Last week a new voice emerged in the VCA debate in the form of Ex (and 10-year veteran) VCA Film & TV lecturer Steve Thomas. Steve Thomas, no longer the documentary lecturer, takes up the story, in a year when the documentary course is not being offered at all at VCAM.

Published by Screen Hub on 22/02/10, Thomas supplies an incredible insight into what life is really like for VCAM staff, most particularly the unofficial VCAM Management policy of “change by stealth”. Thomas examines the world-class teaching methods which are being trashed in spite of the ongoing Review, and how staff morale is being beaten by everything from economic pressures (e.g. growing classes, forced to teach “more cleverly”) to the plain ludicrous (emails pressuring experienced staff to get PhDs). Thomas blows a hole into PR catch-cry of the Dean (Sharman Pretty), Deputy Dean (Kristy Edmunds) and Vice Chancellor’s (Glyn Davis) that “nothing has changed” or change is “proposed not imposed”, showing how courses (like documentary) are being quietly gotten rid of through new administration requirements.

Using the Film & TV industry as example, Thomas explains VCA’s vital role to arts business and the fact there is simply no choice – VCA must survive as an elite training ground.

Truly a remarkable read.

Read the full article here (copyright Screen Hub).

In other news, SAVE VCA received an email at 2.30PM on Thursday 25 Feb that “the Chair of the VCAM Review Committee is now inviting individuals and group representatives to meet with the committee next Tuesday 2 March at Southbank.” Yes. That would be three business days notice. After asking if we could have more time, we were told “March 2 is the only public consultation day scheduled at this point however I believe there will be another day to be decided after Tuesday.” As such, we’re not risking missing out and will be presenting on March 2 for 30 minutes (and 30 minutes of question time from the Committee).

This hastily put together public “consultation” does not bode well for an already suspect review and one can’t help but notice it has been schedule at the same time as the Melbourne Writers Festival and the Adelaide Arts Festival, meaning many industry officials are unable to attend. Is the University just racing towards a finding which is already written, printed, bound and waiting to be released? Post your comments below.

The team behind SaveVCA would like to thank each and every one of you involved in the campaign this year. We have achieved some amazing things, and from humble beginnings, as we didn’t exist before May. Personal thanks must go to the large group of students, alumni and staff who have given their time, money and skills on a daily basis to make this so much more than just a group of angry artists.

What would SaveVCA like for Christmas you may ask? Well we would like a new pair of ankle socks, and your suggestions and input on the discussion paper, which is currently seeking submissions; please see here for more information.

Lets hope 2010 is the year we SAVE VCA.

Until next year, stay safe,

Love The SaveVCA Team.

A screenshot of the VCAM.org.au site

This flies in the face of UoM assertions the “Discussion Paper” process will be independent and shows the administration’s true colours i.e. they are not interested in anybodies opinion other than their own, and are happy to make arguments without knowing the facts.

UoM’s recklessness still shocks.

You can read the crikey article here 09-11-26 Crikey

Dr Ziggy Switkowski, Former Telstra CEO

In an move that is polarising opinion, UoM have appointed former Telstra CEO Ziggy Switkowski to Chair the VCA Review Committee.

Ziggy has never worked as an artist, nor as an artist educator, nor had a he run an arts business, but he does have exposure to non-UoM opinions through his role at the Australian Major Performing Arts Group. He has also had a very successful corporate career and headed a review into the nuclear industry. Perhaps it’s good to have someone who can come to VCA with fresh eyes? Or is he not qualified for this crucial role? What do you think? Post your comments below

We wait to see who will form the rest of the Review Committee as to whether UoM are really interested in giving Mr Switkowski and Ms Delahunty colleagues from a range of viewpoints

You can read the University of Melbourne Press Release here

You can also read a recent article from  09-11-26 in The Age

The Cover of the discussion Paper

It’s taken seven months of pressure to force a formal consultation process out of Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis and VCAM Dean Sharman Pretty.

Only problem is they will be playing judge and jury in the “discussion”.

SAVE VCA welcome the University of Melbourne (UoM) finally opening up discussion about the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) to the wider Arts Community as well as to students, staff and alumni. It is also encouraging that some staff recommendations about the composition of the Review Committee have been acknowledged in the document.

However let us not forget the only reason this Discussion Paper exists is because of the seven-month backlash against the UoM changes.

Now UoM want the VCA community to entrust the moderation of discussion to an organisation which has already shown high disregard for VCA’s staff, students and Victoria’s arts business. And considering the ongoing conflicts in the Law, Business, Economics and Arts faculties, SAVE VCA feels it is reasonable to be sceptical about this consultation process, especially as the result is ratified by the VCAM Integration Committee (the same Committee from which the Chair and two other highly regarded members resigned this year).

It is also hard to escape that reality that VCA is in crisis now and it’s because of the UoM. We’ve gone beyond a Discussion Paper. We need the Federal and State Governments to urgently step in to not only safeguard VCA’s courses and funding, but Australia’s arts business:

Students are voting against the Melbourne Model with VTAC first-preference applications down 27% (The Australian 11/11/09 ).

