Matching gifts come at a price
WHEN it comes to money, can you ever get too much? Apparently for the University of Queensland, yes.
UQ has led the sector in raising philanthropic funds, largely courtesy of US-based Chuck Feeney's Atlantic Philanthropies.
But with UQ having often to offer matching funds to lure donations for building projects, the academics union is warning that faculty operating budgets and teaching are paying the price.
National Tertiary Education Union branch president Andrew Bonnell told the HES that faculty budgets across the university had to be cut after the university increased the levy for central administration and "strategic purposes" by about 5 per cent.
He said a significant amount of that was a result of the university having offered matching funds for building projects. He said about $700 million in building work was under way at the university.