Correction to Alliance Party Statement

Communications and Development

23 March 2006

A claim by Alliance co-leader Paul Piesse that the University of Canterbury is planning to “sack twenty staff members from the College of Arts” is grossly inaccurate.

On Monday, the University released a change proposal document to staff which outlines a proposal to disestablish a total of 8 positions in the following programmes: American Studies, Education, English, History, Chinese, Russian, Music and Religious Studies.

This Change Proposal is designed to ensure a sustainable future for the College of Arts at the University of Canterbury.

During the last 2 years, many appointments have been made in areas of student demand and core academic importance, based on robust business cases. It is acknowledged that within the College of Arts, many new and exciting courses have been developed and new areas of research continue to be pursued at the forefront of disciplines.

It is essential that any University have a major emphasis on the liberal arts and our aim is to ensure that the final result of the present exercise will be a stronger College of Arts that better reflects student demand and continues to be nationally and internationally respected for the research of its staff.

Inaccurate, misleading and misguided comments, such as those by Mr Piesse, are unhelpful and unwarranted.

Professor Roy Sharp
Vice-Chancellor
University of Canterbury

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