ED » TEI Councils

News 3/8 – Susan Cullen at NorthTec. Adventure Tourism Cut at NMIT?

Dave Guerin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:14:29 +0000

NorthTec Council NorthTec have appointed Susan Cullen as their last Council appointee (I jumped the gun on that when the second to last appointment was made last week). Susan developed the Mahi Ora, Lifeworks and KiwiOra programmes for Te Wananga o Aotearoa and the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. Her business relationships with TWOA were criticised at the time, as her father was then the head of the wananga, but she will also bring important skills to the Council.
Waikato International The Waikato Times has a story on international enrolments at Wintec and the University of Waikato.
Student Loans The Waikato Times also wrote an editorial on student loans - it’s one of those confused ones where the editorial writer throws in all the arguments they have but forgets about making it coherent.
Ripping out the Heart …of NMIT will apparently occur if an NMIT adventure tourism course is canned. Supporters are rallying, but the CE seems to think they’re getting a bit over-excited.
Research Corner Otago Uni researchers have found that depressed people find it harder to recognise expressions of disgust and that mental illness in youth is linked to poorer futures.
Streaker Advice A Canty Uni student is suspected of streaking through a Christchurch mall - a mall spokesperson advised “We would expect people to wear some clothing and they need to cover their private parts”.
Swimming with Ducks Sometimes the media monitoring throws up an oddity, like this story that has a WITT: not the Taranaki one, but a German surname. Two Germans plan to swim 500km with their 7 pet ducks - that’s the synopsis anyway.
WelTec Expo WelTec is running an Innovation and Technology Expo on August 20.
VSM Impact Here’s an article on the president of Out@AUT on the possible impact of VSM on queer student groups

News 17/6 – HSI Awards, Hospitality Training & Massey’s Dubious Mktg

Dave Guerin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:22:44 +0000

HSI Awards HSI’s annual awards were held on Monday night, NorthTec won Excellence in Training – Qualification Pathways for the third year running while one of their staff. Sue Bartlett, was named Workplace Assessor of the Year.
Hospitality Training There’s a great article here about the tradeoffs between different levels of hospitality training and the needs of the industry. It quotes people from HSI, MIT and Lincoln University. It’s well worth a read.
BOP Plan There’s a new education plan for the Western Bay of Plenty, developed by the University of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.
Snow Plans There’s an interesting ODT story about the possible effects of less snow on Australian tourism down south, based on an interview with a Lincoln student and academic.
Beijing Music University of Auckland musicians gave successful performances in Beijing and Nanjing last month.
A different world Read this ODT story about the closure of the Gardies pub and you will realise how different Dunedin is – where else would a pub closure cause so much excitement?
ITP Council Payday ITP Council fees are going up, according to the TEC. The fee rises are really quite significant.
Massey’s Dubious Marketing Massey University has some disgruntled students after their decision to cease offering face to face teacher education from EIT’s campus in Hawke’s Bay. The students are upset that Massey was conducting a review since last September but had not told students of the risks because “it was in negotiations with staff over their jobs”. That’s bollocks – there’s no reason why you can’t carry out a good faith negotiation with staff while still making the broad options public. It seems that the lack of advice to students was purely a commercial decision by Massey to hold up their 2010 enrolments and I wish the students well in seeking redress.
Teacher Education John O’Neill from Massey has some views on the future of teacher education.
Awards and Scholarships Two scholarships have been awarded by the Health Research Council, while a Massey academic received a lifetime achievement award for his work in occupational health at the NZ Workplace Health and Safety Awards.
Sad Letter There’s a sad letter in the Gisborne Herald about a Tairawhiti Polytechnic student who had things stolen and can’t study until they are replaced.
Bridge death Two more stories on the trial – here and here.
Student Back for Trial A Japanese woman who was attacked in NZ when a student returned recently for the trial of her attacker, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in jail for a range of charges. The Ministry of Justice paid travel costs.
Unitec Festival Unitec has a performing arts festival on now.
Assessment Conference NZCER has a conference on Assessing Adult Learning comng up in August.

