Tertiary Update Vol 16 No 9 TEU members at the Western Institute of Technology in Taranaki (WITT) are voting on a new, more transparent, pay system. Negotiations at WITT were late to start last year while the polytechnic dealt with the government’s level 1-2 foundations studies cuts to polytechnics. However, negotiations started properly in January [...]

The Western Institute of Technology in Taranaki (WITT) council met last week for the first time since the fallout over its decision to advertise for a new chief executive. However the Taranaki Daily News reports throughout the two hour meeting there wasn’t a single mention of the widespread controversy surrounding the council’s decision to refuse [...]

Victoria University’s vice chancellor Professor Pat Walsh surprised a few Wellingtonians this week when he announced he would not be seeking a third term as vice-chancellor at the university. Chancellor Ian McKinnon told the Dominion Post that the university would shortly begin looking for a replacement. He credited Pat Walsh with increasing the university’s profile on [...]

TEU’s national day of action opposing cuts to foundation studies campaign drew widespread publicity and a small initial victory at UCOL where several jobs were saved. As last week’s day of action took place the CEO of UCOL, Paul McElroy announced that the polytechnic would no longer be closing four programmes: the Certificate in Fashion and [...]

Tertiary Update Vol 15 No 41 TEU members are holding protests and meetings at polytechnics around the country today to convince the government to put more money into foundation studies education at polytechnics. The protests coincide with media coverage (from Auckland’s New Zealand Herald to Dunedin’s Otago Daily Times) of the millions of dollars the government has [...]

Following UCOL’s announcements of massive course closures and staff cuts as a result of government funding cuts, other polytechnics are now also announcing course closures and staff cuts. The Nelson Mail reported that Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology has lost about 100 full-time student places, or about $600,000 of funding. “We are looking at what our options [...]

The uneven way the Tertiary Education Commission distributed its $38 million level 1-2 funding available for tender means some polytechnics will probably have to cut courses and restructure or reorganise say TEU national president Sandra Grey. WITT is the first polytechnic to speak out about the funding , telling the Taranaki Daily News this morning [...]

Data from the Tertiary Education Commission shows that government funding for metropolitan based polytechnics has fallen by 1 percent between 2010 and 2011, but it fell by a massive 11 percent, or $32 million, for regional polytechnics over the same period. With the exception of Eastern Institute of Technology, which merged with Tairāwhiti Polytechnic last [...]

Minister for tertiary education, skills and employment, Steven Joyce, has continued to appoint people to multiple polytechnic councils. Malcolm Inglis, who is the current deputy chair of UCOL council will now also take on the role of deputy chair of the WITT council for a four year term. Malcolm Inglis is a management consultant providing [...]

Hui-ā-Motu will be held at WITT, New Plymouth, from Friday 23 March to Sunday 25 March.   TEU Travel Policy This policy applies to all members of the Tertiary Education Union and may be changed from time to time. This policy is current from March 2011. 1)         Introduction TEU travel policy is based on the [...]