TEU Tertiary Update Vol 12 No 7

GOVERNMENT EXPECTATIONS MAY HAVE TERTIARY-EDUCATION NEGOTIATORS ON EDGE

The government’s document Expectations for Pay and Employment Conditions in the State Sector seems to be placing pressure on many tertiary-education institutions to depress wages rather than face explaining higher wage bills to the state services commissioner.

The document, which covers all employment negotiations in the state sector, calls for fiscally sustainable outcomes and the avoidance of flow-on implications across the public sector.

There is some ambiguity about the extent to which tertiary-education institutions, which have traditionally stood at arm’s length from the rest of the state sector, are affected by the expectations. Nevertheless, the Tertiary Education Union’s national secretary, Sharn Riggs, says there is increasing anecdotal evidence of concern among tertiary-education workers that institutions may adjust their negotiating position because of the requirement to consult with the commission.

Among the expectations placed upon the state sector are a requirement to consult the commission before implementing conditions that will result in increased costs of employment; another to try to target any recruitment and retention issues that arise without fuelling wage inflation and with regard to potential flow-on implications; and an instruction to avoid backdating terms of settlement.

If an agency wishes to pursue a course of action which could be seen to be at odds with these expectations, it may need approval from its governing ministers of state services and finance.

Ms Riggs says that it is important the CEOs and vice-chancellors continue to bargain in good faith with their employees, despite the restrictions placed on them by the government’s expectations.

“Tertiary education is one area where business is up rather than down. Our members are doing more work and accommodating more students. They won’t look favourably on employment negotiations that roll back pay or conditions because of the economic environment,” Ms Riggs said. “Lower wages will not solve our economic crisis, the solution will come from more skills training and education, which our members can provide and for which they should be fairly rewarded.”

ALSO IN TERTIARY UPDATE THIS WEEK:

1. Otago Design Institute may not proceed
2. New employment law recognises right to breastfeed
3. International students look to NZ as global economy worsens
4. WITT gets crown observer
5. Changes to Fijian retirement fund threaten access to education
6. Iraq to send 10,000 students abroad in effort to rebuild
7. British VCs and students disagree on funding
8. Alaskan professor loses $10,000 for oil-industry criticism
9. £1m doesn’t buy many Caribbeans at Oxbridge

OTAGO DESIGN INSTITUTE MAY NOT PROCEED

What was to be New Zealand’s first design institute now appears to be on hold after the government reconsiders a loan that would have enabled the institute to be built.

The design institute, a collaboration between Otago Polytechnic and Otago University was promised a $12.5 million suspensory loan from the previous government during the late stages of the election campaign. The suspensory loan had subsequently reached its final stages of approval. However, the Government now appears to be reconsidering whether to provide this loan at all.

The money would help establish a new design building to house up to 800 students, and more than 100 design and design research staff from both institutions along with product development facilities that will be available for all industries locally, nationally and internationally.

While the University and Polytechnic departments would continue to operate separately, they would share workshop areas, classrooms and some equipment. It was hoped that building would commence within the next two years.

Assessments by Dunedin City Council estimate that every million dollars invested into the OID generates five million dollars worth of economic activity for the region.

The project had the wide support of the regional community including all the Otago and Dunedin mayors and New Zealand’s design community.

TEU national secretary Sharn Riggs, says this type of project is the sort of short term investment that the government should be making to stimulate the economy and protect jobs in our regions.

“It would be a shame if the institute plans were to founder because the government was too focused on cuts rather than jobs and opportunities,” she said.

NEW EMPLOYMENT LAW RECOGNISES RIGHT TO BREASTFEED

TEU member Clara Arbizu at Victoria University is welcoming new changes to the Employment Relations Act 2000 coming into effect on 1 April and requiring employers to provide breastfeeding facilities and breaks for employees. Employers will be required as far as is reasonable and practicable to provide appropriate facilities and breaks for employees who wish to breastfeed or express. The breaks are unpaid unless the employee and employer agree otherwise. The breastfeeding breaks are to be provided in addition to the standard paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks.

