Anger over 'cash-grab' courses

Auckland University is attempting to "broaden students' educational horizons" by forcing them to take papers in subjects such as Maori, Bible themes, Western music and Russian.

Under the newly-introduced system, all first-year students will have to take at least one "general education" paper chosen from outside their major subject area.

Most students have to take two of these general education papers, both from different subjects.

Students must pay for the papers in full, buy all the text books and readings - and must also pass the paper to complete their degree. Course fees for these papers range from $495 to $650.

At the city campus, 64 papers were on offer, but Tamaki students had only three to choose from - philosophy, psychology or statistics.

Enrolments at both campuses were allocated on a first-come, first-served, basis.

All students spoken to by the Herald on Sunday described the new system as a waste of time and money, and were angry at being forced to take "pointless" papers.

Ali Shariat, chair of the Student Representative Council, said the move was a money-making exercise for the university.

He said a lot of the papers on offer had been "fading out" and students would treat them as throwaway points.

"What's the point in doing something you don't really care about? It could easily affect your GPA if you're doing a paper that's actually completely useless to you."

Brendan Dangerfield had just started a property degree and was deciding between extra papers in Antarctic studies or natural disasters.

He said he would boycott the general education papers if he could and, if he couldn't, did not plan on spending much time on them. "It's a waste of time really. I just can't see any reason or point behind it."

Business and finance student Daniel Curac agreed. He said he came to university to get away from compulsory subjects.

"It's just stupid, if I wanted to do it, I'd do it. You shouldn't be made to do anything - where's freedom of choice?"

Hattie Locke was studying for a BA in politics, French and art history, and resented having to add a general education paper. "The only one that really jumps out at me is Law and Society. But I just don't think it should be compulsory."

Heidi Clarkson was worried about the extra workload of a general education paper on top of her BCom/BA degree.

"I won't try as hard. I'll still try to pass - but not try to get the best marks I can."

Student Association president Dan Bidois said that, in general, students did not like the changes.

"They perceive it to be little more than a revenue-making scheme ... It seems like the decisions have just been dictated and our choice has been restricted."

He wanted to see Auckland copy overseas universities, where General Education papers were not counted towards GPAs, but instead appeared only as a pass or fail on transcripts.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Raewyn Dalziel, said students were surveyed in 2005 about general education papers and student leaders were kept informed through monthly meetings.

"We felt students were narrowing the range of subjects that they studied, and we wished them to take some with their degree courses that would broaden their horizons.

"We would hope that students treat all courses seriously and achieve to their full potential."

Benchmark Australian and Singaporean universities had also recently followed top American universities in adopting similar systems, Prof Dalziel said. Harvard and Stanford had offered the programme for at least 30 years.

Auckland's General Education papers were not additional to degree requirements but fitted into a new points structure that the university had adapted to fit in with other New Zealand universities, she said.

"If students were not taking these courses, they would have to take alternative courses which would require textbooks, attendance at lectures and course fees."

Prof Dalziel said a free shuttle bus takes Tamaki students to the City campus, giving them more General Education options.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY