WHEN Murray Lee left Belmont High in 1980, aged 15, he was told he could be a boilermaker or a signwriter like his father.
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Nearly four decades later he is a professor of criminology at the University of Sydney and the author or co-author of books including Inventing Fear of Crime, Policing and Media and Sexting and Young People.
It wasn’t until Professor Lee was 26, and after working as an electrical tradesman and a tennis coach, that he considered university and a dramatic change in his life plan.
“I wanted to test myself. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do but I just wanted a higher level of education, to see where that might lead me,” he said.
He opposes Federal Government plans to change university enabling courses – alternative pathways to help people qualify for university places – after completing the University of Newcastle’s Open Foundation enabling course in 1991.
The changes include restricting the number of places available, charging up to $3200 for courses and calling for private tenders to run the enabling programs.
“It could almost kill off the enabling programs if they change by that much,” Professor Lee said.
University of Newcastle has 27 per cent of students from low socio-economic backgrounds, and educators warn the government’s proposals will have the greatest impact on universities like Newcastle in regional areas like the Hunter.
They also warn the proposed changes will hit poorest students hardest, with the likelihood of a $3200 debt on the gamble of an enabling course too high a price to pay.
Professor Lee said he cannot understand how the proposed changes, which the government says will save $30 million per year, can be justified on a national productivity level.
“When I was at school I never anticipated a career in uni. If you’re going to uni for the first time it’s a gamble to see if you can actually do it or not. Giving people the chance at a career by keeping enabling courses free has got to be a win/win for the individual, and the community,” Professor Lee said.