Tertiary education staff in Otago continue to lose jobs as the university and polytechnic push on with their restructuring plans.

The Otago Daily Times reports that the University of Otago’s College of Education will designate 15 jobs redundant by the end of next year, with more position losses signalled for 2012. It also reports that 20 staff will lose their jobs or accept reduced hours at Otago Polytechnic by the end of the year.

A review of staffing at the polytechnic’s Dunedin and Cromwell campuses, and a call for voluntary redundancies and early retirements, have led to a reduction of 15.1 full-time equivalent positions, affecting about 20 staff, human resources general manager Matt Carter said yesterday.

There could be more job losses or reduced work hours to come, he said, though he could not say how many positions would be affected or when decisions might be made.

The polytechnic is blaming government funding cuts for the redundancies and reduction in hours. Tertiary institutions should be investing in staff rather than shedding them, Mr Carter said.

“Staff are quite upset. All our staff are committed to [what we do] and are frustrated we have been put in a position of having to do this to make cost savings.”

Meanwhile, at the University of Otago, 12 full-time-equivalent teacher education fellow positions and three administration positions would go late this year or during next year. Then in 2012 there will be further reductions as specific teaching commitments end, but the university hopes these will occur through attrition.

Staff and the TEU said that the university’s initial restructuring proposal, and a revised proposal released last month after submissions were considered, unfairly targeted teacher educators.

Thanks to Tama Leaver for the photo