TEU mourns the loss of Cat Pausé.

Hau Taki Haere | Tertiary Update Vol 26, No 5

E te māreikura e Cat nei rā tō uniana e mōteatea, e poroporoaki nei i a koe, ā, me te tuku aroha atu ki tō whānau. “He kokonga whare, e kitea; He kokonga ngākau, e kore e kitea."

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union has lost a special person. In an email to TEU staff and elected officials on Saturday, Te Pou Ahurei Sandra Grey wrote “It is with a very heavy heart that I write to inform you all that Cat Pausé TEU member and former Vice President Women, has passed away suddenly at her Palmerston North home in the early hours of Friday morning.”

Grey says Cat’s fat scholarship, activism, and her staunch stands for equity made her internationally respected and valued.

For Tumu Whakarae Tina Smith, Cat stood out for her unlimited supply of love and support for others. “Cat was always thinking about people and going over and above the call of duty to make everyone around her feel welcome, special and valued.”

“She did a power of work as a union activist including taking on national positions, putting together fabulous conference panels and running women’s leadership days as well as being incredibly supportive to many people. She lived her scholarship, calling out attitudes or actions that reduced people while, through her warmth and actions, encouraging better. She would stand at the door of TEU events and welcome every single person who walked through with her beautiful big smile and a hug if you were up for one.”

The news of Cat’s passing sparked an outpouring of aroha as all who knew her took to social media to express their grief.

Former TEU staff member and Organiser at Massey University, Heather Warren, saw the news on Twitter and was “instantly heartbroken. My dear friend that brought so much light to my life, who worked tirelessly with me, a friend who cared with all of her heart, a friend who asked me to braid her hair whenever we hung out and always saved me a seat.”

TEU branch co-president at Massey University Te Awatea Ward describes herself as “absolutely heartbroken. Cat and I worked together on a lot of different kaupapa in both our TEU and Massey University mahi. She was such a beautiful, kind-hearted person who above all was passionate about equity for all.”

“Cat tirelessly advocated for Māori, particularly wāhine Māori, respected Te Reo Māori me ngā tikanga and committed to advancing Te Tiriti relationship at Massey and in TEU. She will be sorely missed.”

“E whakamiha ana mātou ki te wahine rangatira a Cat mō tōna matenga ohorere nei | We acknowledge the great loss of this treasured person Cat.”

"Ko ō mātou aroha e pā kau atu ana ki a ia mō tōna atawhai, tōna māia me tōna aroha. Ka tangi mātou, ehara tēnei i te mate o te marama engari ko te rā tonu mō te hunga e mōhio ana ki a ia | Our lives have forever been touched by her generosity, her courage and her love. Let us weep, for this is not the death of the moon but of the sun itself for those that have known her.”

Caitlin Clare Pausé was 42 years young and our hearts go out to her parents Megan and Paul.

E Cat, e moe māria mai koe.

Also in this update:

Other Stories:

  • Massey University academic Cat Pausé dies suddenly – Stuff
  • University staff face redundancies as fewer students enrol – RNZ
  • Calls for reform after alleged sexual assault case at Auckland Uni – Stuff
  • University challenge  – ODT