SAVE OUR MAJOR - WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT
SAVE OUR MAJOR
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT
The University of Newcastle is trying to remove the Chinese Major from the BA Program. This is a result of the 2011 external review into the BA program and subsequent Faculty Action Plan.
Students are concerned because the reasons given for removing the major contradict their own experiences. In addition, when students questioned the apparent low enrollments, the University officials responded by stating that this wasn't the issue, the problem was that Chinese has too many high distinctions!
We demand the statistics.
We demand the retainment of the Chinese major.
We are students of the University of Newcastle, NOT of the Chinese Government.
Read below to see why students are trying to save the Chinese Major.
"Chinese: This is an important subject for UoN, for strategic and other reasons; however it is not sustainable as a major on current staffing levels. It is therefore recommended this subject is offered as a minor, until such time that the subject is renewed by additional and appropriately qualified staff. It is noted that student numbers are also currently small, and failure rates are high in some courses. Because the Panel does not think this major is sustainable as it is currently organised, it places the University and its students in a vulnerable position." External BA Review (2011), page 16.
Students in the Chinese major do not concur with the above statement.
Firstly, enrolments
Chinese has similar enrolments to Japanese and more than German.
Secondly, High Failure Rates in some courses in the major
The review quotes high failure rates in some courses in 13/18 majors in the BA program. If in fact Chinese does have high failure rates, it's hardly the only major with this problem.
When students met with Faculty representatives on the 20th September, they were told that the problem was not high failure rates, but rather that too many students were getting High Distinctions.
Since when was that a problem and a reason to axe a major?
Furthermore, in 2009 the University axed the contact hours for a Chinese Characters course in the face of wide student opposition. It was expected that students could teach themselves the complexities of written Chinese. Some students believe that this may have led to an increased rate of failure.
Request for the data
The students and NUSA have requested the data for all foreign language courses taught at Callaghan between 2006 and 2011. We are yet to receive this data. In particular, we are interested in grades, enrolments rates and failure rates.
Staff
Chinese currently has one staff member who has designed and run the major for twenty years. She is the only NAATI (translator) qualified person between Sydney and Brisbane. Many students in this major want to become translators and as such chose Newcastle because of this staff member.
The review mentions that there are not enough staff. The solution to this would appear to be to hire some more!
"During the review the Panel was made aware of the new Confucius Institute. The Panel believes this facility will create a strong resource and focal point for the discipline of Chinese and its students. With this in mind, the Panel strongly recommends that the discipline establishes a strong working relationship with the Confucius Institute, and that over time the Centre takes a leading role in redeveloping this subject into a major." External BA Review (2011), page 16.
The Confucius Institute taking a "leading role in redeveloping this subject into a major."
Firstly, the Confucius Institute is NOT an academic institution. It is a Chinese Government run cultural institution.
Secondly, students of the Chinese major are students on the University of Newcastle, not the Confucius Institute. This puts autonomous Australian education at jeopardy.
Thirdly, the Confucius Institute's funding is reviewed every three years. So what happens in two years time if the funding is withdrawn?
In addition, we have been informed that in order to obtain the Confucius Institute, the University used the "strong" Chinese major at the University.
Finally, the institute would not teach a major and as such no student in the Hunter region or Newcastle could go further than 2nd year undergraduate level in Chinese.
CHINESE LANGUAGE
The federal Government have identified Chinese and Italian as priority languages. How will Australians in Newcastle and the Hunter region learn Chinese if the University does not teach the subject?
FURTHER CONCERNS OF THE STUDENTS
Students in the major have been informed they will not be affected. However, they do not see how this can be the case as they are losing their course and their teacher.
The students have requested further meetings with the University several times, but have no dates set. They believe the University is trying to delay the matter until after exams when no-one will be here.
Several of these students are applying to other Universities.
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