Content
The Importance of Uni Staff
10 February 2007
National data collection always lags a few years behind where we are now, and where USC is now, is a long way ahead of where it was two years ago. It has been a period during which we have experienced the fastest growth in our history.
Yet, even on the 2004/5 data sets there were patterns emerging that are indicative of the progress of the University.
USC has one of the best university staff qualification profiles in the country, and it is on the quality of staff that the future of every university rests.
The growth of the University is exciting international interest, evidenced by the average number of applications we receive for each advertised position, and this figure is running at nearly twice the average number nationally: that is for every 10 applications to other uni’s, we get 19. This is an outstanding trend, especially as our advertising mechanisms are not as numerous as the older universities. I think the numbers have improved further in the last two years.
Even as early as 1997 our staff profile was considered better than many other universities but in the last ten years the profile has become even more impressive.
Quite apart from tracking applicant interest, we also monitor sources of staff, promotion application and success rates, whether we continue to be nationally an ‘employer of choice’ and how many positions we advertise as well as the reasons behind the staff moves.
Turnover rates are usually higher in universities than some other sectors and this is often healthy, but again, the reasons need to be tracked. We lose some of our high performing staff who seek external promotion or to universities with more specialisations and infrastructure.
We track closely gender balance, the proportions of staff in cost centres relative to sectoral averages, ratios of academic to general, and the proportion of honorary, visiting and adjunct staff.
Knowing our staff, and monitoring their numbers, distribution and support is an important part of ensuring that we continue to do our utmost, with the resources we possess, to help these staff, who in turn through various academic and administrative programs, enhance the reputation of the University. We stand or fall on the quality and commitment of our staff, and the trends are highly encouraging.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.