Disgraceful behaviour

Lincoln University's has to pay back a significant sum after its Telford Division didn't report...
Ivey Hall, Lincoln University. Photo: Wikimedia
The problems experienced by Lincoln University continue to be felt in the South as the prized Telford division, near Balclutha, becomes targeted for job losses and restructuring.

Lincoln College has fewer than 3500 students, not nearly enough to be a viable entity and true to form of any organisation facing deficits, it looks to cut the easiest of costs — staff numbers. Two years ago, it was revealed the university was facing major problems and closure was an option if it did not lift its standards.

Vice-chancellor Prof Robin Pollard arrived at the start of the year to find Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce intended sending in accountants Ernst & Young to provide an independent view of the hard choices facing Lincoln, including mergers and closures. The university council — which includes four Government appointees — has seen the review. No official response has yet been made public but the review findings cannot be good.

In August, Prof Pollard told members of the university council it was necessary to "expedite" a review of all courses offered by the university.  The Tertiary Education Union expressed fears jobs will be lost as a result. Those fears are about to be realised. Deans have been asked to assess programmes to find out what changes were "feasible" before the start of 2017.

The university has recorded a string of deficits in recent years.  Previous Lincoln vice-chancellor Andy West was in charge of Crown entity AgResearch when it was decided to scale down the operations at Invermay and move them to Lincoln. Dr West resigned from AgResearch to be appointed to the vice-chancellor role at Lincoln, although he lasted just a short period before resigning with a settlement payout.  It is now being reported a $200 million innovation hub planned to be built by Lincoln in partnership with AgResearch is in jeopardy if it cannot get final sign-off on its business case.

The hard work carried out by Otago and Southland interests to keep Invermay as it was accounted for nothing, in the end. And the doubt surrounding the fate of the planned innovation hub just adds pain to the loss felt from talented staff leaving this region through Dr West’s determination. The problem with Lincoln stems from it always being a small university. It was Lincoln College, a well-respected agricultural facility, in an earlier life. After joining with Canterbury University between 1961 to 1990, it again became self-governing.

Farming was seen for a time as a sunset industry but it still contributes enormously to the economy. However, in the south of the South Island, farming plays a major part in the economy and towns and communities throughout the South rely heavily on the agricultural sector for survival.

The decision to cut 17 jobs from Telford is short-sighted but will not surprise those aware of how this part of the country has already been drained of resources. Agriculture still makes up a huge part of this country’s economy and Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan summed up the thoughts of many when he said he was furious with how the situation had panned out.

Hundreds of jobs have already been cut from Lincoln University but still the tertiary institute struggles. Blaming a lack of student numbers is admitting defeat. The university needs to look closely at what it has done to promote a future in agriculture to young people in New Zealand.

Telford is a prized facility in the South and all efforts must be made to keep it safe from the whims of bureaucracy. The merger with Lincoln has not done the southern institute any favours.

Lincoln University is behaving disgracefully and should examine closely its motives and motivation. An option is passing Telford on to an institute more committed to growing agriculture rather than diminishing its value to the economy.

Add a Comment