1 September 2011
350 jobs to go at University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury plans to cut more than 350 jobs over the next three years. According to an internal
document forecasting the university's finances for the next ten years, it proposes to slash the current number of staff
from 1947 to 1596 over the next three years. That is a decrease of 18 percent. The cuts will affect academic, general
and technical staff.
The document lays the blame clearly with the government:
"The implicit message from the Tertiary Education Commission and the minister - that if the institution is willing to
lead the way with cuts that could easily run to hundreds of jobs - the State may invest in the university once more - is
reprehensible."
TEU national president Sandra Grey says the tertiary education minister, Steven Joyce, has not made a strong enough case
to his cabinet colleagues to protect this important national and international asset.
"Cabinet plans to meet in Christchurch next Monday. It is essential that it act now to protect the university from these
cuts," says Dr Grey. "The university is an essential public infrastructure. It has a key role to play in the next year
helping the city rebuild. It cannot do that without government support."
The university says no additional funding has been made available by the commission or the minister other than retaining
the Student Achievement Component for 2012. That means a shortfall of $12-18 million.
"Mr Joyce cannot sit by and let one of New Zealand's most prestigious learning institutions bleed nearly a fifth of its
staff," said Dr Grey.
ENDS