Voluntary Student Unionism - more than meets the eye

April 6, 2005: The Federal Government has recently introduced legislation by which it proposes what it calls "Voluntary Student Unionism".  

While "Voluntary Student Unionism" may sound innocuous enough, it really means two things: outlawing any requirement that a student at a university be a member of or contribute to any student union, organization or association, and outlawing any requirement that a student at a university contribute to the provision of any service which the student does not choose to use.  

The Federal Government proposes that any university which imposes any such requirement be, effectively, fined by a reduction in the university's grant amount of potentially substantial dimension or otherwise required to pay the amount the student has been forced to contribute back to the student.

I do not support the introduction of "Voluntary Student Unionism". If I were to support it, I would probably logically also be bound to support the abolition of all income and consumption taxes. We may dislike these, but they provide the social and health underpinnings to our society, which we would be drastically poorer without. Dr Nelson would be without much of his future Commonwealth pension income but for these taxes; and even I would not like to deny him that entitlement.

Student associations, including the University of Canberra Students' Association, are integral to the life of a university. They support many services and facilities on which thousands of students throughout Australia rely, such as child care, health care, legal advice, and other counselling and support networks.   They also facilitate many activities that enrich the life of a university, such as student newspapers, sporting and cultural clubs, and associations.   Without students' associations and the work they do, university life and the educational experience offered by our universities would be immeasurably poorer.

Providing these services costs money, money currently raised through compulsory students' dues or "General Services Fees" paid by students.   By such means the financial burden of the services provided by students' associations can be spread equitably across the university community. And correspondingly, the buying power of a large group can bring economies of scale which are otherwise lost in a purely commercial process. "Voluntary Student Unionism" would deal a debilitating blow to the ability of students' associations to continue to operate in the way students have come to rely on.

The Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson, attempts to justify "Voluntary Student Unionism" on the basis of promoting "freedom of association".    First, he says that students should not be forced to pay for services or facilities provided by students' associations - some of which he appears to think trivial, eg., absailing - which they do not want or use.   Second, he seems to dislike the political activities that some students' associations have engaged in and says that students should not be forced to contribute to organizations which engage in political campaigns they may not support. He may be scared about the political competition to people like himself that we are brewing up amongst our students.

The arguments do not withstand scrutiny.   In many segments of our society people are required to contribute to the provision of services that they may not directly use.   This is because the provision of those services enriches the life of the whole community and because the cost of the services would be prohibitive if the services were only funded by those who directly benefited from them.   This is how our taxation system operates: while we do not all use all of the services provided by the government with our tax dollars, we are all the better for living in a society in which they are provided.   Furthermore, while some may find certain activities provided by students' associations to be frivolous, the vast majority are far from trivial, but essential to the lives of many students.   Even those services which are of a more "fun" variety contribute invaluably to the promotion of a rich and rewarding university life.

Secondly, while some students' associations do engage in political activities, this is only one aspect of their activities.   For the Federal Government to impose "Voluntary Student Unionism" because it dislikes the political activities of some students' associations is truly to "throw the baby out with the bath water".   In any event, politics is an inescapable and natural part of any community, including universities.   Students' associations have within them individuals from all parts of the political spectrum.   Vigorous political debate and activity on campus and within students' associations serves to enrich university life, and allows students an avenue to express their political views and defend their interests.

The language of the bill, presented recently, is nothing but emotive. 'The abolition of Up-front Student Union Fees' is its title. This neglects the fact that students' associations are more often not even called unions, and are never Unions in the sense of our Trade Unions. The amendments in the bill not only seek to prevent universal membership of students' associations, but also to prevent universities from requiring payment for any 'facility.... that is not of an academic nature, unless the person has chosen to use the ... facility'. This is restrictive (and punitive) language and motive; without coherent rationale.

The introduction of "Voluntary Student Unionism" will not facilitate "freedom of association" on university campuses but, on the contrary, will dramatically constrict the variety of choices and activities currently open to students and impoverish university life. For example, students will be less inclined to spend time on university campuses, and instead drift to other locales where they can access the sport, food or cultural services they need once they have committed their basic efforts to their studies.   VSU will adversely affect the quality of the education our university students receive and deprive students of essential life experiences.   I again urge the Federal Government to reconsider its proposal for the introduction of "Voluntary Student Unionism".  

Roger Dean,

Vice-Chancellor      

Previous columns

Welcome

The powers of politics, the sophistication of the Senate

SCA Fees revisited

About our Vice-Chancellor: The Academic and the Man

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Last Updated on August 1, 2005