THE University of Newcastle has been questioned over its proposal to cut the geology major from its Bachelor of Science, which the union says will have wide-ranging effects for the mining region.
A spokesperson for UON said the major would no longer be offered for students starting in 2021, "due to low enrolment numbers over the past five years".
"The university regularly reviews our programs to ensure they remain relevant and engaging for students," the spokesperson told the Newcastle Herald.
"Students who are currently enrolled in the geology major will be able to graduate with that major. We will ensure these students are supported through to the completion of their studies."
National Tertiary Education Union Newcastle branch committee member Terry Summers said the union was concerned about the decision to cut the hard science major "with the subsequent loss of academic and professional staff expertise".
"This expertise is particularly important in the Hunter where mineral exploration and mining play such an important part in the economy of the region," Mr Summers said.
"Mineral exploration typically follows a cycle of investment.
"The main rationale provided by the university thus far for the proposal to axe the geology major is lack of enrolments, but enrolments in geology follow the mineral exploration cycle, with a typically two-year lag.
"Mineral exploration has been at a low point in its cycle but is starting to pick up. It is likely that a result of the university's decision is that there will be a lack of local graduates to meet the upswing of the cycle."
He said it may also affect UON's research participant role in the mineral exploration cooperative research centre, Minex CRC.
"A critical mass of active and collaborative research staff is critical to research performance," he said. "Whilst a small number of staff will be retained to teach some geology... the NTEU believes that this critical mass for high research performance will be lost."
The spokesperson said UON will continue to teach the fundamentals of geology in first and second year courses and it will be compulsory in the revised Earth Science major, which will be modernised to "equip students for a wide range of jobs in the mineral resources industry, water resource management, environmental remediation, including policy and planning".
"We have seen an increased interest and demand for skills in hydrogeology and spatial science - critical competencies for the resource industry and other nationally important industries," the spokesperson said.
"We will explore future offerings in these areas."
The spokesperson said UON had met with staff in accordance with requirements of enterprise agreements.
They said the proposal out for consultation identifies a potential staff reduction of 2.1 full-time equivalent positions.
Mr Summers said the union believed there had not been adequate consultation with staff and that the proposal indicates seven staff will be affected.
"It appears that there will be limited opportunities for existing staff to be redeployed into roles that will be newly created."
