Fight To Save Massey Sciences Continues

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union members at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University are outraged following yesterday’s release of a “Preliminary Decision” proposing to cut over 70 jobs from Natural Sciences, and Food and Advanced Technology – including axing Massey’s provision of Engineering entirely.

Vice Chancellor Jan Thomas oversaw the “preliminary decision” which, if implemented, would also end provision in Auckland for all courses offered in Natural Sciences and Food Technology, leaving an $150 million state of the art science and technology building that fully opened only a few months ago without a clear purpose.

Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Ben Schmidt describes the proposals as “short sighted and completely unnecessary,” while members continue fighting back against the proposed cuts.

“The new Government has stated they want to build an economy that enables wealth creation, maximises added value before exporting, invests in IT to promote economic growth and employment, and ensure high educational achievement which they say will lead to high value employment opportunities. Slashing jobs and courses in sciences and technology is deeply shortsighted and contradictory to these goals.”

“Food Technology, Engineering, and Natural Sciences are essential for growing New Zealand’s economy and to be an attractive and sustainable tourist destination. Access to studying Engineering in the Manawatū is also important for regional economic growth and capacity building.”

“The university have said the figures used by the TEU members in their alternate proposal were inaccurate, however these figures were the ones the university itself supplied and used to formulate its own proposal. We call for urgent engagement between Massey University and the TEU to take our proposal seriously and work together to save sciences.”

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