To the Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
An open letter to the Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
Cc: Dr Rod Carr, vice-chancellor of the University of Canterbury
28 March 2012
Dear Mr Joyce,
We write to you to deplore the proposed closure of entire programmes and majors at the University of Canterbury. We warned you last year that, without your intervention and support, many staff at the university would lose their jobs, and students would lose the opportunity to study the courses that inspire them.
That travesty, of course closures and job losses, is now imminent. However, we believe it is not too late to act to save these programmes and the opportunities for students in these majors. Canterbury needs, now more than ever, a broad and diverse tertiary education that provides opportunities for all its potential students.
You have refused to meet with us since we warned you of this. But the time has come now to listen. We, as representatives of tertiary education staff from across the country, call upon you to intervene and provide the financial security the University of Canterbury needs to get back on its feet.
We are ready to work with you to make sure that people throughout the Canterbury region have the opportunity to learn.
Yours sincerely,
Sandra Grey,
TEU national
president
And the branch presidents and executive officers
of the TEU nationally:
Alex Sims, Women’s Vice
President
Carol Soal, Aoraki Polytechnic
Charlotte
Burkhardt, EIT
Christian Long, University of
Canterbury
Craig Marshall, University of Otago
Craig
West, Otago Polytechnic
David Ayre, Nelson Marlborough
Institute of Technology
Eric J Stone, Northland
Polytechnic
Frances Matheson, Victoria University of
Wellington
Gordon Reid, Eastern Institute of
Technology
Harvey Jones, Massey University
Helen
Kissell, Universities General Staff Vice President
James
Houkāmau, Whitireia Community Polytechnic
John Prince,
AUT University
Karen McCann, New Zealand Childcare
Association
Lani Emery, Te Wānanga O Aotearoa
Lesley
Francey, Manukau Institute of Technology
Lorna Johnson,
Universal College of Learning
Paul Taillon, University of
Auckland
Peter Wilkie, Auckland Institute of
Studies
Phil Oxenham, Tai Poutini Polytechnic
Philip
Bright, Waiariki Polytechnic
Richard Draper, Christchurch
Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Rose Cardoso,
Southern Institute of Technology
Sarah Hardman,
Unitec
Stuart Larsen, Lincoln University
Susan
Bennett, Wintec
Teresa La Rooy, University of
Otago
ENDS