“According to the old legislation, employers could deny working mums the right to breastfeed their child or express breast milk during working hours,” Ms Arbizu said. “However, this would be against recommendations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and a lot of large employers in New Zealand are already offering breastfeeding breaks.”

Ms Arbizu believes the new legislation could go even further:

“I hope employers introduce or update a breastfeeding policy that goes beyond the legislation by making the breaks count as working time and remunerated accordingly, as recommended by the ILO. It is important that society, employers, and colleagues recognise the enormous task and the associated benefits of feeding an infant.”

“When I was expressing at work, my manager was fully supportive and accommodating, but this shouldn’t be left up to individual managers,” Ms Arbizu continued. “I think Victoria University should introduce a progressive breastfeeding policy so all employees may benefit equally.”

Ms Arbizu also believes that Victoria University could invest in chilly bins for breastfeeding mums to store their milk as they are safer and more private than fridges in the staff kitchen, as well as better facilities for expressing.

“When I was expressing milk at work, I sometimes found the sick room in use and there wasn’t an alternative room close by. On such occasions, I had to ring my partner to bring baby into work, ask a manager to use his office, or skip a feed.”

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS LOOK TO NZ AS GLOBAL ECONOMY WORSENS

The New Zealand Herald reports that international-student enrolments are holding up well and possibly rising as the economic crisis deepens.

The international students that comprise New Zealand’s $2.3 billion education-export industry and help employ 32,000 people have been falling since 2002, from 126,000 students to just over 90,000 in 2007.

Education New Zealand chief executive Rob Stevens attributes the fall to increased competition among other countries for Chinese students, a significant proportion of the country’s international students, as well as the collapse of two high-profile private training institutes in 2003. But now, with the dropping dollar and economic crisis, Mr Stevens believes the export industry may have a chance to stand against the recession:

"With offshore consumers more focused on seeking value for money, New Zealand’s value proposition - quality education at an affordable price - will be more attractive relative to our traditional competitors.”

That is a view supported by Chinese agents who argue New Zealand is seen as a cheaper place to study. Mica Yao, a client relations manager for EduGlobal China who studied in New Zealand herself, doesn’t believe the economic crisis will stop Chinese from sending their children abroad.

“No, that has enhanced the market to go abroad. Because of the economic crisis it makes the exchange rate lower. People feel they can’t do business, so they should invest in education,” Ms Yao said.

International student applications are 20 percent at the University of Auckland and 17 percent at AUT.

Lincoln University’s Roger Armstrong told the Herald it may be too soon to know whether numbers are up until the students actually turn up. “Our applications are up by 15 percent this year. But the application is the easy part. It is converting the applications to enrolment that is going to be the tricky thing.”

A typical bachelor’s student could bring $40,000 a year into the economy and only one third of that is in fees,” he said.

WITT GETS CROWN OBSERVER

The Taranaki Daily News reports that WITT has had a Crown observer, Malcolm Inglis, appointed to oversee its finances, management, and council. Mr Inglis will be reporting back on the recovering institution to the government.

The creation of the role signals a stepping back by the government, as Mr Inglis replaces Crown commissioner Murray Strong. Mr Strong left last October after three years in the position, including a period when he filled the role of the council after it was tossed out.

WITT CEO, Richard Handley, has told staff that 2009 is looking more positive than previous years. The financial performance for WITT in 2008 produced an unaudited operational result of $753k better than budget and the first positive outcome for six years. The institute is still targeting a $500,000 loss this year, as agreed with the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), and says that enrolments for 2009 are uncertain at this stage with enquiries down from previous years. There is an ongoing cash-flow problem that is likely to defer maintenance and limit infrastructure development.

Mr Handley identifies WITT’s student-staff ratio of 14.5:1 as an ongoing problem, but also notes that a key part of recovery is retention and recruitment of key staff.

TEC’s David Nicholson said the appointment was an indication of the progress WITT has made with its recovery plans: “WITT is steadily moving towards self-management.

Mr Handley said that Mr Inglis would bring a good level of experience to the board and that the board sees the development as a “changing of the guard”.

