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Planning 2007 priorities
3 March 2007
There might sometimes be a view in society at large that universities close down for long periods between semesters especially around December and January.
It is certainly a time when many staff take most of their annual leave, which amounts to twenty days per year, but it’s also a time when academic staff can catch up on research, reading, consultancy work or course preparation. For administrative staff it’s one of the busiest periods of the year, finalising the books for 2006, and instituting plans and actions to get the 2007 year underway.
In some of these respects, therefore, university staff do not enjoy the long holidays they once had, which were akin to school holidays. Those similarities with schools ended in the early 70’s and for staff the pressures can now be year-long.
Exactly how much work has gone on even since December has been brought home to me as I prepare reports and recommendations for the first University Council of the year on March 20.
Last year the University of the Sunshine Coast grew its gross revenue 28%, on top of over 20% in 2005. 2007 is going to be another year of strong growth, particularly with respect to our investment in research leadership.
Since inception, the building program has been constant and that will have to continue. Buildings for health, student administration and chancellery, sports stadium, plus works have been completed or are near completion, with an ‘Accelerator’ decision not too far away. In addition there has been Noosa’s campus developments at the ‘J’, and further work on facilities at Fraser Island.
But 2007 is going to see a more concerted effort to invest in research leaders, alongside further developing talent already on staff.
The national AUQA review which was overwhelmingly positive, affirmed our conviction and commitment that research is now a top priority. As our revenue base increases we have at last got some capacity to invest some serious monies into what has been independently evaluated as, not unexpectedly, one of our least developed areas in our first decade. That issue is about to be addressed head on.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.