Cutting polytech councils undermine their purpose

CTU media release
27 July 2009

Plans to cut polytechnic councils undermine their purpose

Leaked proposals to remove unions and employers from Polytechnics and Institutes of Technology (ITP) councils will be fought if they go ahead in the form apparently suggested by Education Minister Anne Tolley, said CTU President Helen Kelly.

“According to the leaked details, community representation on the ITP councils, which currently includes NZCTU and Business New Zealand nominations, will be cut completely, the only possibility being a co-opted member who will serve at the pleasure of the council - in other words, at the pleasure of the Ministerial appointees who will make up half of the members of each council including the chair,” said Kelly. “The Government claims it wants tertiary education to be more aligned with industry needs and yet it is planning to remove from councils the very people who have that interest at centre of their involvement.”

“All educational institutions, and none more than the ITPs, need to have deep roots into their communities or they will lose support and credibility. Under these leaked proposals they will be dominated by political appointments, putting their autonomy in doubt.”

The CTU notes that representation of staff may also be cut drastically to a single academic board representative. Staff representation is important because it not only gives staff involvement in the institution's direction at the highest level, but also provides an alternative source of information to the Council.

“The proposed form of Council is that of a commercial Board of Directors and is entirely inappropriate for a community institution with multiple educational and social objectives. To make it worse, these proposals have been developed in secret without consultation,” said Kelly. “We have members who have shown great dedication to these institutions and made a real contribution, and the proposals and process completely disrespect that.”

The CTU will oppose changes of this kind to Councils, and calls for consultation before any further steps are taken.

ENDS

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