Letter as written to QUT Council and the University Academic Board …

As a QUT alumni who graduated with a Degree in Business about 10 years ago, I am most concerned to hear of the proposed closure of QUT’s school of humanities.

In my final year of my Bachelor of Business (majoring in Communication), I completed a year of literature and applied ethics subjects, mostly based at Carseldine. This coupled nicely with my business degree as it gave me a breadth of knowledge and certainly helped shape my future career and lifestyle choices.

I am proud to have attended QUT and I believe the humanities offerings certainly ensured I received a well-rounded education. QUT offered an opportunity to balance my career goals with societal interests and this is why I left UQ to attend QUT after my first year.

The style of teaching and approach from QUT Humanities lecturers, particularly from David Massey, was the best teaching I ever received.

I heard that QUT was ceasing its Humanities program and I was wondering how that affects the Applied Ethics options for business and law students. I would hate to see Humanities removed from QUT as it offers business and law students a depth of learning so often missing in today’s job-oriented education.

A quick glance at http://www.hhs.qut.edu.au/study/minors.jsp shows how amazing and important this education is to undergraduate students who should be entering and participating in the workforce and society as a whole with a well-rounded education.

As a QUT graduate, I am proud to now be employed as the Public Relations and Fundraising Manager at a prominent charity. I have worked here for 2 years after working for 6 years as a writer/editor at The Courier-Mail. Over the years, I have also been a guest lecturer at QUT and a tutor at QUT.

I am honoured to have also run three times for public office.

I am writing to urge the QUT Council and the University Academic Board to seriously reconsider closing the Humanities program. I believe it would see QUT head in a very narrow direction – a direction that gives little scope for creatitivity, innovation and the core Australian value of helping and thinking of others (rather than just self).

If you have any questions to ask of me at any time in regards to my experiences at QUT, please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime.

I wish you luck with your deliberations and I do hope you consider my views.

Thanks for your time,

Elissa.