"Don't breach legal responsibilities"

Lawyers acting for the Association of University Staff (AUS) have sent a letter to all members of the Massey University Council advising them that if they proceed to make decisions related to the future of academic programmes without seeking the advice of the Academic Committee of the Academic Board, they will be in breach of both the Education Act 1989 and the university’s own internal statutes.

“The failure of management to seek advice from the Academic Committee for the ‘repositioning’ project has confirmed what many Massey staff have said – that those running the university are concerned only about profits, and have ignored the serious academic consequences’, said Neville Blampied, National President of the Association of University Staff.

“Though the University’s regulations are clear, the Vice-Chancellor failed to ensure that the repositioning proposals were referred to the Academic Committee, and though aware that this had not been done, the Academic Board at its meeting on 19 July endorsed the ‘repositioning’ proposals without obtaining that Committee’s prior advice.”

Rob Crozier, AUS Executive Director, stated that “AUS has consistently argued that Massey should postpone any restructuring until the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission has reported on the future shape of the tertiary education sector. Management’s refusal to even consider this has left AUS with no alternative but to seek legal advice on the matter.”

“AUS believes that the Council must now abandon the ‘repositioning’ proposals or refer them back to the Academic Board with a direction that the Board refer the proposals to the 5 College Boards and the Academic Committee for proper consideration of their academic implications,” said Neville Blampied. “Any other action risks a serious breach of the Education Act.”

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