Research Grants Committee, a predecessor of today’s Australian Research Council. There was the same indignation then that there was in 2004 and 2005.

In the context of my post above, however, the government’s action may be inadvisable but it is not stepping beyond its rights as a ‘customer’ to get what it is paying for.

]]> By: Leon http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/comment-page-1/#comment-6623 Leon Mon, 16 Apr 2007 04:44:41 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/12/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/#comment-6623 There's an interesting chapter on Howard government interference in universities in "Silencing Dissent" - although, perhaps due to when it was written, it portrays Brendan Nelson as significantly more prone to meddling than Julie Bishop. Unfortunately, and perhaps due to (hehe) left-wing bias, the chapter barely touches on other, less ideologically micromanagerial regulations. There is also an interesting comparison with the university policy of Menzies, who it seems granted significantly more managerial and academic freedom to universities than the current reigeme. There’s an interesting chapter on Howard government interference in universities in “Silencing Dissent” - although, perhaps due to when it was written, it portrays Brendan Nelson as significantly more prone to meddling than Julie Bishop.

Unfortunately, and perhaps due to (hehe) left-wing bias, the chapter barely touches on other, less ideologically micromanagerial regulations.

There is also an interesting comparison with the university policy of Menzies, who it seems granted significantly more managerial and academic freedom to universities than the current reigeme.

]]> By: Damien Eldridge http://andrewnorton.info/2007/04/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/comment-page-1/#comment-6622 Damien Eldridge Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:08:03 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/04/12/is-the-commonwealth-a-university-customer-or-shareholder/#comment-6622 I think Max Corden described the situation as "Moscow on the Molongolo"!!! I think Max Corden described the situation as “Moscow on the Molongolo”!!!

]]>