• Victoria is losing arts industry jobs and business now because of UoM’s mishandling of VCA. UoM has cut off the supply of Music Theatre and Puppetry graduates to the ‘arts capital of Australia’ without notice. Ironically VCA’s Music Theatre course was developed after extensive industry consultation and it was the first course UoM cut – clearly the opinions of industry are not held in high regard.
• Even this week The Age reported West Side Story will buck the trend and open in Sydney. VCA is the epicentre of Victoria’s arts business and it is being left to the wolves.
• A National Tertiary Education Union run survey taken by approximately a quarter of VCAM Southbank staff showed 40% are seeking to leave VCA within a year. VCA is facing a huge and immediate teaching talent drain.

FURTHER OBERSEVATIONS:

• The “independence” of the Discussion Paper is highly suspect. How independent is an “Independent Chair” and his/her Review Committee if they are all “appointed by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the Dean of VCAM?”
• There is no mention of whether the highly controversial tenure of the new Dean Sharman Pretty should/will be reviewed. Many would argue there is no point in discussing anything with the current Dean at the helm.
• All the changes done to date (e.g. Puppetry & Music Theatre being axed and staff cuts) are not mentioned in the document. Is UoM embarrassed of its management of VCA to date?
• Nothing has changed in the UoM attitude to VCA. VCA is still presented as ungrateful child that has rudely questioned its parent’s wisdom:

“The VCA affiliation turned into a significant financial disadvantage for other University of Melbourne students. Millions of dollars in teaching income earned from enrolling students at the University have become cross subsidies to the VCA and then the Southbank campus of VCAM. As these student places were already under-funded without this added cost, it would benefit University of Melbourne students if this money could be used as originally intended.”

The above statement is also highly defensive and conveniently forgets the $103million of VCA assets UoM inherited and that three other UoM Faculties are also cross-subsidised. There is also no discussion of the UoM rental and administration cost system which is the major financial drain on the VCA.

• The tone of the Discussion Paper gives a very obvious sense of what the result of the Review will be. The most obvious solution to VCA’s is independence from UoM, but this is demonised and does not factor in perusing funding from the Arts Ministry (like NIDA):

“The risk to the University itself would be low; the risk to the training of students through many of the current VCAM programs and the wellbeing of the existing VCAM staff would be significant.”

The Discussion Paper is box ticking. It’s no mistake this document was launched to the media whilst most students have already ended classes for the year. The UoM have bought themselves another 6 months in the hope staff, students and industry will simply get war weary. It also means the UoM have deflected the Government’s ability to become involved because UoM can say they are “consulting”. All this at a time when VCA can least afford to delay in clawing back its reputation and arts business need urgent certainty on the supply of graduate quantity and quality.

Read the highly subjective UoM Discussion Paper “Defining The Future” document here (http://vcam.unimelb.edu.au/discussion/)

Meanwhile, Sharman Pretty has tried to sell the Discussion Paper on ABC Radio, to listen, click here

As always, comments welcomed below and at facebook.com/savevca

Glyn Davis and PM Kevin Rudd

Save VCA campaigner and VCA Music Theatre Alumni Scott Dawkins corrects the UoM “correction”

See the article in full here 09-09-11 Crikey.pdf

Hear the 06/11/09 Glyn Davis / Jon Faine (mentioned in the Crikey article) here

Students & Lynne Kosky at the VCA

Victorian Arts Minister Lynne Kosky yesterday received a 15,000 signature petition in opposition to the changes to the Victorian College of the Arts. Current and past students were on hand to facilitate the hand over, completed by David Haidon, the former VCA Student Union President.

This comes after more than 150 staff “apply for voluntary redundancies” at Melbourne University.

Photos of the hand over can be found here.

This is an important step in the campaign, but there is still more you can do to help; become a fan on Facebook, or Twitter, spread the word about the changes and pass on the newly released industry document.

Elizabeth Bare - Head of University Services

Crikey.com reveal Elizabeth Baré, the head of university services, will call time on her 20-year career at the institution, as controversy rages over her implementation of “responsible division management”.

Crikey

Crikey also reveal VCA staff survey showed 40% of VCA staff would quit their positions rather than deal with further rationalisation directives from new dean Sharman Pretty. At the same meeting, 84% per cent of staff expressed a vote of no-confidence in Pretty.

Articles can be found as follows:

Was Melbourne Model stoush behind the Law dean’s departure?

Ill will across Melbourne uni claims another victim

Front Page of the Industry Document

In a response to frequent requests for detailed information about the status of VCA particularly from Arts Businesses, SAVE VCA have produced a document which gives readers “the full story” all in one place. Indeed many VCA staff and students will find some of the information new, such is the difficulty in getting detailed information from the University of Melbourne and from Dean Sharman Pretty. If you don’t have time to read the whole document, there is a two page Executive Summary (in the PDF below).

You will find a full copy of this document here > SaveVCA Information for the Arts

Professor James C. Hathaway Dean

From http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/11/02/was-melbourne-model-stoush-behind-the-law-deans-departure/

The departing dean of the University of Melbourne’s Law School, Professor James Hathaway, was at the centre of an ugly stoush over the implementation of the university’s controversial Melbourne Model just weeks before his resignation last Wednesday. A damning series of internal documents, obtained by Crikey, reveals widespread anger from within the elite faculty over changes that would have seen up to four professional staff sacked and replaced with three senior bureaucrats, leading to a budget blowout and a “pyramid-like professional staff structure”. Read more…