Enrolment pressure forces early closure

Enrolment pressure forces early closure

Massey University will close second semester enrolments earlier than planned next month, cut back summer school offerings in semester three and introduce preferential entry next year as a result of the Government's freeze on funding for extra enrolments, Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey has announced.

The revised closing date for students not currently enrolled in their chosen qualification is June 15, a fortnight earlier than planned. The closing dates for existing students to add papers in the second semester remain June 28 for extramural papers and July 16 for internal papers.

"The earlier closing date is in an effort to ensure the University stays within the Tertiary Education Commission guidelines for enrolments this year, while maintaining quality in all programmes," Mr Maharey says. Massey has managed enrolments in programmes other than those that already had restricted entry, until now.

"We have come under considerable pressure from growing numbers of students wanting to enrol, particularly in sciences and particularly on the Albany campus from schools in North Shore and Waitakere. Other pressure points are Maori and Pasifka enrolments and a growing desire from people in work to increase their skills and qualifications through distance education. All indications are that pressure will continue next year."

The commission funds domestic equivalent full-time students (EFTS) only to the level it has agreed for each tertiary education institution. It does not fund students enrolled in excess of the forecast and has reiterated its expectation that enrolments not exceed that agreed level.

"On current forecasts, we will exceed the agreed level if no action is taken now," Mr Maharey says. "There is potential for more enrolment pressure as a result of other universities, including Victoria and Otago, closing second semester enrolments earlier than previously anticipated.

"All tertiary institutions are dealing with growth in demand and we have been working closely with the Tertiary Education Commission throughout the year to manage our enrolments. We are taking care not to disadvantage existing students and to ensure pathways to completion are available.

"The implications of the environment in which we are operating are that there are unlikely to be places for all those who wish to enrol and that we will also have to limit the scope of our offerings in semester three [Summer School]. Next year we will introduce preferential entry in semester one, meaning school leavers with higher pass rates in NCEA are favoured for selection for enrolment."

Further details are available on page 45 of the 2011 Undergraduate Prospectus:
http://masseymarketingv.massey.ac.nz/massey/fms//Study/StudyAtMassey/Documents/2011PDFs/UndergraduateProspectus2011.pdf

ENDS