News 24/5 – Restructuring Booms, as Does Budget Reaction

May 24th 2010 at 8:15am, By Dave Guerin

Restructuring Around the Country
- Massey University is closing down its Hawkes Bay teacher education courses, based at EIT. It will maintain its MOE-funded teacher professional development team. The 59 students will be able to transfer to Palmerston North or continue studying by distance. Massey says that the operation is not financially viable. As budgets tighten, it will be interesting to see if more satellite activities are ceased.
- WITT has cut its faculties from 3 to 2, cut 12 positions and is looking at other ways to cut costs and increase revenue to deal with the ending of one-off funding next year.
- Social work students are arguing for not making cuts to their University of Otago department.
Budget Reaction
- The NZVCC came out with a strong reaction to the Budget on Friday afternoon, arguing that there is no more money and nothing to complement the welcomed science investments.
- Maryan Street has attacked the Budget over ACE cuts (not sure if those are old or just the impact of last year’s announcement – I tend toward the latter), small EFTS rises at ITPs and unis (she effectively divides them by the number of institutions) and confusingly attacks the government for both cutting the amount that some institutions can put up fees and for making students pay more.
- NMIT CE Tony Gray hopes just -completed restructuring will deal with the $2m drop in one-off funding in 2011. Student leader Rachel Boyack is concerned that student loan living cost limits haven’t gone up to account for GST.
- Tairawhiti Polytechnic expects a $1m cut to its budget next year, on top of $2m announce last year – I’m not sure where the extra $1m comes from.
- Stuart Middleton has a thougttfiul column on the Budget.
- The NZ Herald has a good editorial on ECE funding changes, pointing out that powerful union and training provider interests have been pushing 100% teacher registration for ECE and it is time for another look at that.
Weak Booze Report I mentioned a report a couple of weeks back done by an Otago University Students’ Assn employee, with funding from them, the University and the City Council. Turns out that it was only a four and a half page report and cost $40,000.
Dairy Trainee of the Year I mentioned the winner of the Dairy Trainee of the Year recently but now there’s a good background story on him in the ODT.
Wintec Events Grad …Bianca Angel is using her skills to co-organise a music festival at Mystery Creek. It’s great seeing someone give it a go and using their tertiary education skills. Good luck, and if, you’re in the area, why not check out Shiverdown, a Kiwi dub and reggae festival.
UniServices No. 1 The University of Auckland’s subsidiary UniServices won the “Large business over $10 million turnover” category of the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards.
Welcome to New Council Whitireia Community Polytechnic welcomed its new Council members last week. The welcome includes Whitireia’s superb performing arts group.
Student Success The Sunday Star-Times had a story yesterday on some MOE research on student success. The headline was on students who take a gap year doing better, but there are other points in the story.
Naked Vets The Massey University vet students’ Naked Vets calendar is now out – it’s all for a good cause (a big party for them). One of the promo shots is below and here’s a Dom Post story.