How our education system is becoming an industry

Ross Gittins’ succinct analysis of the decline of our increasingly corporatised universities should be read alongside other Herald articles (“Students count cost of epic fail”, August 7). These illustrate graphically the costs to Australian education and society generally that are being paid for fattening the profits of the tertiary sector’s export-earning degree factories. Vice chancellors are threatening to sack 14,000 academics if they can’t increase the numbers of international students (“Unis say cap threat to 14,00 jobs”, August 7). Then there’s the equally alarming report of UNSW’s plans to further profit from wealthy overseas students by building 15 and 16-storey residential blocks adjacent to NIDA (“NIDA in uni housing drama”, August 7). Gittins alerts us to the decline of our education system as it morphs into an “industry” prepared to sell Australian “degrees” to hapless graduates who have little or no grasp of academic English. Philip Bell, Bronte

While some would disagree with Gittins’ “fairness and good sense” assessment of the “original HECS”, it seems the university sector is beset with far greater issues to resolve. Of greatest significance is the propensity for the current government and previous Coalition government to intervene in the operation of our universities. Now, for political purposes, the Albanese government wants to dictate a cap on overseas student numbers while previously the Morrison government attempted to direct students to certain faculties by skewing HECS fees. What appears to have been lost as universities were infected with neoliberalism thinking becoming profit centres populated by more accountants than academics, is the pursuit of academic excellence. Casualisation of academics and awarding of degrees to students with limited English capability are just two signs of where the highly remunerated vice-chancellors have lost focus on what should be the charter of all universities. To grow our economy and to enhance our society we need our universities to produce increasing numbers of graduates with the necessary skills, abilities and intellect to contribute meaningfully to our country’s future wellbeing. It would seem that with the “messes” to which Gittins refers, such an outcome is very unlikely to be delivered. Ross Butler, Rodd Point

Time and time again highly paid university bosses show their inability to run our educational institutions. If you cannot run a budget then get out of the game. Threatening to cut jobs is a lame excuse for mishandling the balance of domestic and international student numbers. Universities are already understaffed and with the new definition of a casual academic under the Fair Work Act about to hit their books, more chaos will ensue. Universities will no longer be able to offer fixed term contracts for casuals and so will employ less, for fear of them wanting to become permanent, and ask existing staff to take up the slack. This sad merry-go-round continues. Michael Blissenden, Dural

I read with dismay that says HECS fees for an Arts degree will reach $50,000. This is another legacy of Scott Morrison. He had the simplistic idea that university courses were about getting job ready where universities are really institutions of learning, teaching students to imagine, research, calculate and produce. An Arts degree is a stepping stone to opening the mind to possibilities and pathways by giving students the cerebral tools to create and achieve. Critical thinking is not a job description but an asset. The Arts in general are subjects to enrich the individual and society as a whole. Not taught in Marketing 1.01. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle

Ross Gittins focuses our attention on the casualisation of young academics and its long-term effects. The lack of job security denies access to home buying and mortgage repayments and dissatisfaction in jobs. The ultimate result is brain drain on an epic scale to countries where appreciation is guaranteed. I have already lost two children overseas but, this country has lost their future input and loyalty for a lifetime. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer

Rate hope

Popular predictions of interest rate reductions, and mortgage relief for many stressed home-buyers, are still more hopeful than likely for some time (“RBA plays down pre-Christmas cut”, August 7). Conversely, pressure on the RBA to go on the back foot in fighting inflation puts tax policy in sharper focus. So far in this fight, it has hardly been reasonable to put the main responsibility on the RBA to raise rates while letting social stresses build pressure for the RBA to back off. That allocation of responsibility risks compromising the independence of the RBA, as well as entrenching expectations of enduring inflation and demands for higher wages and subsidies. It is disappointing the one-trick RBA has not been asking for stronger fiscal policy initiatives to more evenly spread the burden of the good fight against inflation. That fight is not over. The RBA has a broad-ranging mandate to promote and protect the economic welfare of the community generally – keeping mum when it could speak-up clearly, asking for a better balanced policy response, is not helping. Peter Mair, Dee Why

Not protected

Thank you, Jenna Price, for taking notice of the efforts of GPs (“If you’re ill-disposed to COVID habits, that makes me sick”, August 7). I am one and am definitely having a busy winter. Being noticed as good communicators, integral to our community and as hard-working, capable general physicians is also appreciated. One infection control measure we use at my practice is to ask our coughing patients to wait in their cars and call them when we’re ready to see them. This protects the vulnerable babies, cancer patients and elderly in our waiting rooms – but maybe not so much us! Most people are happy with this system, but some get annoyed with our staff, so thank you too for the reminder about courtesy at the desk – receptionists have a really challenging job and definitely deserve thanks, not rudeness. Lucy France, Cronulla

Thank you, Jenna Price. We recently returned from our first - and last - cruise. We could not believe the amount of open-mouthed coughing and sneezing from beginning in Norway to finishing in London. Relentless. We caught COVID, for the first time, paid extortionate amounts for treatment and missed a portion of our cruise isolating. It’s a global problem; COVID is still everywhere, and hand sanitising is not enough. It seems people can’t stop scrolling that vital X feed long enough to cover their mouths. Just simple manners people. Cover your mouths: you don’t know the health status of the person sitting next to you! Lindy Gordon, Newtown

I note Price doesn’t advocate mask-wearing but her legendary GP does. It may have prevented much family illness, as would coughing into your elbow and not your hands. Did someone mention vaccines? Jennifer Fergus, Croydon

Lotta love

With all those comments about being a political love child of John Howard and Paul Keating, enjoying a bromance with Chris Minns, not to mention being happily married with seven children - what can one say except you gotta love Dominic Perrottet (“Perrottet’s departure a loss to NSW politics”, August 7). Edward Loong, Milsons Point

