ALUMNI & SUPPORTERS
Survey on Financing
Investigation into Alumni Opinion on University Financing - Executive Summary
Background
In May 2003 the Australian Government announced reforms to the higher education sector (The Nelson Report). The arrangements foreshadowed in this report were expected to result in significant changes to the way in which universities are funded, including changes that would allow universities greater discretion in setting the level of student fees. In December 2003, much of the Government’s reform program became law with the enactment of the Higher Education Support Bill 2003.
Different stakeholders, including students, staff, alumni, employers and professions, expressed views about the proposed reforms after they were announced. The Vice-Chancellor thought it important to canvass the views of one of UNSW’s key stakeholder groups – alumni, and requested Alumni Association support for a survey of their views. The Alumni Board agreed and formed a Committee to oversee the conduct of a professional survey of a representative sample of alumni.
The ‘Alumni Survey on University Financing’ was distributed in August 2003 to over 5,000 Australian alumni. It canvassed the views of UNSW Australian undergraduate degree alumni from a range of Faculties and they were asked to consider the pros and cons of undergraduate student fee rises, as well as general issues about university revenue generation and expenditure.
The number and type of alumni responding was statistically representative and adequate for proper analysis. However other alumni not surveyed may have quite different views eg international, postgraduate, research alumni. So the findings must be considered as representing only the views of Australian UNSW undergraduate degree alumni who graduated between 1952-2002.
Along with the direct alumni survey responses, a number of written comments as well as letters were received, which demonstrates the commitment of our alumni both to UNSW and to higher education as a whole. Many very constructive suggestions were provided and UNSW will be looking at these closely as we move forward in shaping the University’s future priorities.
Seen in context, the survey is one component of the feedback UNSW will elicit from a wide constituent base comprising business, industry, students, staff, government etc, in forming its decision on student fees.
Different stakeholders, including students, staff, alumni, employers and professions, expressed views about the proposed reforms after they were announced. The Vice-Chancellor thought it important to canvass the views of one of UNSW’s key stakeholder groups – alumni, and requested Alumni Association support for a survey of their views. The Alumni Board agreed and formed a Committee to oversee the conduct of a professional survey of a representative sample of alumni.
The ‘Alumni Survey on University Financing’ was distributed in August 2003 to over 5,000 Australian alumni. It canvassed the views of UNSW Australian undergraduate degree alumni from a range of Faculties and they were asked to consider the pros and cons of undergraduate student fee rises, as well as general issues about university revenue generation and expenditure.
The number and type of alumni responding was statistically representative and adequate for proper analysis. However other alumni not surveyed may have quite different views eg international, postgraduate, research alumni. So the findings must be considered as representing only the views of Australian UNSW undergraduate degree alumni who graduated between 1952-2002.
Along with the direct alumni survey responses, a number of written comments as well as letters were received, which demonstrates the commitment of our alumni both to UNSW and to higher education as a whole. Many very constructive suggestions were provided and UNSW will be looking at these closely as we move forward in shaping the University’s future priorities.
Seen in context, the survey is one component of the feedback UNSW will elicit from a wide constituent base comprising business, industry, students, staff, government etc, in forming its decision on student fees.
Summary of Responses
- The survey results tell us that a majority of alumni are opposed at this time to increases in the level of student fees, for a very broad array of reasons. Respondents are also opposed, to a somewhat lesser extent, to an increase in the number of full fee-paying students.
- Some forms of raising fees would be more acceptable to respondents than others, e.g. support for raising fees differentially – based on a means-test of student/family circumstances – but there is little support for allowing fees to rise to the maximum permitted by the government reforms.
- If fees do rise, some forms of expenditure would make that more acceptable to respondents than others, e.g. relatively greater expenditure on teaching delivery and staffing rather than on general capital projects and research facilities.
- There is a strong belief in the importance of teaching and that high quality staff are a key resource to delivering teaching quality. Enhancing the educational experience of undergraduate students, through the provision of improved teaching resources, teaching delivery, attracting high quality staff and improving staff remuneration recurred as a major theme.
- Responses emphasise the merits of encouraging access to higher education for all who might qualify. There is a firm desire not to disadvantage students from minority groups nor those with limited means, and there is strong support for undergraduate scholarships based on financial need.
- Respondents judged government funding of undergraduate programs to be the most effective source of revenue, closely followed by more funding from business, corporate and industry sources for research activities, and higher government funding of postgraduate programs.
Implications for UNSW
UNSW has gained some very valuable insights from the survey that will help us build priorities for the future. The results suggest that the University needs to:
- Communicate to all our stakeholders that UNSW’s ambitions as a leading university put it in a strong position to garner its fair share of government funds, and that it is committed to pursuing this most vigorously.
- Additionally, we need to communicate the message that partnerships fostering a strong mix of funding sources, gifts, grants and contracts from industry, commerce and individuals, including alumni, will create the best opportunity for the University to be financially secure in future years. This is because these partnerships imply a ‘shared responsibility’ for covering the costs of tertiary education and, in turn, foster increased and robust philanthropic support from all sources.
- If there are to be fee rises, UNSW should consider that alumni respondents were split on whether fee rises should rise equally in all disciplines, or differentially in programs where graduating students have greatest earning potential. Given the general view that fees should not be raised, UNSW should also ensure that it fully explains any decision to raise fees.
- Communicate our value to the community more strongly to reflect the belief of alumni in the importance of teaching and educational quality; recognising that alumni greatly value their degrees and want them to be meaningful in the marketplace in the future. This extends not only to our teaching and research but to the physical structures that UNSW needs to meet its academic priorities and to reflect its international status.
- It is of concern that the importance of research did not figure highly in the survey results. This suggests we have not been doing enough to communicate the vital link between teaching and research to our undergraduates, nor indeed to the public. UNSW will need to promote the fact that a vibrant research community is pivotal to ensuring that UNSW can take a leadership role in the global educational marketplace.
- Recognise and focus on the merits of social justice – alumni clearly believe that students of ability should not be prevented from studying at UNSW; that access to higher education for capable students from minority groups and those with limited means (as against access based solely on academic merit) is integral to university values.Evidently UNSW has not communicated the enormous range of scholarships already offered by UNSW, and their importance in attracting future leaders. As the University works towards an academic strategic plan in 2004, the theme of social justice has already emerged as a priority and it is good to hear that our alumni fully share the value of UNSW contributing strongly in this way.
- There is a need to communicate, explain and justify decisions taken by the University to the alumni group, to ensure that they understand why UNSW is having to make decisions on these important matters, which alumni have demonstrated they care about deeply.
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