This paper attempts to isolate some key current trends and issues of particular importance for the governance of Australian CAEs and explores a small number of their implications for governance at institutional level, at State level and at national level. The paper is divided into six sections, including a brief introduction. The second section identifies five current trends and issues which may have significant implications for the governance of Australian CAEs over the next decade. The next three sections consider some implications of these trends and issues for the governance of CAEs at individual institution. State and national levels. The final section presents some overall conclusions but the authors are sceptical about the existence of any single correct answer. The paper assumes a general understanding of the colleges of advanced education and their governance.
References
1.
For an introduction to the college of advanced education sector and its governance, see HarmanG. S.SelbySmith C. (Eds.) Australian Higher Education: Problems of a Developing System. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1972, 183; McCaig, Robert (Ed.). Policy and Planning in Higher Education. St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 1973, 183; Harman, Grant and Scott, Roger (Eds.). Teaching Politics in Colleges of Advanced Education. Canberra: Education Research Unit, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, 1975, 230; Law, Phillip. Co-operation in non-university tertiary education. South Pacific Journal of Education, 1974, 1, 39–42. Goldstein, S. G. The Victoria Institute of Colleges—an inquiry. Australian Journal of Education, 1969, 13, 270–81; and Stern, Wal. Colleges of Advanced Education. Current Affairs Bulletin, 1974, 50, 9, 20–28.
2.
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. 1975—Parliamentary Paper No. 6. Population and Australia: A Demographic Analysis and Projection. First Report of the National Population Inquiry. Canberra: The Government Printer of Australia, 1975, 759 pp. (2 vols.)
3.
See The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. 1969—Parliamentary Paper No. 77. Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Advanced Education Second Report June 1969. Canberra: Commonwealth Government Printing Office, 1969, 106–107. The total of 32,231 students was made up of 11,843 full-time and 20,388 part-time students.
4.
The figures for 1974 were supplied by the Commission on Advanced Education.
5.
Borrie tends to consider enrolments in CAEs together with those in universities. He argues that the balance between universities and CAEs will be substantially the result of government policies, but that total enrolments in the two sectors considered together are likely to be much less affected.
6.
This excludes Murdoch, Griffith or Deakin Universities or those proposed for Albury-Wodonga and Campbelltown.
7.
BirrellRobert. Neo-capitalism in Australia: The case of the colleges of advanced education. In EdgarDonald E. (Ed.) Social Change in Australia; Readings in Sociology. Melbourne: Cheshire, 1974, 643.
8.
This project was conducted by members of the Education Research Unit, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, at the request of the Commission on Advanced Education. See AndersonD. S.BattK. J.BeswickD. G.HarmanG. S.SelbySmith C. (Eds.) Regional Colleges: A Study of Non-Metropolitan Colleges of Advanced Education in Australia. Canberra: Education Research Unit, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, 1975.
9.
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. 1973—Parliamentary Paper No. 54. Teacher Education 1973–5: Report of the Special Committee on Teacher Education. Canberra: The Government Printer of Australia, 1973, 86.
10.
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 88.
11.
To date in the college sector most appointments have been made in a fairly traditional way, usually by the college council on the advice of a selection committee made up of council members, some senior staff, perhaps a student, and in some cases one or more co-opted outside experts. Appointments are usually permanent rather than for a fixed term, although there are some exceptions.
12.
University experience is worth noting. In Australia the traditional practice has been to have appointed heads of departments but elected deans of faculties. In the United States headships of departments have often been filled either by election or a system of rotation, whereas deans of faculties have been appointed. Many competent observers believe that the result has been for the real power in the Australian university to reside with departmental heads, whereas in the United States system it unquestionably lies with the deans.
13.
In 1973, when the survey was conducted, almost 60 per cent had annual incomes of $15,000 or more.
14.
BerdahlRobert O.Statewide Coordination of Higher Education. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1971, 10.
15.
In the academic staff survey only 40 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement that “a college itself should decide whether a programme is up to degree standard”.
16.
This table also shows the composition of the Commission on Advanced Education.
17.
Since this was written a special committee of enquiry (chaired by Professor P. H. Partridge) into post-secondary education in Western Australia has recommended that the Teacher Education Authority be abolished and that the five teachers' colleges under its control be organised into a multi-campus CAE.
18.
Note, however, that this could be rather similar in practice to stimulating more co-ordination between the existing Commissions together with a common Chairman (and possibly some other members, too) or a separate super-Commission some of whose members took special responsibility for particular activities and participated in (or chaired) the Commission charged with responsibility for that area.
19.
Indeed, the assumption of full financial responsibility for advanced education by the Australian Government may, paradoxically, have acted to render further co-operation to improve the statistical situation more difficult to achieve. Full Commonwealth funding coupled with a long-standing sensitivity to State rights by State co-ordinating authorities and an appreciation of the Commonwealth's willingness to use financial incentives to alter State policies may have hardened attitudes towards more complete disclosure than is clearly essential. There is some fear that funds plus knowledge will result in undesirably tight central control from Canberra, and that since the Australian Government undoubtedly controls the purse-strings, State co-ordinating authorities should not be too willing to standardize statistical details.
