Student Concern over Massey Repositioning

new-zealand-university-student-s-association

Fri May 26 2000 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Student Concern over Massey Repositioning

Friday, 26 May 2000, 7:38 am
Press Release: New Zealand University Student's Association

Academic standards are at threat with the announcement of over 100 redundancies at Massey University's Palmerston North campus, says that New Zealand University Students Association (NZUSA). Smaller scale redundancies are also proposed for the Albany and Wellington campuses.

"We remain unconvinced that this decision is necessary," said Sam Huggard, Co President of NZUSA. "The University is not in dire financial straits, and we see this as a short sighted decision that is failing to take into account the needs of Massey staff, students and the Palmerston North community."

"University Vice Chancellor James McWha has maintained throughout this process that they are simply following student demand. We completely reject the notion that this is being done for students. Massey students are by no means well served by shrunken, already overworked departments, or indeed the complete closure of departments. These large scale redundancies do nothing to aid the quality of a Massey degree."

"This decision is also not in line with current government thinking. The government should consider a moratorium on major restructuring in universities until the findings of the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission (TEAC) are know."

"The future needs of the public are not being well served by concentrating university resources in some areas that are currently very popular, while letting other areas drop off. There will of course be certain courses that are popular at a certain time, but a university needs to have a breadth of courses available. It is short sighted to have departments potentially closed down or significantly downsized now, and lose all the resources and institutional expertise, to only have to rebuild an entire department in the future," concluded Sam Huggard.

Ends.

For further comment:

Sam Huggard,

NZUSA Co President

025 86 86 73

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