PENRITH PRESS ARTICLE
Thankyou to the Anonymous person who let us know about this article published last week in the Penrith Press:
Get college in on the act
06Mar07
ACTING and fine art courses would ``limp along'' at the University of Western Sydney unless Werrington TAFE could lend some extra space.
University Dean of Arts Wayne McKenna addressed a Penrith Council meeting last month after councillors had expressed concerns about the university's commitment to the area late last year.
In December, one of Australia's most celebrated acting institutions, Theatre Nepean, was closed along with the theatre-making course.
The university also cut its intake of Fine Arts students.
Professor McKenna said demand for these courses had dropped while more students wanted to do Communications or Design.
``We let students do what they want to do,'' Professor McKenna told the council. He said the university had spent $1.5 million upgrading its media precinct, including new television cameras.
Acting was ``the single most expensive course'' on offer and the fine art and acting courses had lost $1.5 million last year.
The university includes floor space used for a course when it is budgetting, so ``chalk and talk subjects'' cost less.
``The TAFE has more space, if we could share with TAFE it would help. We're also talking to local galleries. This would save a lot of money.
``Galleries are a big space for the university to provide and put pressure on programs.''
Professor McKenna said the acting and art courses would resume in a more limited format in 2008.
Penrith Mayor Pat Sheehy said if floor space was to be included in the budget than TAFE could provide the studio space.
He suggested the council lobby government for funding to make this happen.
Councillor Greg Davies suggested a working party made up of members of the arts and education community be formed to start lobbying.
Thankyou to the Anonymous person who let us know about this article published last week in the Penrith Press:
Get college in on the act
06Mar07
ACTING and fine art courses would ``limp along'' at the University of Western Sydney unless Werrington TAFE could lend some extra space.
University Dean of Arts Wayne McKenna addressed a Penrith Council meeting last month after councillors had expressed concerns about the university's commitment to the area late last year.
In December, one of Australia's most celebrated acting institutions, Theatre Nepean, was closed along with the theatre-making course.
The university also cut its intake of Fine Arts students.
Professor McKenna said demand for these courses had dropped while more students wanted to do Communications or Design.
``We let students do what they want to do,'' Professor McKenna told the council. He said the university had spent $1.5 million upgrading its media precinct, including new television cameras.
Acting was ``the single most expensive course'' on offer and the fine art and acting courses had lost $1.5 million last year.
The university includes floor space used for a course when it is budgetting, so ``chalk and talk subjects'' cost less.
``The TAFE has more space, if we could share with TAFE it would help. We're also talking to local galleries. This would save a lot of money.
``Galleries are a big space for the university to provide and put pressure on programs.''
Professor McKenna said the acting and art courses would resume in a more limited format in 2008.
Penrith Mayor Pat Sheehy said if floor space was to be included in the budget than TAFE could provide the studio space.
He suggested the council lobby government for funding to make this happen.
Councillor Greg Davies suggested a working party made up of members of the arts and education community be formed to start lobbying.
http://www.penrithpress.com.au/article/2007/03/06/2177_news.html
Labels: Penrith Press Article
posted by UWS Arts at 6:41 PM
7 Comments:
This is simplistic spin on his part.
so its a media precinct now eh ! How can I as a student get hold of those 1.5 million $ worth of taxpayer funded tv cameras...this is a load of rubbish !
I'm sure most people are aware of this article that was published in the Sydney morning herald in 2004. Just thought I'd post it up so people remember the stupid idea that started this UWS mess.
Medical school plan for city's west
By Aban Contractor and Louise Dodson
April 27, 2004
Federal cabinet is considering a $60 million school of medicine for the University of Western Sydney as part of its multi-billion research and development policy plan, government sources have said.
The number of places needed to train enough doctors in medical schools across the country is being weighed up by the Government before the budget. Ministers recognise that western Sydney, in particular, is facing a critical shortage.
The proposal has been backed by the Premier, Bob Carr, and discussions between the university, the federal Education Minister, Dr Brendan Nelson, and the state Health Minister, Morris Iemma, have begun.
The school is likely to be based at the university's Penrith or Campbelltown campus.
The UWS vice-chancellor, Janice Reid, said yesterday the university board would give priority to the school - expected to take students from 2007 or 2008 - if it received financial help with planning and building costs.
"For every GP living in the greater west there are three living in the rest of Sydney and for every specialist living in the west there are six living in the rest of Sydney," Professor Reid said.
"The Premier has said that the shortage is critical. But the costs of establishing a medical school are enormous. We would need between $50 million and $60 million for planning and building."
The research plan is also expected to establish a body to oversee science and medical research, providing extra funding for failing infrastructure like telescopes and supercomputers.
Scientists working in areas of government priority, including research that benefits national security, are expected to win a large slice of the new money.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/
04/26/1082831499659.html?from=storyrhs
We are the Palestinians they are the oppressors. The administration are acting like a bunch of die hard neo-colonials.
Here is an article from the Penrith press. It appears they are actually turning Z block into a 4 million dollar sports center. please post this on the main page.
Sports centre gets off mark
29Mar07
A $10 million sports complex will be built at the University of Western Sydney Kingswood.
UWS Vice-Chancellor Professor Janice Reid said the new centre would serve the greater community as well as students and staff.
The centre will include indoor courts for netball, basketball and soccer, as well as a boxing ring, state-of-the-art gym facilities, exercise bikes and child minding facilities.
Outdoor practice nets for cricket, softball, netball and hockey in association with external sports fields are also proposed.
The Federal Government recently announced it will support the new centre with $4 million. Professor Reid said the university was ``delighted'' the Federal Government was making such a significant contribution towards the sports centre.
``I would like to thank the Federal Government and the Member for Lindsay, Jackie Kelly, for their support,'' Professor Reid said.
``This is good news for the university and, in particular, for the people in Penrith who will be able to use a state-of-the-art sports centre.''
The grant was awarded as part of the government's first round of Post Voluntary Student Unionism Transition Fund for Sporting and Recreational Facilities funding.
``This is a remarkable achievement for UWS considering the strong competition for funds and the focus on supporting universities in rural areas,'' Professor Reid said.
The university will now begin planning the new centre which is expected to be completed in 2009.
http://www.penrithpress.com.au/article/2007/03/29/2292_news.html
Thanks for that we'll post it up.
is it really z block they're overhauling into the sports centre? or other parts of the land?
isn't kingswood campus also slated to service some kind of shopping precinct? I heard the uni sold some of its kingswood land for the shopping strip.
maybe they'll ditch the swamp? better yet, get rid of the daycare centre. surely the kids of the future western suburbs won't want to come to uws.
if i had my time over, i'd have gone elsewhere. i have an orphan degree: ie. a degree from an institution that phased out the program of study.
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