Three-year plan for Aust. universities

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32965, 11 July 1972, Page 13

Three-year plan for Aust. universities

C.V.Z Press Association —Copyright) CANBERRA. July 10. The Australian Cabinet is expected to approve this week the expenditure of about sl2oom in the next three years on all universities and colleges of advanced education, compared with s9lom for the last three years.

The programme will cover, the capital cost of buildings and equipment, running costs, research grants, and the cost: of residential accommodation for students. The Commonwealth will contribute about half of the; total cost, and the remainder will come from state government grants, student fees, rents from properties, and private gifts to universities. The universities were not' able to live within their budgets in the last three-year period: some had to increase their fees, and receive supplementary grants from both Commonwealth and state governments. The new programme drawn up by the Universities Commission. in consultation with the universities and colleges

■ of advanced education, is ex- ; pected to allow for increases , in the salaries of academic staff. Staff associations have i been pressing for substantial salary increases, to catch up 11 with increases granted to with the C.5.1.R.0 ■ and other Government departments. The Federal Government is I sexpected to announce that a {judge will be appointed to : inquire into the question of salaries for the next three, • years. ■ The new programme is ex- > pected to contain special pro-! i visions for computers at uni- | versifies, particularly in New! South Wales. Universities i i will be expected to combine! . their computer resources to! i obtain the optimum use from ['them.