Support jobs go at Otago University

Sixty-five support services workers at the University of Otago have received hand-delivered letters informing them that their jobs will be disestablished.

They face the prospect of moving into lower-level positions.

It is the biggest announcement yet in a university support services review which began in 2015 and which will affect a total of about 160 full-time equivalent positions.

University human resources director Kevin Seales said 280 people received letters yesterday letting them know how they would be affected by the review, with 215 of them given the chance to move into similar roles.

''The vast majority of [the] further 65 staff would be offered a similar role at a lower level, but with existing positions disestablished,'' Mr Seales said.

Today marks the beginning of a two-week consultation period with the affected staff. No redundancies or new jobs will be confirmed until next month.

''Staff who accept redeployment to a role at a lower level will receive salary protection, i.e. retain their current remuneration for a period of two years,'' the university said in a statement.

The salary protection could be extended for staff within five years of retirement.

The number of people taking voluntary redundancies at the university since the review began has now reached 118, with 38 people choosing to take voluntary redundancy since April alone - and that had made a difference, the statement said.

''We anticipate there will be roles available for all affected permanent staff to continue working at the university, should they wish to do so,'' the statement said.

Tertiary Education Union organiser Shaun Scott said the union had been on campus meeting staff members, some of whom had needed support.

During the day, some academic staff offered support to people affected by the review via social media.

There were some staff in other areas of the university who were yet to receive letters. A second stage of the process would begin on May 29 for staff in the School of Dentistry, and on the Wellington and Christchurch campuses.

Mr Scott said he was pleased the university was hand-delivering letters, instead of sticking them in a pigeonhole.

The university said support measures were in place for staff affected by the review, including counselling support via the employee assistance programme, career advice, CV development, interview skills training and chaplaincy support.

''Other avenues for support include managers and also the unions representing staff.''

The review focused on IT, finance, administration, marketing and human resources.

''Many of the staff confirmed into roles will experience a change of reporting line and some will physically move to a new place on campus as services are implemented.''

The university said in a statement that there were a number of new positions that would be advertised at the university in June.

They would be available internally first to Otago staff, after which any remaining unfilled roles would be advertised more broadly.

elena.mcphee@odt.co.nz