On the money

THE editorial in Wednesday’s Chronicle is telling, particularly as it is from a graduate of the university. It is, however, indicative of a more systemic problem at USQ – a belief that if you ignore vital statistics and/or “fudge” around them all will be well eventually.

This is not an idle observation. It is based on many years experience at a senior level in Australian universities. The problem is quite widespread in the sector, even in the these challenging times for higher education and is almost inevitably caused by internal mismanagement and lack of understanding of the external forces at play.

I questioned the publicly identified euphoria of the Good Universities Guide late last year as the criteria were not explained and not explored with the headline used as a “one size fits all” solution to the problem of falling standards at USQ as indicated in other reputable surveys of Australian universities’ performance.

Issuing vague press releases and ignoring the feedback from graduates is a formula for disaster and the university’s governing body should be addressing this urgently as a way of providing the new vice-chancellor with the platform to redress the internal problems that have lead to the situation Rebecca Vonhoff so accurately describes.

— PETER J CASTLETON, Toowoomba