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Students voice concerns over ITP appointments
Students voice
concerns over ITP council appointments
The
announcement today of the new Ministerial appointments to
Institutes of Technology and Polytechnic councils continues
the Government’s concerted steps in limiting community and
student voices from their own institutions.
“We are very concerned that this new path the Government is taking with the governance of the polytechnic sector further isolates key stakeholders in the debate around quality,” said Pene Delaney, Co-President of the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA).
Today’s announcements follow changes to the Education Act in 2009 removing representative governance in the polytechnic sector, and replacing it with handpicked Ministerial positions, heralding a new era in Government control of public tertiary institutions.
“Students will be concerned that there may be too great a focus on business and finances alone, and the student experience could lose out to so-called efficiency drives which may come at the expense of quality and the range of courses offered,” said Delaney. “It is very hard to see how councils focused largely on business and efficiency outcomes will balance the Minister’s previous calls for enhanced and strengthened pastoral care,” added Delaney.
“This move away from representative governance directly contravenes the Tertiary Education Strategy and its calls from Government for tertiary institutions to be more responsive to student needs. The most efficient and appropriate way to deliver for students is to ensure their voice is heard and supported around the council table and we look forward to working with the minister to achieve this objective,” said David Do, Co-President of NZUSA.
NZUSA notes the inclusion of numerous appointments of Maori to polytechnic councils, and welcomes this move on the part of the Minister. We now also welcome and encourage the inclusion of staff and students to the community representative positions still to be announced, and encourage polytechnic councils to prioritise the inclusion of these key stakeholders at the council table
ENDS
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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