Funds-starved University of Ballarat services to suffer

THE University of Ballarat has warned that its student services will continue to suffer after the Senate rejected the Federal Government's bid for a $250 services and amenities fee for university students.Worth $170 million, the proposed bill would have pumped funds back into student welfare and services stripped of funding after the introduction of the Howard Government's Voluntary Student Unionism legislation.The university's vice-chancellor, Professor David Battersby, said the rejection had cost the university over $900,000."We are bitterly disappointed," Prof Battersby said. "The additional money would have helped provide much more (for the students)."Prof Battersby said that since the VSU legislation, the university had been forced to allocate important research and academic funds to student services.He also said funding promises made by the Rudd Government would not flow through until 2012.The university's student association president, Levi Laurie, said the future of UB student services and welfare looked uncertain."We're operating on a shoe- string budget," Mr Laurie said, adding that the association had planned to revive services cancelled after the 2005 legislation.He said the association board would meet next week to discuss its future.Ballarat MHR Catherine King said university students would "pay the price" for the Liberal and Nationals parties' decision to vote down the Government's legislation."It will prevent regional universities from providing vital services that not only support students, but also local jobs," Ms King said.Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce told The Courier students shouldn't have to pay for services."I think you're drawing a long bow when you expect students to pay for legal fees," Senator Joyce said.