The Waikato Times reports that thirteen staff will lose their jobs at the University of Waikato under a proposal that will see General and Applied Linguistics lose 4.5 fulltime equivalent (FTE) positions, English  lose 2 FTEs, History 2.25 FTE, Music 1.5, Theatre Studies 1, and Psychology 1.11 FTEs. Geography and Tourism will lose 3 FTEs, to be partly replaced by two new jobs in Environmental Planning.

The dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), Professor Daniel Zirker, says the process is still under consultation, but is blaming the extent of latest round of proposed redundancies on the government imposed funding cap on students.

“I am working closely with HR colleagues to make sure this is a very robust and transparent process, to fulfil our obligations to both staff and the university.”

In a letter sent out to staff with the attached proposal, he said the faculty was struggling financially due to the capped funding environment.

Current projections forecast the faculty running a deficit of $610,000 in 2011 with it rising to $1.5 million by 2013 if changes weren’t made.

TEU national president Tom Ryan told the Waikato Times he is “extremely concerned” that jobs were again being cut in the faculty.

“FASS over the past decade or so has continually been expected to bear major cuts in staffing while at the same time it has been expected to contribute higher amounts of profits back to subsidise other parts of the university,” Dr Ryan said.

Thanks to DeeKnow @ Flickr for the photo