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SHOT IN THE DARK BASEBALL BOILS OVER Council approves shooting range PAGE 3 Wednesday, 9 March 2016
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Monash: the end By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM AFTER almost a year of speculation, the fears of Monash Berwick students were this week realised with the announcement that the university plans to cease teaching at the campus prior to the end of 2018. Vice-chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner broke the news to staff at a meeting on Monday (7 March), followed by an email to the student body later that day. In the email, she told students that Monash would continue to explore options for the future use of the campus with other education providers, but as yet negotiations had been fruitless. “Victoria University, after lengthy and careful consideration, has decided not to pursue options at Berwick at this time,” she wrote. Tyrone Badar, president of the Monash Union of Berwick Students, said the decision was a “shattering outcome for students.” “It’s good there’s a certain finality to it after a long period of confusion about what was happening, but it’s a very disappointing decision,” he said. The announcement has triggered a three-week consultation period, however Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Leon Piterman told the Gazette it was too early to say whether the decision could be reversed. Monash opened the Berwick campus in 1996 with the intent of capitalising on one of Melbourne’s fastest growing corridors; but a spokesperson said on Monday that “the demand has not materialised.” In the consultation paper, provided by Monash University to the Pakenham Gazette, the decision is attributed to a low-level of enrolments. “Monash already attracts many qualified students through the south-east of Melbourne, but in the main they have indicated a preference to study at the larger campuses of Clayton and Caulfield, rather than studying locally at Berwick,” it reads. The paper states that although entry requirements for Berwick courses were “at the lower end of the Monash range,” enrolments were still not sufficient to create the campus originally envisioned by Monash. This had led to a high occurrence of the 1800 Berwick-based students Page 46 Wednesday, 9 March,
Member for La Trobe Jason Wood and Mayor of Casey Sam Aziz say students in the southeast will suffer under Monash's proposal. 151105 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS being forced to enrol in classes at other campuses, with over 1000 round trips each week taking place in 2016 - a situation described in the proposal as “costing the students precious time and further diminishing the quality of the student experience at Berwick.” Mayor of the City of Casey Sam Aziz said Monday’s announcement was a “huge kick in the guts” for the municipality. “Monash has a very, very strong role in our economic development strategy,” he said. “We need to put a lot more thought into what happens here.” He backed federal MP Jason Wood’s commitment to “fight tooth
and nail” to ensure options are not taken away from university students in the south-east. Mr Wood said he rejected Monash’s claim that the demand for top-quality tertiary education lagged in the area. “I will be advising the Minister (Education Minister Simon Birmingham) not to allow this to go ahead unless there is another provider in place,” he said last week. “My priority is staff and students. My personal idea is that we need to be looking at a provider who could put in a centre for entrepreneurship and innovation.“ State Minister for Training and Skills Steve Herbert also confirmed
that the government had offered Monash assistance in finding another provider, and that he had written to Senator Birmingham regarding the issue. But Mr Badar said the vocal opposition from Mr Wood and other politicians was “too little, too late.” “MUBS has been asking for help and support for at least two years from local representatives,” he said. “This last-minute attempt to raise concern shows how the university is not prioritised by our local politicians.” Under the proposal, Monash will “progressively cease” classes at the Berwick campus in the lead-up to the end of 2018. The Berwick aca-
demic offerings will continue to be taught by Monash, but will be located at either Clayton, Caulfield or Peninsula. Students enrolled at the Berwick campus will still graduate with a Monash degree, and staff will be offered transfers to other campuses at equivalent levels and conditions. As well as the consultation process, Monash will require government approval in order to close the campus. Members of the community who wish to provide feedback should email chancellery@monash.edu prior to March 31, after which a decision will be made by the Monash leadership team.
2016 pakenham.starcommunity.com.au
Hi boys and girls, What do you think about my new look of my page? If you would like to email any of your drawings, jokes and photos please send them in to my good friend’s email janette.young@starnewsgroup.com.au A huge hug also to my new sponsor for my page Pakenham Central Marketplace.
Q: Why shouldn’t you tell a secret on a farm? A: Because the potatoes have eyes and the corn has ears Q: What has no fingers, but many rings? A: A tree
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Q: What kind of bird can carry the most weight? A: The crane! This week’s jokes sent in by Mason, Pakenham.
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