Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union is disappointed to note today’s media reports that show Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato has spent almost a million dollars over the last 3 years for strategic advice from former Minister of Tertiary Education Steven Joyce

Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Shane Vugler is “appalled nearly a million dollars have been spent on a single consultant.”

“Over the last three years, staff at the University of Waikato have faced a policy of not replacing staff who leave at a time when COVID 19 responses have created more work. Added to this staff have been forced to accept very low pay rises because the University was under financial pressure and said they couldn’t afford to pay them more”.

Vugler notes that “staff have been doing more with less, while money is thrown at a political consultant."

“Steven Joyce has no designated position or role at the University and doesn’t appear to report or be accountable to anyone, TEU questions what value paying Steven Joyce a million dollars has added to the teaching, learning and research outputs of the University. The University claims that Steven Joyce’s work has increased its market share of school leavers when in fact it is largely due to the hard work of a 11 full-time staff in the Future Students Team and 25 student ambassadors, mostly employed on the minimum wage, rather than the part-time advice from Steve Joyce.”

"Likewise, the University’s claim that Steven Joyce’s work with the Waikato Management School has grown the school’s profile and reputation. The reality is that the WMS has had a strong reputation for decades and responsibility for enhancing it rests with its PVC Matt Bolger, not Steven Joyce.”

“The reality is that the University has paid Steven Joyce almost a million dollars for a part time advisory role that makes him the highest paid individualon the university’s books. This is not acceptable or appropriate when many staff can’t afford to pay their mortgages or put food on the table due to pay rises that have not kept pace with inflation.”

"The Minister of Tertiary Education and the TEC should carry out an immediate investigation into the University of Waikato’s use of and payments to independent contractors."

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