University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor Paul Wellings has backed calls for changes to higher education reforms as Senate crossbenchers threaten to block the legislation.
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Professor Wellings backed scrapping some parts of the Abbott government reforms, namely the 20 per cent cut to government funding for universities.
"We are supportive of [Education] Minister [Christopher] Pyne's proposal to reduce the scale of the proposed cut to the Commonwealth grant," he said.
"Universities Australia and many individuals made this suggestion as part of the discussions on the best way to amend the package of policies outlined in the 2014 budget."
Universities Australia, the peak representative body which counts UOW as a member, claimed the cut to funding would force universities to charge higher fees under deregulation measures.
"If the negotiations can scale back the $1.9 billion cut, it would be a very positive step, one that goes directly to the issue of addressing fairness and affordability for students and parents," Universities Australia deputy chief executive Anne-Marie Lansdown said.
Ms Lansdown said that without the changes, Mr Pyne would be unlikely to get the necessary crossbenchers on side to pass the reforms through the Senate.
"Universities Australia believes that without any movement on the cut, it will be difficult to win the support of the university sector or the crossbench for the package," Ms Lansdown said.
Ricky Muir joined Palmer United Party senators Clive Palmer and Glen Lazarus in refusing to pass the reforms unless Mr Pyne negotiated aspects of the reforms.