ITP Staff Member Gets on a Council

Dave Guerin — Mon, 31 May 2010 00:26:13 +0000

With the sweeping reforms to membership of ITP Councils, most of the staff, student and CEO representatives are no longer on Councils. NMIT has a student rep, while UCOL has the CE on Council, but I hadn’t seen any staff reps on Council around the country until now.

Well, NorthTec has appointed Gwen Edge to its Council. She has been a staff member for 24 years, and a member of the local TIASA (general staff union) Executive for 22 years. She hasn’t been appointed as a staff representative, but for what she has to add as a Council member. She was a Council member up to April this year, as a general staff representative

NorthTec announced a second Council member appointment today, with NZ Refining Company CE Ken Rivers getting the nod. Normally he’d get the top billing in the news, but Gwen’s appointment is the more newsworthy given its rarity!

News 28/4 – Councils, Buildings and Loans

Dave Guerin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:47:17 +0000

Sponsorship The BNZ is sponsoring NMIT’s new Arts and Media Building. Meanwhile, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is sponsoring the BOP secondary school rugby competition.
Student Loans Student newspaper Salient has some reaction to Steven Joyce’s proposed student loan changes.
TWOA The NZ Herald has a story on the 25th anniversary of a marae that helped to inspire Te Wananga O Aotearoa’s founding.
Sofa Fires It’s Palmerston North, not Dunedin, that is concerned about student-related couch fires this week.
Drinking Age Canterbury Uni student president says that raising the drinking age from 18 to 20 is bizarre and I couldn’t agree more.
Unitec Site Students have been designing bridges around Unitec to link in with the new motorway project. Unitec is also looking at site development at their main Mt Albert campus. They’ll be opening a new trades centre in May.
EIT Council EIT has released the names of its local Council appointees.

News 23/4 – Foreign Students Up, NZUSA Losing a Member?

Dave Guerin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:57:09 +0000

Foreign Students Up Steven Joyce, Minister for Tertiary Education, released 2009 foreign student numbers (up 6%) and earnings (up 10% or $61m) yesterday. Education NZ welcomed it and added a multiplier to take it to $200m growth. At the same time as announcing the student figures, Steven Joyce said that universities should look to foreign students and philanthropy as income sources, given tight government budgets.
Chancellors ECAN The Chancellors of Lincoln and Canterbury Universities, plus Lincoln’s Pro-Chancellor, have been appointed as commissioners to Environment Canterbury, the Canterbury regional council. That’s a vote of confidence for university governance.
ITP Councils Unitec has appointed the last four members of their Council.
Undie 500 Organisers of the Undie 500 at the University of Canterbury are now thinking about getting an events organiser to help them find a venue after Blenheim keeps on slamming the door on them.
West on Lincoln Andy West, outgoing CEO of AgResearch, has fingered the global recession as the cause of the failure of the proposed Lincoln University-AgResearch merger. I’m not close to that issue, but I’m sure there were many other factors.
VUW Trespassers? Two Victoria University students (I know both of them) challenged trespass orders from the University in the District Court yesterday, claiming they were issued on political grounds.
NZUSA Split Otago Polytechnic Students Assn is having a referendum to decide whether to pull out of the national body, NZUSA, amid suspicions that small/polytechnic associations don’t get enough say in NZUSA.

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

Dave Guerin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:44:15 +0000

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.

