Whitireia invites community to reformed Council

Whitireia invites community into reconstitued Council, 1 May deadline for Stephen Joyce

On Monday evening, 8 March, Whitireia Council Chair Dennis Sharman presented a summary of Whitireia activities describing the current position of Whitireia, also the requirements of the amendments to the Act disbanding his Council and the steps to nominate new councillors and reconstitute the governing body of Whitireia Community Polytechnic on 1 May 2010.

Over 20 individuals had expressed an interest in nomination in response to the public advertisements and press material distributed regionally. 40 people sit in the small lecture theatre including interested individuals representing Whitireia students, the Kapiti district, Ngati Toa Rangitira and the diverse local communities. Also present are Suzanne Snively Whitireia Council Deputy Chair, as well as Aka Arthur and Ron Wilkinson (current ministerial appointments to the Whitireia Council), Chief Executive Don Campbell and five senior staff.

To meet their own deadline, Steven Joyce The Minister for Tertiary Education, will need to complete his four ministerial appointments to every institute of technology and polytechnic in New Zealand by 16 April. To be ready for 1 May reconstitution, a number of these tertiary organisations are not undertaking a public process to find the remaining new Councillors.

Sharman barely pauses to acknowledge the great work of the sitting council. The deadlines are tight and there is much to be done. Nominations need to be in by 26 March and before that time Whitireia seeks to reach its communities effectively. Questions are taken from the floor on the implications for students, for Kapiti, for community representation and ongoing strategic work. Further documents on the appointment process are here: http://www.whitireia.ac.nz/news/Pages/CallforNominations.aspx
ENDS