Polytech merger leaves MP baffled

Otago Daily Times

5 days ago

Penny Simmonds had already seen Otago Polytechnic plans to erase a $10 million shortfall before placing it in a "federation" of underperforming institutions.
The savings would bring the polytechnic back into surplus, which would be necessary for it to stand alone.
Slashing courses has already saved it $4m and it is targeting another $6m of savings by the end of the year, documents leaked to the Otago Daily Times reveal.
The documents showed the latest Otago Polytechnic "Road Map to Viability" had targeted savings of $10.5m to bring it back into surplus by December.
Published in May, the documents said the polytechnic had already made savings of $4m, meaning it needed to find about $6m in savings over the next six months.
The road map document said the savings so far had been achieved through several measures, including cutting 21 "non-performing programmes", drastically downscaling the Capable NZ programme, reviewing its Cromwell campus operations, selling buildings and capping staff numbers.
Ms Simmonds, as vocational education minister, announced the breakup of mega-polytechnic Te Pukenga on Monday.
Otago Polytechnic was named as one of the 10 regional polytechs (ITPs) to be returned to regional control, but it will not fully stand alone and instead be part of a "federation model" alongside the Open Polytechnic and Universal College of Learning (Ucol).
Green Party MP Francisco Hernandez said he could not understand why Otago Polytechnic needed to be part of the federation.
"It's baffling they've been forcibly merged with the federation when they had a pretty plausible pathway to autonomy.
"Rather than going ahead with their agenda of disruption, forced cuts and forced mergers, the government must invest in Otago Polytechnic so that learners can get the education they deserve."
The document also trumpeted Otago Polytechnic's past successes, and said pre-Te Pūkenga, the Dunedin campus added more than $967m to the city's economy from 2017-21.
Te Pukenga brought together the country's 16 ITPs five years ago.
Tertiary Education Union general secretary Daniel Benson-Guiu said he had been asking for these reports "for months".
"We're asking Otago Polytechnic to open up the books — show us what your budget is, show us who has told Otago what it needs to save, and why."
Instead of cuts, Otago Polytechnic should focus on reconnecting with the community, he said.
Otago Polytechnic executive director Megan Potiki has called for a meeting with Ms Simmonds about the situation.
"There has been very little direct guidance from the minister to Otago Polytechnic about requirements for a pathway to full autonomy," Dr Potiki said.
"On Wednesday, we reached out to the minister, seeking an urgent meeting to explain the decision, and requesting details around the specific criteria and processes for exiting the federation and regaining true independent status.
"We are still waiting on a response," Dr Potiki said.
She said all ITPs were told that if they were not financially viable, being included in a federation model was a possibility.
"However, we have never had any indication from the Tertiary Education Commission or the minister that Otago Polytechnic was at risk of not reaching the targets set for our financial viability."
Ms Simmonds said she had seen the document, as well as information from the TEC and Te Pūkenga.
"Supporting Otago Polytechnic to achieve a surplus is critical.
"I have met Dr Megan Pōtiki a number of times and with the support of a soon-to-appointed establishment advisory group, I am sure Otago Polytechnic will continue to progress along their financial viability pathway.
"At that stage, they would not require the support of the federation if they did not wish to use it."