News 19/4 – Steven Joyce Drops Big Budget Hints

Dave Guerin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 19:32:18 +0000

Over-Delivery Radio NZ ran a story on Friday about over-delivery by universities and ITPs last year. I received similar information last Thursday for a wider group of providers and will be running posts at 11am from Mon-Fri this week on them.
Steven Joyce 1 Steven Joyce was on TVNZ’s Q+A programme (transcript here) yesterday covering:
- performance-funding (variable targets by type of study);
- fee maxima (looks like providers will be able to lift fees for courses above the maxima – details in the Budget – plus there may be a review of funding categories);
- qualifications (reinforced messages around the targeted review of quals);
- polytechnic mergers (wants more cooperation amongst polytechnics but how they do that is up to them)
- student loans (for the first time he publicly mentioned a time limit on student loan access – 6-7 years for an undergraduate degree. He also said that new residents can now get student loans immediately, but can’t get allowances of benefits for two years after their arrival – he is thinking of amending them.);
- new money (there won’t be any, but savings will be put back into new places); and
- student allowances (no change)
Steven Joyce 2 You can view the Q+A panel discussing the interview with Joyce if you want to sit through inane comments, but I’d advise against it. Maryan Street is alarmed at the potential for higher fees on medicine and other courses and that no changes to student allowances will mean that students are worse off after GST changes. TV1 and TV3 news both had stories on it last night and there was an NZPA story yesterday, with some updated feedback in the NZ Herald today.
ITOs Cash-Rich? The Dominion Post has run a story on ITOs’ reserves, which were $90m at the end of 2008, with BCITO having $19m. It’s hard to set an “acceptable” level of reserves but BCITO had more cash reserves than their annual turnover, which is simply excessive, and they agree, since they’re now running them down. The story is full of half-formed arguments, but if you find a well-substantiated argument in it, please feel free to make a comment below.
ITP Councils There have been more stories and media releases about new Councils at NMIT, Open Polytechnic and BOPP. NMIT have reappointed their student president, Rachel Boyack, which is the only place that’s happened as far as I know.
New Buildings Massey is getting some new buildings, but the story explaining it jumps all over the place – it’s worse than my posts!
Trainee’s Mistake A WelTec student working as a trainee at Hutt Hospital is at the centre of a coroner’s inquest into a suicide, after communication and administration lapses relating to a patient (there’s also a Sunday News story).
AUT Dean Farewelled Prof Des Grayson, AUT Business School Dean, passed away on April 9, after being the Dean for a staggering 20 years. AUT has put out a fine media release about Prof Grayson.
Uni GamesThe University of Otago won it, but SIT won the women’s multipsort event and a 12 year old was refereeing the touch.
Agri-Food Research Massey’s Riddet Institute ran a very interesting summit last week on agri-food. I would have loved to go if I hadn’t already been committed to the ITF’s research forum. It’s a great example of how researchers can contribute to NZ’s future.
Aquaculture Investment The Government announced a $1.69m investment in a Cawthron Institute aquaculture research facility that also involves NMIT. Cawthron has welcomed the money, but pointed out that they asked for a lot more.
Clothing TechnologyGood on AUT for getting a body scanning expert in to talk to their students, but even more so for exploring the idea of bringing body scanning technology to NZ retailers - if retailers know what size their customers are, they can put better product on the shelves.
Otago Restructuring The TEU are concerned that they can’t get a report about design school restructuring.

