I was wondering why Brendan Nelson was wearing a yak shawl the other day...

This is offensive, regardless of the point the author might be trying to make. Is the Hanson-esque bemoaning of "special treatment" returning to our discourse? The sentence West chooses to play with: "all students are special but some are more special than others" is ironically taken from Animal Farm's : "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others" [I'm not sure if that's completely correct wording]. It's extremely poignant for Australian society - all Australians are 'equal'in this democratic nation, but some are 'more equal' than others in that they seem lucky enough to access more wealth, health, education, status. Those who are 'less equal' (ie disadvantaged) should not be denied the 'special' treatment - ESL classes, remedial and academic assistance, financial assistance, culturally appropriate health care - which is necessary to make them 'as equal' as the people they are, on paper,'equal' to!

Thanks for the article Peter. Unlike Cara, I was not offended by it. On the contrary, I was amazed how close it was to a conversation I had with a senior nurse academic when I was teaching at a Qld University in 1995. The student of concern could barely speak broken English and was unable to comprehend classroom conversation. I allowed her to submit numerous drafts (for my on-going feedback) of her work before final submission. She had a private tutor. Each time she submitted another draft it became crystal clear that the written word was not hers. The written language was entirely different. She could not explain to me the meaning of what was recorded in writing. Plagiarism in the work was rife. I refused to pass the student. The senior academic then marked the work and passed the student. This happened on many occasions with many students. English speaking Australian students were not given the same "privileges".

More recently I marked for another university nursing program. The head stopped me marking after the first paper - on the grounds that the failure rate was too high and students were overwhelmed because they were not used to receiving so much construcitve feedback (English was the first language of most of this group of students). Also I detected heaps of plagiarism which I could not check because the university did not provide external markers with a log in key.

Spare me! Students have an equal right to pass - just as they have an equal right to fail!!

Fantastic article Peter. SO real - you didn't leave a microcassette recorder in some Dean's office somewhere did you?

Can't say I'm surprised at this situation and I am so grateful I have my degree now. I doubt I could've raised kids and educated myself in today's 'user pays' system of education.

When I was at Uni there were many people from lower income/working class. We were so keen, so hungry for good grades. I wonder if there are as many single parents at uni now?

How do you maintain academic excellence when a degree is based upon ability to pay rather than ability to achieve?

I agree that there are many problems with the university system and whole-heartedly agree with Ringtail about people with money but not academic ability being preferred.

What I am uncomfortable with is the tendency of some Australians to make sweeping statements about non-Western groups getting unfair "special treatment" when in many cases they are simply receiving support to enable them to engage on a level playing field with Westerners.

If universities lose sight of academic brilliance and become money-hungry and unfair in their treatment of students then it is the fault of the university and not a particular racial/cultural group.

I'm not necessarily charging Peter with this but I get nervous about scapegoating and felt I had to speak up about the way this article (though intended as a satirical piece about the wide-ranging problems of user-pay universities) could be used unethically by those inclined to racism as "further proof" of "rich asians" (for example) being "favoured" and getting "special treatment".

Well said Cara and Ringtail, another problem that prevents markers failing those who deserve to fail and providing useful and honest feedback to all, is the litigous nature of some students.

The fact that they have paid or will be paying lots of money for their education makes it more likely that they will resort to accusations of bias and discrimination