“It's really quite different. Malcolm just turns up for a few meetings. This is a reduction in the level of scrutiny we will receive,” he told the Daily News.

WORLDWATCH

CHANGES TO FIJIAN RETIREMENT FUND THREATEN ACCESS TO EDUCATION

Changes by the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) to its withdrawal policies threaten to exclude many Fijian student from tertiary education, according to Fiji Islands Congress of Trade Unions general secretary Attar Singh. The fund has changed its withdrawal rules to ensure that funds put aside by members are mainly used for retirement purposes and nothing else. Board chair Parmesh Chand said these measures are being undertaken as employers, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank have raised concern and warned against excessive withdrawals.

However, Mr Singh argues that the fund has no right to make radical changes to withdrawal policies without consulting members fully and without giving them sufficient notice.

Fijian workers are required to deposit 16 percent of their wages into the fund. That makes it the depository of the bulk of the life savings of most people who work in Fiji’s formal sector, amounting to more than $F2.5 billion.

“Changes to the education-assistance withdrawal policy cannot be made after children have already enrolled in the institutions,” Mr Singh said. “What will these children do next semester? Drop out?”

Mr Singh added that the new policies would deny many children tertiary education, which had thus far been funded by members’ savings in the fund. He said thousands of children had benefited from the scheme over the years, acquiring degrees and diplomas which would not have been otherwise possible.

Mr Singh says that there is no loan scheme in Fiji that every child can access. “This means that now only children who qualify for Fijian Affairs Board or Public Service Commission scholarships and children of the rich will have access to tertiary education.”
Fund chair Parmesh Chand said the major change to its withdrawal policies “continues to strengthen and add value to the retirement benefits of members”.

From Ashwini Prasad at the Fiji Times

IRAQ TO SEND 10,000 STUDENTS ABROAD IN EFFORT TO REBUILD

A number of Iraqi and US academics meeting over the weekend for a conference on how to rebuild Iraq’s battered higher-education system criticised the Iraqi government’s plan to send thousands of students abroad annually, saying it would lead to the “brain drain” of a new generation of the nation’s top talent.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Malaki has proposed sending 10,000 students abroad each year for the next five years to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees.
“What will happen is what happened then,” Dr Al-Awqati, a professor of medicine at Columbia University, said, with a gesture to the audience, many of whom were faculty members at US colleges who had first come to this country to pursue an advanced degree. “We’re all here.”

The goal of the Iraqi Academic Conference was to draw together Iraqi and US academics to discuss ways to improve and support Iraqi higher education.

Depleted of resources and isolated during the years of Saddam Hussein’s rule, Iraqi higher education came under further siege during 2006 and 2007, years of heavy sectarian violence that followed the US invasion. Hundreds of Iraqi professors were killed, and thousands more fled the country. Classes were rarely held.

Idris Hadi Salih, minister of higher education and scientific research in Kurdistan, said there is not a single route to restoring Iraqi higher education. Iraq’s parliament has yet to approve the scholarship money, he noted, although he has been using regional-government funds to send some students overseas for training in high-need fields, like information technology.

“We’re suffering from a lack of academic staff,” Mr Salih said. “Our capacity is limited.”

Mr Salih added that he also wished that the Iraqi-Americans attending the conference could visit universities in his region, rather than trying to diagnose the needs of Iraqi higher education from afar. “They need to hear it from us,” he said.

From Karen Fischer at the Chronicle of Higher Education

BRITISH VCS AND STUDENTS DISAGREE ON FUNDING

British vice-chancellors have been accused of complacency and arrogance after “fantasising” about more than doubling tuition fees, even as the recession worsens.
The charge was levelled by the National Union of Students (NUS) in response to a study published this week on the future of tertiary-education fees. The report, produced for Universities UK, sets out eight possible scenarios, all based on the assumption that the fees cap will increase to either £5,000 or £7,000 a year.

The study concludes that increasing the fee to £5,000 a year will have no impact on student numbers, regardless of when students are made to pay and what support is in place.

