The $200K Truth Behind The Melbourne Model
Posted by savevca1 on May 4th, 2010
The Age have revealed the truth behind the Melbourne Model – $200K degrees.
As we have always known, the Melbourne Model is about keeping students at University longer, and pushing them into the expensive post-graduate education sphere where fees are not regulated. VCAM Music is already under the Melbourne Model.
The Melbourne Model was near universally slammed as inappropriate for VCA by the 371 submissions to the VCAM review. But will Review Chair Ziggy Switkowski listen and return VCA Music to its pre-Melbourne Model status? Or will this Review reveal more Melbourne University home truths – that much their the $200K degrees, their interest in VCAM is more about money (particularly in terms of real estate) than students.
Another interesting read about the Melbourne Model was published by The Monthly in March 2010 suggesting the University action is more a reaction to Government underfunding and pursuing other income streams (aka the deep pockets of some students), rather than being a grand education brainwave. It also discusses the strong ties between the University Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis and PM Kevin Rudd.
Realize first that the Age is usually soft in its reporting about the university of Melbourne because of the hugely expensive advertising the university has with paper (all those full page adverts). A university spokesperson has stated previously that they could not understand why the Age would be at all critical when they have so much advertising revenue at stake.
Second, who do you believe when UoM Dean Jim Angus says that students who don’t make the grade have to pay for the others? What a complete fabrication. Faculty accountants have determined the ‘cut-off’ for maximizing income. The University of Melbourne is no longer an Australian public university, funded by and for the taxpaying citizen, it is the Glyn Davis Corporation, run for his own advancement. Education has nothing to do with it.
This leak is deliberately timed. It is a softening up process for the hundreds of undergrad students who will be finishing their pre-med course (B.Biomed) at univ. Melbourne and find they don’t qualify for postrad medicine. Jim Angus’ special deal for them is that they just need to fork out cash, lots of cash.
and don’t you love the interview with Jon Faine: “And Dean of Medicine at Melbourne University Prof James Angus responds to accusations the $200,000 Medical degrees unfairly favour the rich by noting that ‘life is not fair’.”
[http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2010/05/state-budget-today-miners-lash-out-at-rudd-tax-plan-and-lifes-not-fair-at-melbourne-uni-medical-scho.html?site=melbourne&program=melbourne_mornings]
Excellent report on Glyn Davis and the damage he has caused to the University of Melbourne. It is not about to get better either:
http://parkvillepolitick.com/index.php/2009/10/melbourne-inc/