Assets ‘raid’ disgusts M.P.

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 9

Assets ‘raid’ disgusts M.P.

By

MARITA VANDENBERG

The transfer of University Grants Committee assets of about $25 million to Government coffers represents a “disgusting raid on assets properly belonging to universities,” the Opposition’s education spokesman, Dr Lockwood Smith, says.

Dr Smith was responding to an announcement by the Minister of Education, Mr Goff, that the U.G.C. would be wound up by June 30 next year. The announcement was delivered alongside one on the new tertiary fee, on Thursday.

Mr Goff said the main functions of the U.G.C. would pass to the new Ministry of Education, while the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee would exercise an overview role over specific functions relating to admission of overseas students and scholarships.

While money or property vested in the U.G.C. for scholarships will transfer to the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, U.G.C. assets, mainly property, will go to the Government.

The U.G.C. owns two new buildings in Wellington’s Mowbray and Bolton streets, valued about $25 million. The U.G.C. is an independent university body which built its fund through accumulated endowments and exam fees which it invested.

Dr Smith yesterday called the transfer of these assets “daylight robbery.” “The assets were built up by the U.G.C.’s own good management. They were not built up with Government funds,” he said. Dr Smith also criticised the Government for handing over tertiary matters to the new Ministry, which he said would not have the necessary expertise and independence required for sound policy advice on universities.

“The real threat to academic freedom is not from overt interference by politicians, but from inappropriate advice which can too easily arise if the sole source of it does not have adequate judgment. “Any Minister of education should feel vulnerable without the independent advice that in the past has been given by the U.G.C.,” he said. Dr Smith said the National Party was consulting with the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and the Polytechnic Principals’ Association on the need for a tertiary commission.