The Herald understands the University of Auckland is seeking to “optimise” its course offerings, with a raft of smaller postgraduate and undergraduate courses across multiple faculties “in scope” for review. Photo / Dean Purcell
The Herald understands the University of Auckland is seeking to “optimise” its course offerings, with a raft of smaller postgraduate and undergraduate courses across multiple faculties “in scope” for review. Photo / Dean Purcell
A proposed shake-up of courses at the University of Auckland has drawn an angry outcry from its senior academics, with some complaining the plans have been sprung on them without proper consultation.
But the university says its new review, which staff were informed of this week, is part of normal university practice, and that a range of courses and classes would continue to be offered.
The Herald understands the university was seeking to “optimise” its course offerings, with a raft of smaller postgraduate and undergraduate courses across multiple faculties “in scope” for review.
In at least one faculty, it’s understood that included postgraduate programmes with fewer than 20 students, postgraduate courses with fewer than 30 students and undergraduate courses with fewer than 60 students.
An email laying out the proposals from one head of department said those courses in scope would require “a clear justification” to be retained.
This didn’t extend to all such courses; and the university has rejected the suggestion that it was axing all undergraduate courses with fewer than 60 students.
One senior academic told the Herald the changes were coming ahead of a planned shift for 2026, when new transdisciplinary courses would start being rolled out.
A letter sent to vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater, and signed by more than 200 staff, said the changes would have “significant implications” for research and teaching at the university.
University of Auckland vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater.
They could affect the university’s degree programmes, the letter said, and could lead to redundancies, meaning the university risked losing core expertise that would affect its ability to deliver academic programmes.
There was also outrage among staff that the changes hadn’t been discussed at a recent meeting of the university’s senate, which comprised professors, some staff and student representatives.
The letter urged Freshwater to call an extraordinary meeting of the senate and defer any changes until that had taken place.
“Senior academics are shocked, especially given the short timeframes they’ve been given to respond within,” one professor told the Herald.
“They feel that this is going to greatly diminish the student experience and the value that they get out of post-graduate education.
“It’d also greatly diminish our capability to be competitive globally at high-level research, which would have flow-on effects for student recruitment, and our ranking in the world.”
Another top academic said: “There is real concern about this, and a level of anger across the institution that I have never seen here before.”
Flyers have already appeared around the university, calling on students to send in their feedback.
Tertiary Education Union organiser Nicole Wallace said the union had been made aware “of a proposal that, if implemented, will result in reduced course offerings across the university for students in the near future”.
“We have serious concerns about the changes taking place with no consultation. Our members are angry, both with the proposal and the process,” Wallace said.
“We think the proposed changes are unnecessary given the university is in a good financial position, and they undermine their commitment to quality public education.”
Flyers about the course proposals have already been put up around the university.
The Herald asked the university to outline precisely what it was proposing; the rationale for the changes; when they would take place; and whether the changes would affect research in key areas and cause disruption to students currently in study.
The university was also asked whether the proposals would lead to staff redundancies, and whether it believed enough consultation had been carried out before announcing them.
The university didn’t answer those questions directly but responded with a statement saying its courses and programmes were often reviewed, as part of normal practice.
“It is important that we do this work as it ensures we are delivering a suite of programmes that meet current and future students’ and market needs, and ensures we remain a comprehensive university,” the university said.
“The university offers, and will continue to offer, a wide range of courses and programmes across a comprehensive suite of disciplines.
“As new courses and programmes are added, others evolve or are suspended if they become less relevant or are in less demand by students.”
The university said it had opted to take a “slightly different” approach this year and had done so collectively across the faculties.
“This approach has been mistakenly assumed by some people, for example, to mean all undergraduate courses under 60 students will no longer be offered. This is not the case.
“We will continue to run classes and courses across the range of sizes.”
The university said it did not expect the work to affect the completion of programmes by current students.
“However, it may mean that the shape of programmes offered to new students going forward may change/evolve.”
The proposals come after a wave of restructures at New Zealand’s other major universities over the past few years, resulting in hundreds of lay-offs and widespread course cuts.
Jamie Morton is a specialist in science and environmental reporting. He joined the Herald in 2011 and writes about everything from conservation and climate change to natural hazards and new technology.
