Tertiary Update Vol 15 No 39 - Napier and Gisborne Cuts

Napier And Gisborne Suffer Polytechnic Cuts

Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) is planning to cut courses and staff after the government’s decision to strip tens of millions of dollars of foundation-level funding from regional polytechnics around New Zealand. Overall, EIT told staff it is losing approximately 320 equivalent full-time students at level 1 and level 2 with a reduction in revenue in excess of $2.3m following the government cuts.

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Gender pay gap grows

The latest quarterly employment data from Statistics New Zealand shows that the government’s efforts to suppress public sector pay are leading to a growing gender pay gap. The gap between what men and women earn grew in the last three months by 36 cents an hour or, for someone working full time, over $600 a year. The gap is now $4.14 an hour.

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Open Polytechnic academics lightning’ strike

Academics at Open Polytechnic walked off the job in a lightning strike yesterday to protest at their employer’s attempts to cut research and development time in their collective agreement in half.

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Tertiary educators should lead new health and safety culture

The Council of Trade Unions is calling on the government to use the Pike River Report as a springboard for changing New Zealand’s health and safety legislation and culture. TEU national secretary Sharn Riggs would like to see greater opportunity for the people who teach job skills to give future workers the skills they need to stand up for their health and safety.

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Melbourne University speaks up for student and staff voice

Melbourne University’s chancellor has spoken out publicly in opposition to the state government’s legislative plan to strip staff and student seats from university councils.

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Other news

Join TEU and many others for Gay Red Shirt Day tomorrow. Wear your red shirt and help show the Prime Minister John Key and others that gay doesn’t mean "weird" or "stupid" and that homophobic language hurts.

UCOL has committed to working with the Whanganui District Council on approaches and models that look at how to provide sustainable tertiary education in Whanganui. A Taskforce will be urgently assembled between the two organisations to specifically progress the provision of fine arts and glass education in Whanganui in a way that supports Whanganui’s strength as a community with a strong art and glass focus - UCOL

NZUSA has reached an agreement with Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) chief executive Belinda Clark to ensure the student voice is not completely lost from the operations of the TEC and its board. "A limited opportunity to present to the TEC board will continue, although at a level far below the role of the non-voting learner participant position that was summarily disestablished without any forewarning last month," - Pete Hodkinson, NZUSA president.

A new training scheme will prepare 900 new workers for the Christchurch rebuild, says Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee. The training would include six to 14 week courses for new entrants and on-the-job training for others - Stuff

ENDS

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