People gathered outside the Pā at the University of Waikato, in protest of a recent announcement that would see a 10 per cent reduction in staffing for library services.
Video / NZ Herald
More than 20 University of Waikato faculty and union members rallied outside the Pā on Monday,to protest against proposed cuts to library services.
Last week, the university proposed $560,000 worth of cuts, including $370,000 out of the library’s staff budget.
Cutting $370,00 out of the library’s budget would mean losing about five full-time staff.
The announcement follows a restructure in the library just 18 months ago.
Dadon Rowell, a teaching and learning librarian at the university and protest chant leader, said the restructure in 2022 was nothing compared to the current proposals.
“For the library, it’s pretty horrendous because 18 months ago there was a huge re-shift but it was sort of done under nicer circumstances, we lost some staff hours but it wasn’t this horrible.
Education staff also rallied for the rights of librarians and library services. Photo / Malisha Kumar
“I was nearly crying [during the protest] because there are these beautiful amazing people in the library who have 16 to 20 years of experience, and now that’s all just going to go.
“The last law librarian here lost that role in the last cut. She did another job but she had 19 years of knowledge that the law school depends on, and that’s just gone.”
In a written response to questions from the Waikato Herald a University of Waikato spokesperson said the University respected the right of staff to express their views.
“We continue to operate in a financially challenging environment and continue to adapt our operations to ensure they remain financially sustainable.
“Change is a business-as-usual part of running the University. Any changes we make are considered carefully to ensure we minimise the impact on current staffing levels and programme delivery for students while allowing some flexibility to support areas of growth.”
A final decision on the proposal and if the cuts are going ahead is expected to be made by early March.
Dadon said the students would suffer the most from the cuts.
She said the librarians do a lot for the development of education for students.
“The library is essential, especially being an academic library where we go into classes and teach people, and give them the starting skills that they miss between school and university.
More than 20 union, faculty, and library staff members of the University of Waikato, joined the protest on February 26, 2024. Photo / Malisha Kumar
“We teach them referencing, how to research, how to critically think, we help with their Masters, PhD. We have a bit of everything at the library and that’s just being cut down.
“The saddest thing, apart from losing these staff members, is that we’re just ripping off our students. Their fees won’t go down, and they’ll get all the same stuff.”
At the protest on Monday, members of Te Hautū Kahurangi Tertiary Education Union, as well as library and education staff from the university rallied outside the Pā, where an academic board meeting was being held.
