Universities seek support in Government battle

Universities are calling on the wealthy and powerful for their support in an increasingly hostile stoush with the Government.

Thousands of distinguished alumni will be targeted as university heads move to fight what they claim is a threat to their academic freedom and autonomy.

The row is over the Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill, which vice-chancellors say is the "most worrying" of a series of attempts to erode university independence.

The explanatory note to the bill describes Crown entities, including universities, as "organisations in which the Government has a controlling interest".

Corporate chiefs here and overseas, senior bureaucrats and judges will all receive letters warning them of "consistent attempts to erode the autonomy of the universities".

Senior Labour Party ministers, including Prime Minister Helen Clark and Education and State Services Minister Trevor Mallard, are likely to be among those receiving letters.

The letter reads: "There is little doubt that the [bill] represents potentially the greatest threat to university autonomy and academic freedom since these terms were given statutory protection."

Mr Mallard has hit back, arguing the legislation is about financial transparency and ensuring the proper spending of taxpayer money. He has denied there is any intention to impinge on their autonomy.

But Professor Stuart McCutcheon, chairman of the Vice-Chancellors Committee, said the institutions were already accountable through a long list of reporting mechanisms.

"We have repeatedly invited Government ministers and officials to explain how these accountability mechanisms are deficient, but they have declined to do so."

Professor Raewyn Dalziel, acting vice-chancellor at the University of Auckland, said that during the Labour Government's term there had been consistent attempts to erode the autonomy of universities, at present safeguarded by the Education Act.

It meant staff were forced to divert time and effort away from the core businesses of teaching and research, she said.

"We accept the accountability, but we are concerned about the number and nature of requests for information we are getting."

The establishment of new bodies and a new funding system meant universities were getting triple the number of requests for information than in previous years.

Professor Dalziel said it was becoming a serious conflict, yet most vice-chancellors were mystified as to why the Government seemed so bent on control.

She said it was something being viewed with concern by universities in other countries and could affect recruitment here.

 

The vice-chancellors say they are also worried about a range of working party proposals for a minister responsible for tertiary education institutes with powers over universities and university council members.