[TEU-academic] ] TEU update
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Fri Oct 13 2023 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
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Still time to vote. Tomorrow (before 7pm) will be your last chance to vote. See last week’s Update for summaries for how the parties’ policies on tertiary education compare. Short guides to party policies on tertiary education: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-09-2023/election-2023-the-tertiary-education-policies-in-two-minutes. See also https://policy.nz/2023/party-vote/policies/education. See also https://www.tertiaryinsight.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-Election-Political-Parties-Policies-v1.pdf
External harassment of staff. The VC reported this week that in 2021 the University commissioned an independent safety and security audit and report that has now been submitted by Quantum Security Services, and that their recommendations for reducing risk and keeping staff safe from external harassment online have now been accepted. Read more about the report and actions taken herehttps://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/notices/2023/quantum-report-staff-facing-external-harassment.html. For good reasons, we remain agnostic. We will consult with those of our members who have direct experience and invite confidential communications from members with a direct interest in any aspect of this issue.
Ms Information. Relatedly, we encourage members and staff generally to view the documentary on the abuse, harassment (and worse) to which TEU member and colleague Siouxsie Wiles has been subjected for doing her job: meticulous science shared in the public interest during the COVID years. Siouxsie now says that the vilification “is worse than it has ever been… Jacinda Ardern, Kate Hannah [ex-UoA, now of the Misinformation Project], and I are the three most hated people in the country right now.” The documentary is called Ms Information. Trailer: Siouxsie The Movie | A Documentary by Gwen Isaachttps://www.siouxsiethemovie.co.nz/. It was part of the film festival in August and is going on general release at some cinemas around the country on the 26 October. There will be a screening at the Rialto in Newmarket next week (17:45 Tues 17 October) with Q+A with the director. Book your tickets at: https://www.rialto.co.nz/Cinema/Newmarket/EventsFestivals/FilmTalkMsInformation?source=cinemabanner#cinemas=750,751
Medical Academics. Your representatives are discussing a possible resolution with the employer. If you have any questions, please contact Nicole, nicole.wallace@teu.ac.nz Most New Zealand universities are forecasting deficits this year. Not Waipapa Taumata Rau, however. Most universities forecasting deficits again, blaming low domestic enrolments and higher costs | RNZ Newshttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/499871/most-universities-forecasting-deficits-again-blaming-low-domestic-enrolments-and-higher-costs. Meanwhile Massey U, which is forecasting a $50m deficit, and which announced proposals to slash college of science jobs and courseshttps://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018909712/cash-strapped-massey-university-proposing-to-slash-science-jobs, as well as engineering, is refusing to say what caused its deficit: Predicted $50m loss for Massey University this year | RNZ Newshttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/499763/predicted-50m-loss-for-massey-university-this-year. And Massey student frustration rises: Student opposition mounts to proposed Massey University cuts | Stuff.co.nzhttps://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/300986764/student-opposition-mounts-to-proposed-massey-university-cuts
Working Students Aotearoa. A group of students based at UoA called Working Students Aotearoa (WSA) has reached out to your UoA TEU Branch Committee. They are interested educating and supporting students in exercising their rights as workers, discussing union organising strategies and normalising union membership. It is great to see students being proactive in employment rights and the branch committee is liaising with them on how to best support their endeavours. If you are a student who is interested in joining, or know someone who would be interested, email: workingstudentsaotearoa@gmail.com
Messing up a good thing. The Participatory Science Platform (PSP), which was funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), aimed to help three different communities – South Auckland, Taranaki and Otago – engage in science. But it has been quietly canned. A few insiders know why but they aren’t saying. Ministry quietly cuts ‘world first' science programme | Stuff.co.nzhttps://www.stuff.co.nz/national/133092252/ministry-quietly-cuts-world-first-science-programme
Inaugural lecture. TEU member Professor Frédérique Vanholsbeeck's inaugural lecture, What is a real physicist?, will focus on the physics behind monitoring bacteria viability using fluorescence and microfluidics as well as understanding osteoarthritis using optical coherence tomography. She will also explain why physics and science are fun. 17 October, 6.30-7.30pm in Building 303, PLT1/G20.
