My vote is “up for grabs” in relation to “making Engineering and Law available by external studies”

Dear Candidates,

For what it’s worth, my vote (where I’m eligible to vote) is definitely available or “up for grabs”.

Whether I vote, and how I vote, will depend on candidates’ views, and ideas for action, in relation to:

(1) Making “Engineering” available by external studies, and

(2) Making “Law” available by external studies.

I don’t expect any candidate to succeed in achieving these issues—or even to be in favour of them to

begin with—but before I might vote for them, I would expect the candidate to believe in them, and

to be prepared to put in some amount of lobbying for them. And some evidence of past interest in

these issues would also encourage my vote.

And because these issues—(1) and (2), explained in greater detail below—relate to an expansion of

opportunities, with only winners, and no losers, I also think there could be many votes in this, and

very few against.

But it will be up to you to communicate with potential voters—including those who face a range of

circumstances, and including existing external studies students—maybe, if you haven’t done so

already, by including it in your manifesto next time!!!

Accordingly, and if possible, can you please let me know what your views, and your ideas for action

are, on these two basic issues?

(1) What are your views and ideas for action please on making (initial) Engineering courses

available by external studies at Murdoch?

➢ You may or may not be aware that “mainstream or initial” Engineering courses are available by

external studies at Charles Darwin University, and that

✓ As well as an historic achievement, in relation to which Murdoch could belatedly make amends and possibly

go on to exceed, this provides mutual benefits with the university (CDU) to country and other folk in the

Northern Territory, and to individuals and communities nationally and internationally.

✓ Most but not all engineering units at CDU require a short on-campus component (of approx. 1 week

duration) called a “residential”.

✓ Murdoch does make available by external studies approx. “99%” of Physics and Chemistry units, and approx.

100% of Maths & Stats and Computing units—but not “Engineering”.

✓ The Murdoch Masters degree in “Renewable Energy” is available by external studies—but not the Bachelor

(Hons) degree in the same discipline.

✓ Some academic staff in Engineering are keen, or would be happy to make “mainstream” or “initial”

Engineering courses available by external studies.

✓ Murdoch is supposedly the “headquarters” or sets the “gold standard” for external studies in WA—and it’s

about time Murdoch lived up to this reputation more completely.

(2) What are your views and ideas for action please on making Law available by external studies

at Murdoch?

➢ You may or not be aware that Edith Cowan University (ECU) makes Law available by external studies,

and that

✓ This is a truly major milestone in the history of education and justice in WA (and Australia), in relation to

which Murdoch could belatedly make amends and possibly go on to exceed—an outstanding milestone

which also provides mutual benefits with the university (ECU) to country and other folk in WA, and to

individuals and communities nationally and internationally.

✓ Online tutorials in Law at ECU are “live” using...wait for it...modern technology—strictly written postings are

also made available as an alternative, and/ or as an adjunct to any particular live tute(s), according to

students’ needs or whims

✓ Murdoch does make available by external studies “Business Law” and “Legal Studies”—but not “Law”.

✓ Murdoch is supposedly the “headquarters” or sets the “gold standard” for external studies in WA—and it’s

about time Murdoch lived up to this reputation more completely.

Finally, please allow this reminder: everyone, in every walk of life, in every situation, has their own

particular biases, and with greater or lesser intention and success attempts to put their own “spin”

on things.

Anyway, thanks for listening, good luck in the elections, and may the best candidates win.

Peter D. Dunne BSc BCM GradDipEdStudies