Pene Delaney and David Do, NZUSA Co-Presidents

Rawa Karetai - ASA President

2010 NZUSA January Conference

This session
 This is a time for you as members to bring up any uni-
specific issues that you may want addressed and
considered etc
 Discussion-based
 Suggest some issues specific to the university sector we
should talk about
This session
 Do we want a resolution, an action, or a position taken
by NZUSA?
 What can local associations do?
 Information-sharing?
Entry and Progression
 Possible threats to eliminating existing open entry to
some degrees?
 Closing off open entry to over-20s?
Entry and Progression
 Tightening policies on academic progression.
 Is adequate support being given to students at
present? Is support being properly targeted to those in
need?
Retention and Completion
 Should student support (eg loans) be tied to student
progress?
 This is contained in the TES.
 Allowances already have a condition

 Are institutions being properly supportive of students?

Perverse incentives?
Fees and Funding
 Fee maxima – what if it changes? What if it goes?
 The VCs want more ‘flexibility’

 No interest on student loans – will that go?

 VCs and Don Brash say it should. Govt currently
keeping its promise
Fees and Funding
 Student debt still an ongoing issue, fuelled by high
fees and inadequate support
 Over $10 billion
 Average fees $4500+
 Borrowing to live = debt for life
Fees and Funding
 Funding cuts from 2010 onwards.
 Level of funding likely to be same.
 Unlikely to be any new money

 How will that affect our institutions and our

education?
 Staff cuts, department closures?
In summary
 Entry
 Progression
 Retention and completion
 Fees
 Student loans and debt
 Funding
 Quality
 What else?