Victoria Needs to be Cautious About Reform

Announcements today that a number of staff are to be made redundant and three departments are to be closed in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences are major issues of concern for students studying at Victoria University according to Students' Association President Chris Hipkins.

"Very few people would disagree that the past eighteen or so months have been hard on Victoria students and staff. Morale has been at an all-time low and today's announcements will do little to help the situation," Mr Hipkins said.

"While I have sympathy for the financial constraints the University has been placed under by over a decade of government under-funding and a rapid shift in enrolment patterns, rapid decisions like this one have major future implications that cannot be ignored in the pursuit of short-term gain,"

"There are undoubtedly other areas where the University can find savings. One could easily question the wisdom of continuing to spend large sums of money on marketing and advertising when staff and student morale is so low. Surely the best advertisement for the University is 13,000 happy staff and students?" Mr Hipkins said.

"I would like to urge the University to take a cautious approach to these decisions, the effects of which may not be known for some years. I would also urge the new government to give urgent attention to the need for increased tertiary education funding," Mr. Hipkins concluded.

For further information contact:
Chris Hipkins, VUWSA President
Phone 04 473 8566 (ext. 830)
Mobile 021 707 927

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