News 16/4 – 9 on ITP Councils, Plus Orangutans and Barbie

Dave Guerin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:51:17 +0000

ITP Councils
- Several polytechnics commented on their Council members yesterday, covering the Ministerial appointees and/or the local appointees – here are releases from UCOL, Wintec, WelTec and Unitec.
- Labour’s Maryan Street has put out a well-argued release about the challenges the new Councils will face to represent their communities.
- The Greens’ Gareth Hughes is concerned that there are no staff or student representatives (they were always going to come from the local appointees) but also points out that only 20/78 appointees were women (21 by my count), but “a good number” were Maori.
- The NZ Federation of Business and Professional Women has also criticised the Minister for appointing so few women (27%), although is more impressed with Paula Bennett’s Welfare Working Group (60% women).
- The NZ Herald reports that National Minister Judith Collins’ husband David Wong-Tung was appointed to Unitec’s Council. While the Council appointments look pretty strong overall, there is always a risk that Ministers will appoint cronies to boards. I’m not saying David Wong-Tung was appointed because of his marriage to Judith Collins, but it is incredibly stupid not to declare that relationship when making the appointment – all you get is headlines like the one for this Herald story. So, it’s the first dumb move I’ve seen with these appointments.
- Outgoing Otago Polytechnic Chair Graeme Crombie is interviewed in the Otago Daily Times.
Orangutans Not our usual topic, but there’s a nice story about Bay of Plenty Polytechnic veterinary nursing students going to Borneo last year to help the orangutans.
Entrepreneurial Artists Tairawhiti Polytechnic art tutor is setting up a new studio space as a cooperative for artists in central Gisborne, filling a niche in the local market and helping graduates to continue their practice
Wall to Reopen? A Coroner has suggested that Tai Poutini Polytechnic reopen its climbing wall, but implement existing regulations to avoid a repeat of a death last year.
Academic Harassed? I thought this story was going to be about Fonterra threatening academic freedom, but really it looks more like a “he said, she said” exchange of emails between people who disagree with each other. And Fonterra’s only been told to stop because they’re both witnesses in water hearings.
Uni Games SIT and EIT fought out the final (and only) games in the volleyball, while SIT is doing well in the cycling on their home track.
Barbie Goes to the V8s That’s the name of a fashion show by Wintec fashion students this weekend – grid girls will be the models.
Plunket Nurses Plunket has a relationship with Whitireia Community Polytechnic to train community health workers, many of whom become Plunket nurses – 100 graduates today.

News 15/4 – ITP Councils, Smoking and Uni Games

Dave Guerin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:17:34 +0000

ITP Councils The ODT reports that 3/4 Ministerial appointees to the Otago Polytechnic Council have changed, with the current Chair and Deputy Chair gone. They also have comment about the the Telford Rural Polytechnic Council appointments. Aoraki Polytechnic’s new Chair is ready to go. The TEU is concerned about the lack of staff appointees (although I’d be surprised if any Ministerial appointees were staff beforehand), while NZUSA was concerned at the lack of student and community voices. Outgoing Whitireia Chair Dennis Sharman has put out a very classy release welcoming the new, and thanking the old, Council members. Radio NZ had a piece on last night with good comments - about 4 minutes.
Massey Honours Peter McLeavey Peter McLeavey, art dealer extraordinaire, will get an honorary doctorate from Massey University on May 27. ED’s first office was across the stairs from Peter’s gallery in Cuba St, Wellington, a spot he has had since the late 1960s – there was nothing quite like popping across to check out a Killeen exhibition or see a McCahon that he had sold 20 years before and was being sold through him again. He is wonderful, humble, kind, erudite and a great art dealer who has played a key part in NZ’s fine art scene for over 40 years. Good on Massey for this one. That’s Peter at left.
Buildings Regs Loosened Steven Joyce, Minister for Tertiary Education, also announced yesterday that the Government will make it easier for institutions to sell buildings or have ownership transferred to them. Maryan Street of Labour has said it is short-sighted. I think it sounds like a great idea and I know that universities, ITPs and wananga will welcome the idea.
Otago Smoking Ban (2) I reported yesterday that the University of Otago had banned smoking within 6m of a campus building, but Otago Polytechnic is going one better, banning all smoking on campus. Will the University of Otago up their bid now that not only their neighbour but also their arch-rival (the University of Auckland) have banned all smoking?
Design Prizes Entries for the James Dyson Awards are opening now and I’ll gladly publish cool designs later in the year.
Uni Games Souithland Times reports on condoms and the opening night party today, as well as Tim Shadbolt’s bowls results, local cycling success, Canterbury’s touch team and EIT’s team.
Financial Advisers ETITO is confident it has the capacity to help financial advisers to get accredited.

New ITP Councils Announced (Not a Joke This Time!)

Dave Guerin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:15:37 +0000

Steven Joyce, Minister for Tertiary Education, announced his appointments to ITP Councils today.

Coincidentally, this morning we formally launched our paid ED Insider service – strategic information for tertiary education professionals. We have detailed analysis of the new ITP Council appointments over at ED Insider and 14 day free trials are available in April, so sign up now and check out the story – it will be the top one once you sign in.

Feel free to pass on the invitation to anyone else – we’re keen to give people a look at the new service and we won’t be running trials in May, which is Budget month.