Luke Oldfield
June 8th, 2021
For those in the university sector, Budget 2021 might be best described as the mother of all holding patterns. It was a reminder that the Government has at least some willingness to pursue policies leading to more equitable outcomes for school-aged children, but is not as willing to address the structural disadvantages facing less privileged university students.
Overall, there was little in the Budget for universities which have shed academic and professional staff at the same time as domestic student enrolments have skyrocketed.
Meanwhile, Labour’s attempt at progressively introducing free undergraduate or equivalent study has been abandoned, melting away like a partly eaten ice cream dropped onto the pavement. In practical terms it had accomplished little except moderately reducing the debt burden on students already likely to attend university.
Researchers also found that of the small number of students encouraged to go to university as a consequence of free fees, they were more likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds,less likely to adjust wellto the university environment, and more likely to report a desire to depart the institution without completing their studies.
A better use of resources within universities might be more targeted assistance across the academic pipeline, from foundation programmes (pre-degree) to postgraduate study. Foundation-level study has been under financial stress for over a decade, with universities outsourcing and, in some cases, disbanding programmes altogether.
Exacerbated by the economic impacts of the pandemic, another university went as far as asking staff if they would consider assisting in the programme for free. Foundation programmes are spaces where students, many of whom come from family backgrounds where academic success might be the exception not the norm, get a second chance. To succeed, they need tailored guidance, high quality and culturally responsive teaching and greater material support.
Every week I hear from students at all levels of study who cannot afford public transport from the outer suburbs of Auckland into the city. Even with a tertiary subsidy, many are paying close to $10 per day for a return trip – an outrageous cost which only compounds problems for those who are materially disadvantaged. Government-backed free or flat-rate public transport for all tertiary students, commonplace in parts of Europe and North America, would help level the playing field.
The gaps become more apparent in postgraduate spaces. This semester I have been teaching an Arts discipline to a first-year cohort, with a student group that is a microcosm of Auckland – a diverse mix of energetic and hard-working students. Across the hallway is a postgraduate class in the same discipline, the sort of programme that launches people into a career in the public service. The difference in demographic makeup of the classes is a reminder that the removal of postgraduate student allowances has, among other things, had a disastrous impact on promising Māori and Pacific students.
If the Labour government wants to deliver on its Māori policy initiatives, like its new Māori Health Authority, it will need to improve the levels of Māori expertise and capacity on hand. We can only do this by fixing the broken pipeline of capable students from diverse backgrounds seeking advanced qualifications.
Not everything can be resolved with the Budget. Part of improving outcomes in academia will require structural changes to how universities operate. Free tertiary education should also remain the long-term goal. But in the meantime, we could at least prioritise the resources we do have into the areas they are needed most, those students who did not win the birth lottery of upper-middle class financial security.
Sorry NZ, but if my folks were rich I would have gone to Harvard