Auckland University Should Look To Government

Auckland University Should Look To Government, Not Students, For Money

Staff and students shouldn't be competing for the same money, says TEU
national secretary Sharn Riggs.

Ms Riggs' comments were made in response to a suggestion by University
of Auckland vice-chancellor, Stuart McCutcheon, that the 'balance of
investment' in universities needs to shift to the maintenance or
enhancement of quality rather than student support.

"Yes, universities will suffer if we do not invest to keep good staff
here in New Zealand. Yes, there are overseas universities keen to
recruit our best staff. Yes, salaries do need to rise. And I don't
think anyone wants that to be at the expense of an accessible and
equitable tertiary education system at which the children of all our families
can aspire to study."

"The government's role is not to take money off students and give it to
vice chancellors, but to recognise that putting money into the whole
tertiary education sector and the people who work there is not a cost
but a high paying investment," said Ms Riggs.

ENDS