University staff fear for jobs, union says

A third major restructuring within the University of Otago - and the possibility of a fourth - has staff in affected departments concerned for their jobs and has impacted staff morale across the institution, a union leader says.

The school of business is the latest faculty to be scrutinised as a university taskforce tries to streamline operations and cut costs before signalled Government funding cuts next year.

A merger of the department of accountancy and business law and the department of finance and quantitative analysis has been proposed, after reviews which recommended the disestablishment of the design studies department and the need to trim $1.3 million from the college of education annual budget.

None of the reviews has been completed yet, although the design studies recommendation is likely to be confirmed at a university council meeting next week.

An estimated 115 academic staff are affected by the reviews - about 55 at the college of education, 40 in the school of business and 20 in design studies.

The university has said it is too soon to say how many jobs might go as a result of the reviews.

However, vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg said in August - when he announced the establishment of the taskforce - it seemed inevitable some jobs would go and some programmes would be closed.

Tertiary Education Union Otago co-president Dr Brent Lovelock said yesterday the union was working with staff from affected departments and would lodge, or had already lodged, submissions on each review.

Staff from affected departments were "naturally very concerned" about their futures, he said.

"Our view is that these processes are also impacting staff morale across many areas of the campus."

The Otago Daily Times has been told one more major review is about to be announced - the merger of two departments in the humanities division which collectively employ about 50 staff.

Dr Lovelock said the union understood there was another review to come but would not give any details.

"As far as we know there are only four."

The university had no comment to make about whether any more reviews were pending, head of communications Megan McPherson said.

The university declined to respond when asked to comment on the union's concerns about job losses and staff morale.

Dr Lovelock said the union, which represents more than 1000 staff members at Otago, hoped to work with management to reduce the stress on its members and get the best possible outcomes for members "in this difficult current environment".

The school of business merger proposal has happened quickly.

Dean Prof George Benwell released a consultation document on April 19 and called for submissions by Monday next week.

He would not be interviewed yesterday, but said in a statement the aim of the merger was to "strengthen research and re-focus teaching on the core disciplines in each area".

Asked what the effect of the merger might be on staff and students, he said it was too early to discuss that as consultation was still under way.

allison.rudd@odt.co.nz