Aoraki Polytechnic has confirmed it will cut 11 of its course programmes next year, resulting in 11 job losses including four from its Dunedin campus and one in Oamaru.
Staff at Aoraki's Cumberland St campus were told yesterday six media programmes will go from its list of 2012 courses in Dunedin - a decision which is not as severe as first forecast.
A lifeline has been thrown to the media programmes of the level 4 certificate in film and television and the level 6 diploma in TV production, after they were spared from being axed.
Seven jobs and eight media courses were initially earmarked to go at Dunedin, with only the southern campus' journalism and photography courses initially protected.
Aoraki will discontinue its level 2 national certificate in computing at its Oamaru campus, a decision which has cost one North Otago staff member their job.
Aoraki chief executive Kay Nelson sent out a press release about 6pm yesterday to announce the programme changes, after staff were told the news earlier in the day.
She could not be contacted yesterday evening.
Aoraki said the implemented changes across each of its five campuses, will enable the tertiary education provider to focus resources on its core programmes.
The decision follows a seven-week review and consultation process, after the polytech announced their proposal in September.
Dunedin is the hardest hit campus followed by Christchurch, which has also lost its media programmes (4) along with three jobs.
Ms Nelson said some course programmes would be retained "in response to community feedback".
The 11 potential redundancies - three in Christchurch, one in Ashburton, two in Timaru, one in Oamaru, and four in Dunedin - were discussed with affected staff yesterday.
"We will work with staff whose roles are to be disestablished to see if there are opportunities for redeployment and will fully support them during the process," she said.
The move to streamline courses at Aoraki is part of a strategic direction for the next three to five years, Ms Nelson said.
Aoraki wants to realign its priorities to run alongside the Government's Tertiary Education Strategy (TES), which is aimed at increasing the number of students achieving at higher levels and improving the educational and financial performance of providers.
The final cuts
Dunedin
Four job losses.
Certificate in advertising design, level 4.
Certificate in multimedia & web design, level 4.
Diploma in radio, level 5.
Diploma in 3D animation, level 6Certificate in creative writing, level 5Certificate in creative writing for publication, level 6.
Oamaru
One job loss.
National certificate in computing, level 2.
Timaru
Two job losses.
National certificate in computing, level 2.
Certificate in life skills, level 1.
Ashburton
One job loss.
National certificate in computing, level 2.
Christchurch
Three job losses.
Certificate in radio, television and presenting, level 3.
Certificate in film and television, level 4.
Diploma in radio, level 5.
Diploma in television production, level 6.
