VICTORIA University is slashing almost 80 courses and more than 100 teaching jobs in sweeping changes that are detailed in a leaked state government cabinet document.
The changes — linked with a $32 million government funding cut — include selling off the Newport campus and closing the VenU training restaurant.
A massive shake-up is on the cards as VU rushes to deal with the fallout from the TAFE funding cuts.
The leaked VU transition plan details a shift away from vocational training towards higher education and scrapping advanced diplomas and nearly all certificate I and II courses.
VU will cut events and tourism, boat building and animal studies, raise its fees for students and VET in Schools programs and pull out of Trade Training Centres in Werribee and Melton.
A further 64 teaching jobs will go on top of the 50 slashed earlier this year – including 34 from VU College, which provides English programs to international students and disadvantaged students in foundation courses.
About 140 administration jobs are also reportedly to go.
Australian Education Union Victorian president Mary Bluett said the government must be held accountable for the devastation it had caused at VU and other TAFEs. An estimated 2000 TAFE staff will be made redundant across Victoria as a result of the funding cuts.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said he was disturbed to see so many courses cut and student contact hours slashed by almost 30 per cent.
The leak comes as the university released a structure plan to come into effect from January 1.
Vice-chancellor Peter Dawkins said the university would be made up of eight colleges, seven offering a curriculum incorporating further education and TAFE and the eighth focusing on trades. “This VU model is a new and distinctive approach to curriculum not seen in the sector before. [It consists] of integrated colleges with modular integrated curriculum and qualifications, flexible transitions and quality teaching.”
The Australian Education Union has called on TAFE members to stop work for 24 hours tomorrow to join the Rally to Save TAFE at Treasury Gardens.
