Former Court of Appeal judge Raynor Asher is among those who oppose merging the law and business schools. He says the vice-chancellor has failed to make the case for a change.
Former Court of Appeal judge Raynor Asher is among those who oppose merging the law and business schools. He says the vice-chancellor has failed to make the case for a change.
The University of Auckland wants to merge its Law Faculty and the Business and Economics Faculty.
The proposed merger is opposed by law faculty staff, alumni, donors, and the university senate voted against it.
A meeting to vote on the proposal was cancelled and another date for a decision has not been set.
A controversial merger of the law and business faculties at the University of Auckland is up in the air after a crucial vote was cancelled at short notice.
It is not clear whether or when the proposal will be considered again by the university council, which isfacing widespread opposition to the new faculty and potential legal action.
The meeting was cancelled just a few days before, with the university saying it would allow more time to consider all options. No further information was given.
The university said in a statement yesterday that it was continuing to consider the feedback received on the proposed faculty changes and was “exploring all options”.
No decisions had been made, and a new date would be shared once known, a spokesperson said.
The proposal has been met with staunch opposition from academics, alumni and law faculty donors, with some threatening legal action if it goes ahead.
The university’s senate overwhelmingly voted against the proposal last month. Around 40 per cent of the senate’s 518 members attended the meeting, with 50 endorsing the proposal and 121 voting not to endorse. It is very rare for the council to act against the advice of the senate.
Opponents were hopeful that the decision to delay a vote meant it was being reconsidered. But most believed it was simply being paused so the university could secure support for the new faculty.
Judge Raynor Asher opposes the proposed merger, labelling it as a "bad idea".
“I would like to think it indicates that they are considering dropping the idea,” said former Court of Appeal judge Raynor Asher, who is against the idea.
“But my feeling, judging from the history on this and the commitment the vice-chancellor’s office has to this merger, makes me concerned that this is only a postponement.”
Asher said he was concerned that the university would make “superficial” changes to the proposal before again pursuing an amalgamation of the two faculties.
Other sources close to the discussions said they were “in the dark” about what was happening to the proposal.
Opponents say the merger will diminish the standing of the 140-year-old law school, make it harder to attract top staff, and skew the faculty to the commercial side of law.
Vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater is among those leading the proposal to merge faculties. Photo / Supplied
The university says the proposal is a response to the “rapidly evolving higher education landscape” and would position the new faculty to “respond effectively to technological advancements, workforce changes and evolving government priorities”.
It also said the joined-up faculty would expand research opportunities and “equip graduates with skills relevant to emerging industries”.
While cost-cutting is not among the reasons for the change, it comes as the Government reviews the tertiary sector, which some believe could lead to funding changes for universities.
Some concessions have already been made to opponents, including a reversal of a plan to split the law faculty into private and public law. Its implementation date, if it went ahead, has also been put off until 2026.
Asher said it remained unclear why the merger was needed, and attempts to get clarity from the university or engage with the vice-chancellor had not been successful.
“I don’t criticise the challenges of university administration. But this seems a bad idea, it’s a wrong idea and there’s no effort being made by the vice-chancellor’s office to explain why it’s a good idea and why our criticisms are wrong.”
A review committee considered 800 submissions and recommended significant changes if the merger were to go ahead. The university has previously said that further changes were possible.
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