Waikato cuts library staff by 10%.

Library cuts will compromise service and cause student outcomes to slide – that’s the warning from Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union in the wake of the latest cuts announcement by Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato.

Last week, the university announced $560,000 worth of cuts which will extract $370,000 out of the library’s staff budget. This will result in a 10% reduction in staffing for library services.

Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Shane Vugler says “libraries are a fundamental part of any university that is critical for students’ learning experience and success. These cuts will further compromise the already reduced range and quality of services offered by the library, which include learning support for struggling students.”

“The university last restructured and cut library staff just 18 months ago. The same staff are now faced with increased workloads and further stress because their jobs are once again up in the air. Their workloads are already far too high and they are extremely anxious about how their critical work will be done with even fewer staff left to do it.”

“I had library staff in tears last week as they face losing their jobs and careers after 20+ years of excellent service to thousands of students and the university.”

This news follows hot on the heels of previous cuts announced a fortnight ago in Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences. Further cuts are expected to support services, education, and science in the coming weeks as the university seeks to ‘balance its books.’

Vugler says “a better place to look for savings would be the Vice Chancellor’s completely inappropriate spending on ‘strategic advice’ from external consultants such as Capital GR and former Minister of Tertiary Education Steven Joyce, which has cost the university roughly the same amount as these cuts are intended to save.”

“Students should ask themselves if they’d prefer their fees spent on libraries or lobbyists.”