From: tsuanian@cc.curtin.edu.au
Newsgroups: aus.students.overseas
Subject: Re: Australian Universities failed
Date: 31 Jul 92 01:38:21 GMT
Organization: Curtin University of Technology

In article <1992Jul30.231601.1@cc.curtin.edu.au>, rswiftrw@cc.curtin.edu.au (Rod Swift) writes:
> In article <1992Jul23.140849.1@cc.curtin.edu.au>, tsuanian@cc.curtin.edu.au writes:
> 
>> In article <9220514.18554@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>, kaic@mamura.ee.mu.oz.au (David Chan) writes:
> 
>>>>What I'd like to know is why postgraduate courses cost so much.
>>>>Especially those that are research based.  I mean, I read up,
>>>>consult my lecturer, use the net, use a pc, ocassionally use the
>>>>fax, and they are charging me $14500 per annum? where is it all
>>>>going?
> 
> I'd say that the $14500 figure is quite reasonable, as it costs around $11,000
> funding from the Australian gov't for an undergraduate course.
> 
> Remember that you have not included the costs of equipment, and the salaries
> of the staff.
> 
> I'd estimate the cost to average out to around $14,000 per student.
Yes, it probably cost $11,000 for an undergraduate course. And as 
you said it's to cover the cost of lecturers salaries, equipment
used etc.  My point is, I don't attend lectures, the only equiment
I use is one (count them) solitary P.C.(O.K I use the vax for this
but surely I'm not single handedly responsible for paying for it's
upkeep >-)).  So why am I charged $14,000?. As you said ON AVERAGE
it probably cost $14000 for a Postgraduate course. Some research
project costs more, some costs less.  So why cant we pay for the 
resources we use only?.  Why do I have to help fund the projects 
that cost more?.  in most undergraduate courses. You pay for the 
units you take.  Not for being enrolled in a semester.  Why cant 
a simmilar system be appiled to us?
> 
>>> 	Exactly the same question I asked at the 1990 NLC conference in
>>> Adelaide, but it was ducked. It is pretty odd that they are charging so much
>>> for things like you mentioned. Furthermore, a lot of the research that
>>> overseas students are engaged in are potentially very beneficial to Australia
>>> - yet, the fees aren't helping to encourage the same students.
> 
> Hmmm.  I would say that the research benefits both Australia, the nation from
> which the student is from (as they will no doubt return their expertise to
> their homeland) and to the University.
True, so whats your point?
> 
>>> 	Where is it all going? Probably down the black hole that is
>>> masquerading as the Australian Economy!
> 
> No comment :v>
> 
>> O.K so we've established that we dont feel the charges are justified.
>> Now who can we talk to to get some straight answers?
>> Guild Rep? ha! Overseas student rep? Ha! Overseas student office? HA!
> 
> I gather you have talked to none of these groups of people?
Not going to argue with you here, admittedly I don't try very hard
to talk to them.
> 
> Rod Swift
> -- 
> |            . . .   . . . . .        "Dear God.  We paid for all this stuff|
> |        +  +  +     +  +  +  +  +        ourselves, so thanks for nothing."|
> |    *   *   *       *   *   *   *   *                                      |
> |R    o    d         S    w    i    f    t      -- Bart Simpson saying grace|
> +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> |Internet: RSwiftRW@cc.curtin.edu.au               School of Social Sciences|
> |PSImail : psi%050529452300070::RSwiftRW                   Curtin University|
> |Bitnet  : RSwiftRW%cc.curtin.edu.au@cunyvm.bitnet             GPO Box U1987|
> |UUCP    : uunet!munnari.oz!cc.curtin.edu.au!RSwiftRW        Perth  WA  6000|
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