Monash University promotes “change” on the home page, including a “Some may find the following disturbing” video
Universities, some have said, are cautious places marked by a reluctance to disturb public opinion in a way that might provoke negative reaction… from anyone.
Monash University abandons this approach with a home page the continually references “change” as a worthy goal. That includes a 60-second video that opens the page with a warning that “Some my find the following disturbing.” The “following” includes rapid views of riots, war, political demonstrations, refugees, climate change… and more. Visitors are asked “”If you don’t like it, change it.”
The video was posted to YouTube in March 2018 and has had 69,949 views since then. Watch to the end and it is followed automatically by a traditional “What makes Monash one of the top Australian universities” 60-second video. Since May 2018 that’s had 5,724 views. Reactions to the video are more negative than not. Most people who comment view it as excessively left-wing and not fitting for for a public university.
The “change” theme appears several times again on the home page, including prompts to:
- “Change Your Life… Study at Monash”
- “Change the World… Research at Monash”
Home page pathway to easy-to-scan/search content page for academic programs…
Note that the home page doesn’t ignore a primary student recruitment top task: find out if the university offers the program(s) that interest you.
The “Change Your Life..” link leads to an easy-to-scan array of 10 major academic divisions. Not sure where your favorite academic program might be binned? Try the you-can’t-miss-it “search” bar positioned just above the academic division boxes. Some visitors might use the “All majors and minors” link to an alpha list of the 104 majors and minors available.
This page includes links to content to “Information for parents” and “Information for agents” (recruiting international students).
Follow the Link of the Week…
See how one university home page breaks from higher education’s usual cautious world with a strong video display of what students and researchers might commit to “change” at the Monash University home page.
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