Call for support of threatened courses

Aoraki Polytechnic students (from left) Warren Walker, Eddie Allan and Will Allan, all of Dunedin, are undertaking film and television production courses at the Cumberland St campus, which are unlikely to continue next year. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.

Aoraki Polytechnic students at the Dunedin campus want the tertiary institution to live up to its slogan of "supporting your success", a group of film and television production students say.

The three students want more support for courses which face being axed from the Dunedin campus, they said outside Aoraki's Cumberland St facility.

Aoraki chief executive Kay Nelson announced a review of the polytechnic's education priorities on Thursday, which is likely to result in eight Dunedin-based course programmes being discontinued and the proposed loss of seven jobs.

For Dunedin resident Warren Walker, who is studying for a diploma in television production, the review has created a sense of uncertainty about his future in the industry.

While he is scheduled to complete his diploma at the end of the academic year, his film and television production colleagues Eddie and Will Allan, also both of Dunedin, are unlikely to be able to continue their studies in their "hometown".

The pair are studying for a certificate in film and television, a precursor course to the diploma qualification, and said they were angry over the proposal to cut the programmes.

"It has raised a lot of questions about where this leaves us now. I'm outraged and really upset at the suddenness of it all," Mr Allan said.

The trio questioned the timing of the review, which has come about two months after a move to new facilities at Cumberland St - where there were no radio broadcast facilities and limited production equipment for film and TV programmes.

The media, radio and film and TV courses were based at Radio House, which had given students full access to radio studios and broadcast equipment, they said.

"Why is it us? It's demoralising, discouraging and deflating," the trio said.

As part of their studies, the three aspiring producers have filmed a television series, Southern Upload, which has been screened by South Island station Cue TV.

The "hands-on" and practical nature of the film and television courses at Aoraki's Dunedin campus was unique, Mr Allan said.

Students wishing to pursue higher education in film and TV would now have to travel to Wellington to do other similar practical courses, he said.

While Otago Polytechnic and the Southland Institute of Technology offered media courses, these adopted a more theoretical and classroom-orientated approach, Mr Allan said.

Proposal documents obtained by the Otago Daily Times outline how the majority of funding for the threatened media courses fall within the lowest Tertiary Education Commission funding category.

"Most programmes require specialist software and hardware and need constant updating. The costs, both capital and operational, are significant," the report says.

The costs of specialist equipment and facilities were unable to be recouped under "current revenue streams". The programmes do not provide the necessary financial return to be sustainable, the report states.

Aoraki chief executive Kay Nelson said the review, which also affected hundreds of students at its Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru campuses, and about 20 staff across the five campuses, was about concentrating resources and effort on programmes aligned with the Government's tertiary education strategy.

Aoraki retained a lease for students to use broadcast and studio equipment at Radio House, after the Dunedin campus moved to its Cumberland St building. However, the lease was unlikely to be renewed, Ms Nelson said.

The students intend to make submissions as part of Aoraki's consultation process with those affected by the review. A final decision on the course cuts and staff losses is expected in November.