‘It’s dodgy’: Massey student association quiet about cuts

It’s been months of huge job and course cuts at Massey University, and yet its student association has said very little publicly about one of the biggest issues facing students. 

Te Tira Ahu Pae’s website said it was “your students’ association at Massey University, run by students, for students!”

It continued to say the association was “independent from the University”.

Design student and advocate against the cuts, Ruby Christoffel said the association was almost advocating for Massey instead of students when it comes to the job and course cuts. 

Up to one third of the papers currently offered at Massey could be cut as it recently announced a year-to-date operating deficit of $14.2m. 

Christoffel said in comparison, the Victoria University Wellington Student Association (VUWSA) had publicly taken a stance on the cuts at its university. 

On the 1st of August, Massey and Victoria students protested at Parliament for the ‘Funeral for Tertiary Education’ and VUWSA president Jessica Ye addressed the crowd. 

While Massey Students Against Cuts were there, no representation from Te Tira Ahu Pae attended. 

When researching for her art exhibition called ‘Off Cuts’, Christoffel first went to the association's website seeking information but found “nothing”. 

She expected its website to at the bare minimum explain the situation, “They didn’t even have to oppose them, they could have just said ‘this is what is happening’.”

On the 9th of August, a student and staff forum called ‘The Neoliberal War on Universities’ was held on every Massey campus. 

The association held a sausage sizzle on every campus at the same time and did not advertise the forum. 

The association had no social media posts about the cuts other than advertising a ‘Feeling kept in the dark’ survey, until soon following Massive’s questioning it posted a new ‘Stop The Cuts’ survey. 

The association’s first survey resulted in 95% of students saying they would support the association campaigning against staff reductions. 

General president Andrew Steele planned to hold consultations including Stop the Cuts events on all Massey campuses. 

Christoffel appreciated the support Steele had given Students Against Cuts behind the scenes, however, felt the association as a whole wasn’t doing enough. 

“From the outside I would not know, I would think the associations doing nothing, almost advocating for Massey.” 

When asked what the association's stance is regarding Massey’s job and course cuts, general manager Wendy Carr said it had very little information to make a stance, despite many media reports.

She said Te Tira Ahu Pae was independent from the university, “however are funded by them and try our best to partner with them”.

“Te Tira Ahu Pae student representatives must always consult with their cohorts before speaking on behalf of the student body.” 

Carr said student reps did not attend the ‘Funeral for Tertiary Education’ protest as they “are students too and have classes and other commitments”.

Posters were spread around campuses about the ‘Neoliberal War on Universities’ forum and reminders were posted on Massive’s social media. 

Carr said, “It would have been very helpful to have been informed about the forums so we could share the information.”

She said the BBQ’s held simultaneously as the forum were planned for months. 

Some Te Tira Ahu Pae representatives attended a snap rally at the start of the month to protest against further budget cuts by the Tertiary Education Commission, however, this was not in protest of Massey University's actions. 

A fine arts student advocating against the cuts, Julia Kohlhaas said the association's actions were “dodgy”.

She said the association should have “at least” informed students about the ‘The Neoliberal War on Universities’ forum. 

She said the cuts were a huge issue affecting students, “so if you are a student association you need to reflect that and not be silent about it”.

Kohlhaas said if Te Tira Ahu Pae is independent from Massey, she would expect it to inform students about the cuts, “I just wonder why it is so quiet.”