New media policies have been introduced at Massey University, at a time scientists at the Albany campus are fighting a proposed shake-up. Photo / Supplied
New media policies have been introduced at Massey University, at a time scientists at the Albany campus are fighting a proposed shake-up. Photo / Supplied
Massey scientists say they're being gagged from publicly criticising their university, as they await a crucial proposal for the future of their faculty and jobs.
But the university rejects claims its new communications policies will silence its scientists or curb their legally-enshrined academic freedom, but rather offer "guidance and clarification" that had been requested by staff.
Several Massey scientists approached the Herald after the policies - covering how academics should engage with the media, as well as social platforms like Twitter - were circulated last week.
They dropped months after Massey academics were told, on the first day of semester, that the university proposed to stop offering a science degree from its Albany campus, in a restructure that could see 50 science jobs lost from Auckland and hundreds of students forced to relocate.
It was a bombshell that came amid a major restructure and the roll-out of an online-focused strategy called Digital Plus that would see many subjects taught face-to-face only at designated "anchor" campuses.
The moves were met with an angry backlash from faculty members, many whom have taken to social media to protest, and gone on the record in media articles.
Some now claim the new policies are a deliberate move to stop them from speaking out at a time Massey is about to release its revised proposal.
"The impression staff now have is that the university wants to avoid bad publicity and quietly push the next stage through," one senior faculty member said.
Another senior scientist, who also didn't want to be named, said: "The timing, the wording and the lack of consultation appear aimed at silencing Massey University academics."
Under the policies, staff members are encouraged to engage with media to "promote civic leadership on matters of interest nationally and internationally".
They're also required to adhere to the university's policy on staff conduct, and ensure they do not "bring the university into disrepute" by discrediting the university publicly, through conduct and claiming affiliation with Massey.
Further, staff must state whether they're commenting in a personal or professional capacity, and not to associate themselves with Massey if they're speaking outside their range of professional expertise.
Massey University is proposing to stop offering a science degree from its Albany campus, in a restructure that could see 50 science jobs lost from Auckland. Photo / NZME
Any media inquiries to staff, other than those inviting academic staff to comment on their area of expertise, must also be referred to the university's communications team.
Massey's policy on social media also set out that staff conduct rules should be followed, "including taking care not to bring the university into disrepute".
"Staff have been shocked and upset by the release of this policy... none of what the university has done with this policy is or in the spirit of respecting academic freedom of speech or kindness," a staff member said.
"Many staff have contacted the union and they are planning on fighting this."
Scientists outside Massey have also reacted with concern.
NZ Association of Scientists president Professor Troy Baisden described the policies as a "confused package" that should have been consulted on more.
"We need universities to protect the mobility of academic expertise to innovate, address emerging issues, and reshape research and teaching to serve the future rather than the past," he said.
"I see no viable way to draw a line in the social media space preventing academic discourse from critiquing university strategy, policy or actions and that's believed to be enshrined in the New Zealand legislation establishing universities."
Prominent Kiwi scientist Professor Shaun Hendy, whose 2016 book Silencing Science explored such issues, said restricting an academic's ability to talk on matters only directly relevant to their expertise was a well-known method for silencing academic commentary.
"Enshrining it in university policy means that outside interest groups can target academics whose commentary they don't like with complaints."
He was also worried at how stopping Massey academics from criticising their university would affect transparency to the public.
"When Massey attempted to restructure its science staff recently, the ability of its own academics to comment publicly on this restructure was vital to the public's understanding of this issue," he said.
"Massey's policy seems to be designed to avoid public scrutiny."
Science commentator Professor Shaun Hendy has voiced his own worries over Massey University's new policies. Photo / Mark Mitchell
National's science spokeswoman, Parmjeet Parmar, said she could understand why the policies had been seen as restricting the scientists from freely sharing their opinions on Massey's decision-making.
She called on Minister of Science, Research and Innovation Megan Woods to stand with them.
The Herald asked Massey why the policies were implemented, what consultation it had carried out and whether they were at odds with academic freedom, or were deliberately aimed at silencing staff ahead of the new proposal landing.
Associate director of communications Mike Shaw said Massey had been the only university without formally prescribed guidance for staff in the area.
"We looked at what other universities do, in New Zealand and internationally, and this is very much a middle-ground position where we are respecting academic freedom while providing clarity around the capacity in which staff engage in public forums."
Shaw said the policies were developed by the university's communications team and, "as with any other document providing guidance around the use of media channels has gone through our usual decision-making processes".
"Staff have asked for guidance and clarification in this area and many now welcome this guidance."
Shaw insisted the policies did not "in any way" aim to interfere with or undermine the role of academic staff in exercising their "critic and conscience" role.
"The university firmly supports the exercise of academic freedom, which includes the right to undertake research, to question and test received wisdom, to put forward new ideas and to state opinions even if they are controversial or unpopular."
He rejected arguments that the policies had been designed to shut down public discussion over the Massey proposals.
"We refute any suggestion that the policies are at odds with the university's role as a critic and conscience of society, nor do we believe that critique of the university's policies or direction would be in breach of this policy, unless the comments were of a nature that breached the existing Staff Code of Conduct policy," he said.
"We also refute the suggestion that these policies, which have been in development for some time, have been shared with the university community in an effort to silence staff in the context of discussion documents being shared with them."
It's not the first time Kiwi academics have hit out at media policies, with Hendy and colleagues challenging similar ones at the University of Auckland earlier this year.
