WITT staff and students fund financial recovery
ED Insider reports that Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT) had its first surplus in seven years, and a year ahead of budget. 325 students were turned away in 2009, with 100% of EFTS target reached by the end of July.
Domestic student EFTS increased by 387 (24%). Increasing revenue alongside cost cutting created a $1.2m surplus (5.2% of revenue). As would be expected from an increase in students that sits alongside significant cost cutting, the student: staff ratio increased from 14.0:1 in 2008 to 16.4:1 in 2009. This equates to an increase of 17 percent.
Ed Insider CEO Dave Guerin said 2009 was a great year for WITT financially, but 2011 will be hard because of the loss of one-off regional funding that will end this year.
“That [positive financial] situation should be repeated again in 2010, but in 2011 there will be a crunch.”
TEU national president Dr Tom Ryan says it is yet another example of an institution responding to financial pressure by turning it into workload pressure for staff and students.
“In many situations 17 percent more students per staff member is also 17 percent more marking, assessment, support and advice that staff need to provide. It is seventeen percent more administration, 17 percent more pressure on resources like the library and student services. For students it means that staff are less available to help them, and when they are available they are busy and possibly stressed.”
