The Otago Daily Times reports that Aoraki Polytechnic is considering a request by TEU that it establish replacement media courses at its Dunedin campus, as part of a review of courses. Aoraki is planning to cut 15 course programmes from campuses in Timaru, Dunedin, Oamaru, Ashburton and Christchurch – a move that might result in up to 20 job losses.

TEU organiser Kris Smith has been negotiating with the polytechnic to provide replacement study courses for Dunedin media programmes. A proposal to cull eight of the 12 Dunedin-taught media courses at Aoraki would put the entire Dunedin programme and campus at risk, Ms Smith says.

TEU members are arguing that the polytechnic could establish multimedia course qualifications, incorporating elements of the radio, television/film, web and advertising design courses. TEU also advocated for Aoraki’s level 6 qualifications to be collapsed into one level 5 or 6 diploma incorporating television and film, 3-D animation, photography and creative writing.

“If the design of the programme was co-ordinated with Otago Polytechnic, the students could staircase at least 18 months’ credit into the design degree at Otago Polytechnic.”

A “rationalisation” of programmes between Aoraki and Otago could have resulted in the formation of an Otago School of Media, but this had fallen by the wayside as part of a senior management change last year, Ms Smith told the Otago Daily Times.

The Timaru Herald quotes from TEU’s submission to Aoraki:

“It is clear from the council report [in] October … that Aoraki has not yet met its budgeted [equivalent fulltime students]. To carve out 180 EFTS … when there are obviously no sound plans for delivering alternate programmes makes no business sense.”

A final decision on whether Aoraki will proceed with its move to cut courses and cull jobs is due by November 11, once a senior management team has reviewed a round of feedback and submissions from affected staff and students.