Home > HECS Submission
21 January 2005

SUBMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL REGARDING A POSSIBLE HECS INCREASE OF UP TO 25%

INTRODUCTION

The Wollongong Undergraduate Students’ Association (WUSA) is a body committed to representing the needs and rights of students at Wollongong University. WUSA has immediate concerns over the recent education reforms which allow for a 25 percent increase in HECS rates payable by students.

The policy package referred to as the Nelson Reforms has been used throughout many Australian Universities to justify a 25% increase in HECS fees. As one of the few remaining universities to have resisted these reforms, it is WUSA’a submission that Wollongong University Council should not buckle to political pressure by instigating a similar course of action. To do so would be to greatly affect not only this university’s reputation as an institution of excellence, but it would also prove detrimental to the education and welfare of its students. As a university which prides itself on ‘student centred learning’, it is vital that Wollongong University does not sacrifice the welfare and educational opportunities of its students in favour of pursuing an ill-conceived and unjustified fee increase.

CONCERNS

WUSA have the following concerns regarding an increase in HECS:

  1. Equity
    While a portion of any increase could be targeted at short-term equity solutions such as scholarships, a more equitable solution is to provide accessible higher education to all. The provision of a relatively small number of scholarships at the expense of all students is inadequate in ensuring the equity of the system as a whole. An increase in HECS removes career and life opportunities to many Australians, particularly those from low and middle socio-economic groups. This will exacerbate present systemic inequities whereby students who can afford to pay fees up front will be prioritised over those who cannot afford not to defer payment.
  2. Debt repayment
    Under the current repayment system, HECS debt is extremely difficult to repay and can sometimes exist for decades after graduation. An increase in HECS of twenty-five percent will not merely prolong the time it takes to repay debts by twenty-five percent but will put debt payments out of the reach of some graduates indefinitely. The prospect of never paying off their education will deter many potential students from coming to Wollongong or studying at University. It is also likely to have a more significant effect on female graduates given that they generally take longer to repay their HECS debts than do male graduates.
  3. Education and Politics
    As a University which prides itself on ‘student-centred learning’, it is vital that Wollongong University does not sacrifice the welfare and educational opportunities of its students in favour of pursuing politically motivated and unjustified HECS increases. By reducing the level of federal funding and HECS places, the Federal Government has undermined the University Council’s ability to autonomously determine the direction of education at Wollongong. The role of the University Council in this matter is crucial, to ensure that the needs of students at the University are not only met but are given priority.
  4. Decrease in quality of student enrolment and a subsequent loss of
    reputation, community support and external revenue.
    Many Australian universities have adopted the Nelson Reforms and a 25% HECS increase. As one of the few remaining universities still considering the reforms, the University of Wollongong is in a unique position to ensure that higher education remains accessible to all. By adopting the 25% HECS increase, it is probable that the University of Wollongong will be less able to attract higher calibre candidates from lower socio-economic groups. It is in the long-term interest of the University of Wollongong to maintain the reputation of the University as a centre of educational excellence by guaranteeing the accessibility of higher education, for all members of society.
  5. Financial
    We submit that it would be opportunistic to implement a 25% HECS increase simply because it is the maximum increase allowable under the Nelson reforms. The University has a number of issues with class sizes, equity measures and staff workloads, and we acknowledge why there is a perceived need for HECS increases. However, if HECS were to increase, it should be based on the amount necessary to provide quality outcomes for students at the University as opposed to an arbitrary figure determined by the Federal Government or University Executive. Without having fully costed the future requirements of the University, it is premature to implement a substantial increase that will have such a detrimental impact on students.

CONCLUSION

Before implementing such a fundamental change, it is important that the University Council considers the social effects of these changes, within both the University and the Illawarra region. WUSA strongly recommends that the University Council does not increase HECS debts and most certainly not by the full twenty-five percent. If the University Council wishes to remain an autonomous body with a democratic and independent voice, WUSA implores you to do what is in the long-term interest of the University and to reconsider the options available in maintaining the University of Wollongong as a centre of educational excellence.

Responsibility for WUSA's electronic and non-electronic publications is taken by WUSA Council. The University of Wollongong accepts no responsibility for WUSA publications. The content of this publication is made by and for the students of the University of Wollongong.
The content is Copyright. You may not duplicate it without our consent. If you are offended by the contents, don't read it.