Our universities are not for profit – Victorian Socialists

How will we pay for it? – Victorian Socialists

We live in a rich state, yet resources are unevenly shared. We want to tax the wealth of the billionaires and banks. This wealth should fund essential services.

Does the Fear of Debt Deter Students from Higher Education?

Concerns over the impact of debt on participation in higher education (HE) have dominated much of the debate surrounding the most recent reforms of financial support for full-time students in England, including the introduction of variable tuition fees. Yet few studies have attempted to explore this issue in a statistically robust manner. This article attempts to fill that gap. It examines the relationship between prospective HE students' attitudes to debt, and their decisions about whether or not to enter HE. Using data derived from a survey of just under 2,000 prospective students, it shows how those from low social classes are more debt averse than those from other social classes, and are far more likely to be deterred from going to university because of their fear of debt, even after controlling for a wide range of other factors. The article concludes that these findings pose a serious policy dilemma for the Westminster government. Their student funding policies are predicated on the accumulation of debt and thus are in danger of deterring the very students at the heart of their widening participation policies.

We could be building a better world with our students. Why are we disempowering them instead?

And why did our constructionism impulse die when it was most needed?

Early childhood, primary and secondary education – Victorian Socialists

Every child deserves free, quality public education. We’re fighting for universal preschool and childcare, better student-teacher ratios, and an end to NAPLAN.

Sustainability

The sustainable University – structures, individuals and questions around institutional transformation 

Workers' power – Victorian Socialists

Everyone deserves well paid, secure work. We’re fighting for the right to strike, a $35 minimum wage on government-funded work, and an end to wage theft.

Fix the health crisis – Victorian Socialists

Healthcare should be universal and free, not for profit. We’re fighting for fully funded public health and the expansion of free community health clinics.

Fraud Investigation Lessons From Finance

Social programs shouldn't have to pay tuition to fraudsters; finance has already. Here's what we've learned.

Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges

Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy by Tressie McMillan Cottom (2017, The New Press) is simply excellent. Here's an excerpt, here's Dr. McMillan Cottom's page about the book, here's … | Cogito, Ergo Sumana | Blog by Sumana Harihareswara, Changeset founder

Put politicians on worker's wage – Victorian Socialists

Politicians should live more like the rest of us. We’ll fight to cap MPs' wages at $96,000 (a sixth-year nurse’s wage) and end their perks.

Victorian Labor

Wealth that’s dug up in regional Victoria should stay in regional Victoria to fund schools, hospitals and roads.

Opinion | Michael Bloomberg: Why I’m Giving $1.8 Billion for College Financial Aid (Published 2018)

Let’s eliminate money problems from the admissions equation for qualified students.

Why we should bulldoze the business school

The long read: There are 13,000 business schools on Earth. That’s 13,000 too many. And I should know – I’ve taught in them for 20 years

The 'rebel educator' candidates taking on Labor – Victorian Socialists

A group of teachers and education support staff - members of Victorian Socialists who, as part of the Socialists in Schools union group, have played a leading role in the rank-and-file rebellion within the AEU - will be running a targeted campaign in this November’s state election challenging eight sitting Labor MPs, including Premier and former Minister for Education Ben Carroll.