News 22/4 – Last ITP Council Appointees and WITT is Free(ish)

April 22nd 2010 at 7:44am, By Dave Guerin

Minister Appoints Steven Joyce, Minister for Tertiary Education, appointed Suzanne Snively to the Councils of WelTec and Whitireia Community Polytechnic - the last two vacant Ministerial appointments after 78 positions were appointed last week. Suzanne is the current deputy chair at Whitireia, a PWC partner and a very capable person – I’m happy she’s been appointed. Meanwhile, SIT Chair Graeme Cooney (he is continuing on) says that the ITP Council changes poses some risks.
Insurance Payout Sovereign Insurance will pay up to $1,500 each for its agents to study towards the new financial services adviser qualifications - training will be supplied by the Open Polytechnic.
Controversial Students The Dominion Post is talking up the presence of officials from Myanmar in government funded English language courses here. I think a very similar story was published last year. Make your own decisions about engagement or standoff with Myanmar, but I did find it amusing that there’s a comment from someone at the University of Otago’s National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies – he’ll never run out of work with such a wide brief!
WITT is Free(ish)! WITT’s Crown Manager, in place since 2006, has been removed by the TEC as WITT gets back on its feet. There is still a Crown Observer, but WITT can make its own financial decisions. A net nine positions have been lost in a restructuring too.
Doctor Shortage Maryan Street (Labour) says that Steven Joyce is ignoring labour force needs, with higher fees likely to lead to fewer doctors.
Literacy There’s a nice feelgood story here about literacy success in the workplace.