Govt cuts staff and students from university councils

Media release
11 February 2015
Tertiary Education Union - Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa

Govt cuts staff and students from university councils

Parliament voted last night to remove the legal right of staff and students to have democratically elected representatives on their governing university and wānanga councils.

Government MPs passed the Education Amendment Bill, which has been opposed by an overwhelming number of public submitters, including vice-chancellors, staff and students.

TEU national president Sandra Grey says the union is now turning directly to the leaders of universities and wānanga to make sure their councils retain a space for independent staff and student representatives.

“We will be campaigning at with each local university and wānanga community for their council to set aside one-third of council seats for democratically elected staff and student representatives.”

“The government never gave a justification for removing the legislated right for staff and students to have democratically elected representatives on councils or for diminishing the size of councils.”

We know that despite the government's efforts to put councils in the hands of ministerial appointees and business executives, universities and wānanga still want their staff and students to have a voice on their councils.”