Sydney University Diverts $30M from Building Research Facilities to Cover the Shortfall Caused by the Demise of Compulsory Student Union Fees. (August 16, 2006)

    The Sydney University Senate on Monday approved the payment of $30 million over three years to pay $217 per student for each of the next three years to cover services previously funded by compulsory student union fees,

The money is being diverted from the construction of research facilities.

Sydney University vice-chancellor, Gavin Brown, said the University believes the student experience was important, but will necessitate the university "reordering its priorities".

Although the university is in desperate need of new laboratories and other research facilities, Professor Brown said "we obviously won't be able to move quite as quickly on that as I would like".

The university hopes to reduce the funding as student organisations became more self-sufficient. The university will provide $4 million a year after 2010.

So far Sydney University has earmarked the greatest support for non-academic student services of any of the universities.