Capable NZ set to lose 20 jobs
Otago Polytechnic staff are feeling "like stunned mullets" after the institution cut 20 jobs from a ground-breaking department.
Staff were informed of the decision on Thursday to cut the Capable NZ department from about 30FTEs to nine FTES and an additional head of college role, after a proposal was put forward in March.
Despite staff fighting for more jobs to be kept, management at Otago Polytechnic agreed on a rate of job cuts very similar to the March proposal.
A staff member, who did not wish to be named, said people were "like stunned mullets" when they heard the news.
"We expected a bit of pain, but nothing of this level.
"The staff will try to teach the material to a gold-standard level, but it becomes increasingly difficult with far less staff support."
Capable NZ allows students to apply and start any time and complete the required work from anywhere in New Zealand.
Qualifications earned through Capable NZ have the same value as those earned through normal Otago Polytechnic programmes, or other tertiary institutions.
Capable NZ had at its height more than 500 students. This had dropped to about 270 last year. The polytechnic blamed the ongoing effects of Covid-19 and the fact it was a politically fraught environment.
Otago Polytechnic deputy executive director Mark Cartwright said "despite the change in structure, it's important to emphasise there will be no cuts to existing programmes".
"We believe Capable NZ provides an important and meaningful service to our community and are committed to its continued delivery.
"The purpose of the change is to ensure we are operating in a financially sustainable way.
"We will move the Capable NZ department and all of its programmes to sit under Te Maru Pumanawa (TMP), our College of Creative Practice and Enterprise."
Former Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker said this week's announcement of cutbacks to Capable NZ, "represents a real vote of no confidence" in the department.
He said many of the problems could be traced back to the merging of the country's 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) into the mega-polytechnic Te Pukenga.
"At the advent of Te Pukenga, Capable NZ was the largest school at Otago Polytechnic, with nationwide coverage and offering highly innovative and unique programmes. That was why it had so many staff.
"So, clearly it's fallen on hard times. What I am aware of is that there was considerable neglect on the marketing and promotion front across many aspects of Te Pukenga.
"I've got no doubts that Capable NZ would have suffered from that."
Mr Ker said despite these barriers, he was confident Capable NZ could rise again if managed properly.
"The Capable NZ approach, which is at the undergraduate level, is still highly innovative in a global context, let alone in a New Zealand context.
"It offers access to degree-level qualifications for people in work. That is as cost-effective as you can get.
"So it seems to me that any downturn could easily be counteracted by a well-planned and well-focused marketing and recruitment programme."
Staff told the Otago Daily Times they were worried about the bulk of the programme's institutional memory disappearing.
Tertiary Education Union assistant secretary Daniel Benson-Guiu said Capable NZ was unique to Otago Polytechnic in that it was neither an "on campus" course or a "work-based learning" course.
"People flocked to it outside of the polytechnic's catchment area," Mr Benson-Guiu said.
"A programme like this allows the polytechnic to have a more national focus, which is what's needed to ensure student numbers remain good."
Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds is due to make an announcement next month about which polytechnics will become autonomous and which ones remain in a "federation" model.
Otago Polytechnic has frequently expressed a desire to become autonomous again.
Mr Cartwright said Otago Polytechnic needed to "ensure the financial viability of our organisation to be able to stand alone".
Asked about Mr Ker's comments about the job cuts being a "vote of no confidence" in Capable NZ, Mr Cartwright said "this difficult decision is in no way a reflection of the amazing work the team does, or the unique products they offer".
"It is the result of steadily declining enrolments. The changes will ensure we are able to continue to provide these products and services in a financially viable way."
matthew.littlewood@odt.co.nz
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