Call for Minister to step in to WITT dispute
new-zealand-labour-party
Wed Apr 03 2013 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Call for Minister to step in to WITT dispute
Wednesday, 3 April 2013, 3:23 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Andrew
LITTLE
Labour MP
Megan
WOODS
Tertiary Education Spokesperson
3 April 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Call for Minister to step in to WITT dispute
Labour is calling on the Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce to intervene in the Western Institute of Technology in Taranaki (WITT) over the apparent breakdown in the relationship between the governing council and staff.
Labour’s Tertiary Education spokesperson Dr Megan Woods and locally based MP Andrew Little today sent a letter to Mr Joyce, asking him to step in to help resolve the dispute.
The move follows WITT’s Council decision not to extend the current chief executive’s employment by a further two years despite him having led it through one of the toughest periods in its 40 year history after it nearly collapsed with debts of around $18 million.
“Since the furore over the chief executive, Richard Handley, it has become clear that there are wider concerns about the relationship between the council and the staff, and this is simply not healthy for the institution and its students,” Megan Woods said.
“We have received on-going correspondence from staff reps, which have also been sent to the Minister, dealing with crucial matters such as the role of the academic board in maintaining academic standards, and the Minister needs to act for the good of the institution.”
Andrew Little said it was unacceptable to have the governing body and senior staff at loggerheads.
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“It can only lead to a lack of confidence which ultimately is bad for student performance. Taranaki has been fortunate to have someone of the calibre of Richard Handley in the role and to have a well-performing polytech back.
“The last thing we need is for the local community, including the business community, to lose confidence in WITT when it has just come right, and if the council cannot resolve its issues with staff sensibly then the Minister needs to step in,” he said.
ENDS
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