Schadenfreude department. Katalin Karikó’s university humiliated her. So she went off and won the 2023 Nobel Prize: Penn Demoted Her Then She Won the Nobel Prize. chronicle.com. That did not stop that university from taking credit: University of Pennsylvania slammed for celebrating Nobel prize of Katalin Karikó who it once demoted | The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nobel-prize-katalin-kariko-upenn-criticism-b2423517.html.
We also quietly celebrate Claudia Goldin’s award of the 2023 Nobel economics prize for research that helps explain the gender pay gap, an issue of local research and interest: Nobel economics prize goes to Claudia Goldin for research on the workplace gender gap - ABC Newshttps://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/nobel-economics-prize-harvards-claudia-goldin-research-workplace-103848726. See also Claudia Goldin’s Nobel win acknowledges what we should all know: women’s economics is mainstream economics | Josie Cox | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/11/claudia-goldin-nobel-win-women-economics-pay-gap-gender
Modelling of intersectional pay gaps in universities. UCanterbury colleagues Tessa Barrett-Walkerhttps://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230615, Franca Buelowhttps://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230615, Lindsey Te Atu O Tu MacDonaldhttps://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230615, Ann Browerhttps://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230615 and Alex Jameshttps://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230615 (2023) on gender and ethnicity pay gaps. They find that “overall, for every ethnicity, women have shorter careers and are more likely to leave academia. All minority ethnic groups—and women—earn considerably less than their male white, European colleagues.” Full text and details: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230615
The implications of declining immunisation rates. TEU member Emma Best (FMHS) and colleagues explain: nz-children-face-a-perfect-storm-of-dangerous-diseases-as-immunisation-rates-fallhttps://theconversation.com/nz-children-face-a-perfect-storm-of-dangerous-diseases-as-immunisation-rates-fall-188157
Two great reasons to visit. Point Chevalier marae Te Mahurehure hosts the Taumata o Kupe Education Centrehttps://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/maori-architecture-firm-back-on-awards-shortlist-after-winning-last-year/D4MPIZNCRZDYZM5OSQ5755ANBE/, dedicated to the research and teaching of Māori navigational and exploration traditions, which has won supreme and best-in-category awards at the Designers Institute of New Zealandhttps://www.nzherald.co.nz/stratford-press/news/new-plymouth-airport-wins-gold-at-annual-designers-institute-awards/KU62QC2T3POOFIDXQWLQUQUDXQ/ (DINZ) annual Best Design Awards in Auckland on Friday. Auckland marae’s Māori navigational centre wins supreme design award - NZ Heraldhttps://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/auckland-maraes-maori-navigational-centre-wins-supreme-design-award/E2QDZBLTMNFGTEPPTNZHMQIWS4/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=nzh_fb&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR36D-iXa5ftCd97B0bLvFeNVSfqT7zRRnUbMOhF1gCDDMH8EET6_V79Bmk#Echobox=1696722990.
Reminders:
- Pay Equity. The TEU pay equity claim for administrative and library staff is active. This claim has the potential to affect as many as 900 UoA staff members. We are now moving into a new phase of the claim, where member involvement is very important. If you’ve received an email from TEU administrator Lucy Fowler about your role, make sure you’ve replied! If you are interested in more information, email Nicole or Lucy: nicole.wallace@teu.ac.nz or lucy.fowler@teu.ac.nz.
- TEU office hours. Our organisers, Nicole and Andy, will be running open office hours on the City Campus every Friday from 10am till 2pm, in the TEU Office, Room 417, Level 4 of the Fisher Building (Building 804, 18 Waterloo Quadrant). Please feel welcome to drop in for advice or to catch up on TEU activities.
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Barry Hughes, PhD School of Psychology Faculty of Science Phone: +64 9 923 5265 Extension: 85265
Website: www.psych.auckland.ac.nzhttp://www.psych.auckland.ac.nz/ Address: Science Centre, Building 302, Level 6, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010 | Private Bag 920129, Auckland 1142, New Zealand