Election of first Maori President

Embargoed until 2.00pm Thursday 05 October 2006

Association of Staff in Tertiary Education announces the Election of first Maori President

At its annual conference today ASTE Te Hau Takitini o Aotearoa announced the election of Sharon Tangi Stevens as the first Maori President of the union. Outgoing President Lloyd Woods said, “Members are excited at the prospect of seeing the partnership principles that the union espouses being reflected in their choice of President”. Sharon, of Te Arawa descent is a lecturer in communications at Waiariki Institute of Technology. She said today that she has a fundamental commitment to ensuring that the tertiary education sector has a strong voice through its union in government forums. Sharon said, “I am proud and honoured to be elected to this position”.

Sharon has held the position of Vice President for the past four years and she will be succeeded by Michael O’Connell, a lecturer in nursing at UCOL on its Palmerston North campus.

Lloyd Woods said that Sharon and Michael will form a strong team leading the union through the tertiary reforms that will begin to be implemented next year. Both Sharon and Michael will take up their two-year terms on 01 February 2007.

ENDS

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