Perrottet, Matt Kean, Anthony Albanese, Bob Carr, Malcolm Turnbull and a few others are, and have been, refreshing alternatives to the political blusterers, complete with mindless and often baseless claims and slogans, who usually shove themselves in our collective faces. Some of the latter sail close to Donald Trump’s intemperance, but, thankfully, Australia hasn’t quite stooped to that nadir yet. Donald Hawes, Peel

And just like that, another politician leaves politics, and suddenly sees the light of how to improve Australia. Tim Schroder, Gordon

World War II North Africa veterans are the stuff of legend

Thanks, Peter FitzSimons, for your piece on the passing of the last Rat of Tobruk (“Last Rat of Tobruk dies at the age of 102”, August 7). My grandfather, Les Allen, was a Rat but, like so many veterans of war, was reluctant to talk of his experiences there and later in New Guinea. But as a member of the medical corps of the 2/23rd, he always delighted us with his tales of taking patients to Cairo (after Rommel’s mob had withdrawn) and returning to Tobruk with an ambulance loaded with beer. Chips Mackinolty, Nightcliff (NT)

Despite their undoubted heroic efforts during the dark days of desert warfare of 1941, nothing more embodies the best of the so-called Australian spirit than the late Tom Pritchard’s response to an interview request with this masthead’s writer. He said “I do not want to be made a martyr. Tell him (FitzSimons) to look up some of the blokes that died and write about them.” These words profoundly typify the humility, compassion and honesty of so many World War II survivors. Cleveland Rose, Dee Why

I well remember a visitor to my grandparents’ home being reverently introduced as a Rat of Tobruk. Even among those, like my grandfather, who served in a different theatre of World War II, the courage and tenacity of this group was legendary. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

Keep your head down

Wendy Syfret is spot-on regarding how to avoid getting into trouble by flying under the HR and work performance radar (“When work life becomes performance art”, August 7). After all, this isn’t the Olympics, and a regression to the mean and a pass mark are all that is called for.

Fierce resentment toward tall poppies incite proud heads being cut back down to size by rivals. Conversely, underachieving bottom-feeders will want to stay hidden below the murky depths of “quiet quitting” to avoid discovery.

A commitment to staying unremarkable and uncontentious is the name of the game for a trouble-free career. Clocking in and out on time, not voicing controversial opinions and responding to emails in a breathless sprint come recommended as a winning trio of untroubled work attitudes. Just don’t expect to receive a medal. Joseph Ting, Carina (QLD)

Feather versus sword

Perhaps the Iranian ambassador should undergo “education and training”, including a visit to either the Sydney or Melbourne Holocaust Museum (“PM, Wong slam Iranian ambassador over Israel post”, August 7). How does our prime minister respond to the ambassador’s description of Hamas’ commitment to “wiping out” Israel as a “heavenly and divine promise”? He feigns outrage by throwing about adjectives like “abhorrent” and “hateful” and calls the ambassador in for a rebuke. At a time when ASIO has raised Australia’s terrorism risk from possible to probable, and when social cohesion around the world is splintering, it is time for our PM to stop using a feather to respond to fighting words from the ambassador. Irene Nemes, Rose Bay

Has the prime minister slammed the Israeli government for the killing of more than 40,000 Palestinians? Joe Collins, Mosman

Double-up Games

Cost overruns of at least 100 per cent are standard for Olympics and a huge discouragement for most cities to consider staging this sporting event (“Olympic headache turning nuclear”, August 7). There are a couple of solutions which could reduce the cost by billions of dollars. The first is to minimise or eliminate the extravaganza of opening and closing ceremonies. The former can also be an unwanted distraction for athletes due to loss of sleep. A major cost saving could be achieved by cities staging the Olympics a second time after four years. All facilities would be in place for the second staging and the city well practiced in provision of security and athlete hosting. The athletes’ accommodation could be available for rent in the intervening period. Geoff Harding, Chatswood

Surely the answer to keeping the cost of the Olympics within budget is to keep them in Athens permanently. Unfortunately, that would derail the obscene gravy train that is the bidding process. Ryszard Linkiewicz, Caringbah South

Not run of the Mills

You don’t play in the NBA for years if you’re not really good. Patty Mills is not only one of the finest basketball players Australia has ever produced, but his sportsmanship and loyalty to Australia have been exemplary (“If this was Patty Mills’ final Olympic act, it belongs in the Louvre. It wasn’t enough,” August 7). Thanks, Patty, for everything you’ve done Mark Paskal, Austinmer

Why Lyles smiles

Although Australians rarely figure in the Olympics 100m sprint final, an Australian has determined the winner (“Heads you lose, a torso wins”, August 7). Noah Lyles probably doesn’t know it, but he will be forever indebted to Janet Nixon for making the call which decided that his torso crossing the line first made him the fastest man on the planet. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne

Too much on show

Three cheers to correspondent Prue Nelson (Letters, August 7). The most blatant example is beach volleyball. Men wear loose singlets with modest shorts and women are forced to wear minuscule, tight bikinis, making it a sport that excludes larger breasted women and those with any desire (for any reason) for a little less skin exposure. Sue Duffy, Thornleigh

An EV solution

A number of correspondents express their dislike of ventilation stacks across the city (Letters, August 7). There is a simple solution. Buy an EV, encourage your families and friends to buy EVs. No emissions to vent! Ventilation stacks become irrelevant and could be demolished once we move to EVs. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove

An unfiltered emission stack camouflaged as a “golden nugget” is not a reasonable exchange for thousands of trees lost. Catherine Turner, Cremorne

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