Rick Trainor, president of UUK, said, “I’d like to make it very clear that this report is not a first salvo by UUK in lobbying for higher variable fees. There is no preferred scenario.” He added, however: “By some means or other, more money needs to be put into teaching and learning if we are to meet rising expectations of students.”

Meanwhile, Wes Streeting, president of NUS, said that the report appears to “assume that higher fees are inevitable”. The NUS has broken with years of opposition to any form of tuition payment in attempt to resolve the current fees debate. It is now proposing a graduate tax to replace the current system of tuition fees and student loans as a way out of the government’s dilemma over the rising costs of higher education. To cover their living costs, students would get a mixture of loans and grants, depending on their parents' income, and would pay loans back in the same way as they do at the moment, through the tax system.

“We are putting forward a radical proposal for an alternative system that is fairer for students, but still generates the kind of income the sector so badly needs,” said Mr Streeting.

From Donald MacLeod at the Guardian and John Gill at Times Higher Education

ALASKAN PROFESSOR LOSES $10,000 FOR OIL-INDUSTRY CRITICISM
An outspoken University of Alaska professor is in danger of losing $US10,000 of federal funding after criticising a federal science and education programme for being biased towards the oil industry

Last year, Rick Steiner, an US marine scientist who has worked around the world on oil spills and ocean conservation projects, co-signed a letter charging that a public meeting in Anchorage, hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he works, and Sea Grant, a federal programme that has paid a portion of his income for nearly 30 years, was biased toward the oil industry.

A few months later, the national deputy director of the Sea Grant programme complained to Professor Steiner’s dean. Saying the professor had breached the neutrality required of Sea Grant agents, the federal manager suggested that Professor Steiner’s Sea Grant funding be ended. The dean concurred, with a final decision expected this US spring. He recommended that Professor Steiner’s Sea Grant funding this year, approximately $US10,000, a tenth of his salary, be cut.

Some Alaskans see Professor Steiner, who has been involved with the Sea Grant programme since 1980, as a hero for his work after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, when he helped organise the Prince William Sound fishermen’s emergency response. He worked on state, federal, and international spill legislation and helped develop regional citizen councils in Alaska and the Lower 48 to monitor oil shipping.

However, Professor Steiner also has been criticised for advocating too stridently and straying from his academic duties.

According to the university, under the principle of academic freedom Professor Steiner will continue to receive his university salary; however, as he regularly takes public positions, Sea Grant does not want the university to use federal funds to support those activities.

From Elizabeth Bluemink at the Anchorage Daily News

£1M DOESN’T BUY MANY CARIBBEANS AT OXBRIDGE

Oxford and Cambridge Universities are still failing to increase significantly the number of places given to ethnic-minority students, despite being given nearly £1 million a year each by the government to widen access.

The latest admissions statistics show that just five out of more than 3,000 students who started at Oxford this year are of Black Caribbean origin, while the equivalent figure at Cambridge is eight.

The UK’s most ancient universities are under political pressure to open up access to a wider range of students and both have increased the proportion of students from state schools this year; Black Caribbeans remain a very small proportion of undergraduates at both universities.

At Oxford, applications from Indian and Chinese UK students actually fell, with a corresponding decline in the numbers gaining entry.

At Oxford, the entry for October 2008 included five Black Caribbean students, the same number as the previous year, among a total intake of 3,170, including overseas students. A further ten were described as white and Black Caribbean. The 65 Indian students were the largest minority among the 2,683 home students, but that was 20 fewer than in 2007.

Cambridge is due to publish its latest admissions figures later this month, and they will show a similar ethnic mix among home students. There were eight Black Caribbean, 20 Black African, 116 Indian, 95 Chinese, 16 Pakistani, and six Bangladeshi students. There is a very similar 27 percent success rate among ethnic minority applicants to Cambridge.

Both universities say they cannot select ethnic-minority students if they do not apply and insist they are making strenuous efforts to attract more applications.
A spokesperson for Oxford said. “The university is committed to attracting, selecting, and supporting students from any race or background.”

From Donald MacLeod at the Guardian

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