Queer departments fear funding miss

The National Student Union Queer Department has raised concern that the federal government’s new student service fee will not be extended to queer departments.

Youth Minister Kate Ellis announced on Monday that the student service fee will be applied to universities across the country, capped at $250 per student.

Many universities have voiced support for the scheme, some hailing it as a lifeline after the Howard government’s voluntary student unionism (VSU) left student services starved of funding.

National Queer Officer, James Vigus said queer departments across the country have been devastated by VSU and Monday’s announcement will still leave queer departments out in the cold, because there is no guarantee money will filter through.

The services fee will be funded by students. Unlike previous schemes, university administrations rather than student unions will be in charge of allocating money.

Ellis said exact guidelines of how money should be spent is still being determined and told ABC radio that universities would be held accountable to the government.

Whilst we’re going to negotiate the guidelines on what this fee can be spent on, we’re being very clear about what it cannot be spent on and it will be not spent on broader political purposes.

Vigus said this misses the point and fears campaigns against homophobia and the same-sex marriage ban may be deemed a broader political purpose.

I cannot see an administration hand over money to queer departments to be able to run an equal rights campaign, which is absolutely vital if queer students are going to have full self-esteem, feel good about themselves, feel good about being queer, he told Sydney Star Observer.

Not once has it been mentioned that there needs to be a certain level restored to what queer services used to be through VSU.

Vigus also raised concern over whether university administrations would see queer departments as a vital student service.

Many administrations have stated recently they don’t actually think that in this day and age we need to have representation for queer students because it’s not an important issue anymore -” well, this is just ludicrous, he said.

Vigus said money should be going to student unions rather than administrations as money is paid by students.

In important areas like queer rights and so on, administrations do not know, have no experience, have never run queer services before and student unions have.

That money needs to be handed straight to queer departments so we can get on with the job of actually providing good services and also providing representation where it’s desperately needed.

Vigus said since VSU about a third of queer departments have disappeared.