| University of Tasmania Objectives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education The University of Tasmania is committed to an effective and active policy aimed at achieving equality of opportunity through ensuring an absence of unfair direct or indirect discrimination and at the participation of disadvantaged groups in both University education and University employment. The University is therefore committed to the following objectives:
These broad objectives are managed in the Riawunna Centre for Aboriginal Education Strategic and Operational Plan, the University of Tasmania Equal Opportunity Policy, and the Aboriginal Recruitment and Career Development Strategy. The University widely disseminates its strategic and operational plans and provides access across the university to other policy and planning documentation either via the University-wide information service or in hard-copy publications located in each academic school and administrative division. Riawunna objectives are:
Strategies Strategies for the 1999–2001 triennium continue to reflect the University’s response to the recommendations of the 1997 Review of Aboriginal Education. A key step in the implementation of these recommendations will occur in 1998 with the appointment of an Associate Professor as Director of Riawunna. The broad priorities identified in Riawunna’s Strategic and Operational Plan for 1995–97 remain valid. The revision of this plan will be completed following the appointment of the Director. Self-Determination The Aboriginal Education Committee, which has provided monitoring, policy, and strategic advice to the University on its Indigenous education programs since 1992, will be replaced in 1999 with a new committee structure in accordance with recommendations of the Review of Aboriginal Education. An academic committee will provide advice on the development and delivery of the Murina (enabling) course and the Aboriginal Studies major, while an Aboriginal services committee will provide advice on Aboriginal support programs. These two committees will constitute an executive providing advice to Faculty, Academic Senate, and University Council through the Vice-Chancellor. Membership of these Riawunna committees will include members of the Aboriginal community, Aboriginal students, Riawunna staff, DEETYA, and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Education Association. The Riawunna Committee will be central to determining the evaluation of success of enhancing Indigenous self-determination at the University. Participation The major development of the Murina program will continue to be in preparing distance education materials and methodologies in order to increase access to the program for Aboriginal people who do not live within commuting distance of the University’s campuses and study centres. Distance programs will be increasingly based on innovative teaching technologies including World-Wide Web and video-link-based delivery. Riawunna will continue to maintain and develop the existing Murina Program as a major avenue for Aboriginal students into higher education, and as a teaching support program for Aboriginal undergraduate students. Riawunna will continue to seek funding for, administer, and promote the Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme to all Aboriginal students enrolled in University courses as a means of improving retention and success rates. As part of its Equity Plan the University will continue to identify places reserved for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants; for example, the School of Law dedicates two intake places for Aboriginal students. Riawunna will undertake extensive promotion and marketing for recruitment into University, within the Aboriginal communities in Tasmania and on the mainland, throughout this triennium. This will require developing and updating all promotional material and targeting potential students in secondary colleges, TAFE, government agencies, and Aboriginal organisations. Courses which have low Aboriginal enrolments will be the focus in the first instance. Orientation and assessment programs will continue to be offered to assist in access to University courses and to make recommendations to Faculty Admissions Committees for Aboriginal student entry. This program now includes the North-West Campus of the University at Burnie to assist Aboriginal people from the region in their initial contact with the University. Research Riawunna will follow up the Review recommendation relating to the pursuit of Aboriginal research activities within the University of Tasmania. The Centre will promote postgraduate opportunities for Aboriginal students to build on growth in degree enrolments. An honours reading program will be offered in 1999. It is anticipated that the implementation of recommendations from the Review report will in the longer term create opportunities for Aboriginal people to pursue academic careers requiring postgraduate qualifications. Riawunna will encourage its staff to undertake continuous professional development and to actively pursue further qualifications. Currently three Aboriginal staff are undertaking postgraduate research programs. In 1998, Riawunna assumed responsibility for the preparation and presentation of the Aboriginal Studies major. Two Riawunna staff positions have been converted to academic status and are currently developing new Indigenous studies units to be available for cross-listing within the university. Employment The University will extend employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as guest lecturers, tutors, and consultants as short-term or casual appointments. This will be actioned through developing a register of Aboriginal people with expertise and knowledge in educational areas and Aboriginal issues, to be marketed across Departments and Divisions. The University has identified an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment officer as a liaison/contact person and will coordinate the register with the Office of Aboriginal Affairs. The University will ensure that all vacancies are advertised through Riawunna for dissemination within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The Murina Program and the Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme will continue to increase the employment of Aboriginal tutors and guest lecturers. Regular surveys of Aboriginal employment at the University will be made and will be monitored by the Riawunna Committee. Performance This analysis of the Indigenous population in the state is based on the formally collected census data (1996 census) which provide the necessary demographic and social indicators. The distribution of Indigenous people shows three approximately equal concentrations in Hobart, Launceston, and the North-West coast. Smaller communities are also located on the islands, particularly Flinders and Cape Barren Islands. The proportion of Indigenous people resident in the state in the 17–64 age range approximates 1.7% of the equivalent state population. Education participation in the state is marginally higher among the Indigenous population than the non-Indigenous population. In 1997, the Indigenous population continues to be over-represented among students undertaking enabling courses, proportionately represented at the bachelor degree level, and under-represented at postgraduate levels. Whilst annual fluctuations based on small numbers make analyses of trends unreliable, there are some positive indicators. Access and participation rates continue to be significantly higher than the national rates. Access at 1.9% has slipped slightly below our planned level of 2%, but is well above the national figure of 1.48% in 1997. The majority of Aboriginal students still commence award courses in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Participation at 1.06 is also slightly down on the planned level of 1.15 but again is well above the national figure of 0.65 in 1997. Rates of enrolment in Bachelor's degrees in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences have been maintained. Other areas to perform reasonably well at this level were Health and Education whilst most science-based areas performed at less satisfactory levels. Postgraduate participation remains well below the target level. Retention has declined fairly significantly from 0.83 in 1997 to 0.76, but is still around the national figure. Academic success has increased from 0.83 to 0.93 and we are now planning to maintain this rate over the next three years. The success indicator reveals some variable results at the detailed AOU (Academic Organisational Unit) level. However, looking at AOUs with larger Aboriginal enrolments, Humanities, Social Work, Education, and the School of Art at Launceston record levels of success for Aboriginal students better than, or comparable to, those recorded by all other students. Nursing, Law, and Sociology were amongst those to record levels of success that are relatively low for Aboriginal students. Equity Performance Indicators Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders (National)
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders (Tasmania)
Notes: *1 Ratio of equity group share of student population to equity group share of general population *2 Ratio of progress rate for equity group students to that for other students *3 Ratio of apparent retention rate for equity group students to that for other students Contact Officers Professor Malcolm Waters Associate Professor Ian Green Telephone: 03 6226 2517 Mrs Patsy Cameron |
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