Job cuts threaten Canterbury University

An internal document that forecasts the University of Canterbury’s finances for the next 10 years, says more than 350 jobs could be cut over the next three years.

This means staff numbers would fall from 1947 to 1596 – a decrease of 18 per cent. The cuts will affect academic and technical, as well as general staff.

President of the Tertiary Education Union (TEU), Dr Sandra Grey, blames the tertiary education minister Steven Joyce, who “has not made a strong enough case to his cabinet colleagues to protect this important national and international asset”.

Dr Grey urges the minister to protect the university from these cuts. “The university has a key role to play in the next year, helping the city rebuild. It cannot do that without government support.”

The university says no additional funding has been made available by the commission or the minister, which meant a shortfall of $12 to18 million.