Vice Chancellor Steve Maharey

Indeed, the tertiary sector is being driven towards a model of efficiency. The Government is aiming for graduate numbers 20% higher in 2013 than in the 2000’s. However, this does not mean more money for Universities, in real terms funding is declining. You can read more about sector issues in the excellent MUSA/EXMSS article, Turning the Tide: How Best to Buoy a Drowning Tertiary Sector.

Maharey went on to explain that within this highly threatening environment the University itself has a very clear plan, including digitization, providing professional development courses, and reforming Massey’s academic portfolio; meaning what is to be taught. This is in balance with initiatives in generating research income and a comparatively reserved marketing budget, Maharey stating that Massey prefers to spend money on real activities and real things like staff development and buildings.

The Student’s Questions

Will hard copy study notes cost students in the future? Massey is looking to work towards a digital environment. No date has been set for full digitization. Currently the University offers hard copy for free. It was suggested that the Assistant Vice Chancellor (Academic) may provide further information.

What is the future of contact courses? Technology is providing opportunities for change. Students will drive change through their engagement and feedback. Lecturers are free to respond to student and teaching needs, so where there is a need there is likely to be contact courses continuing.

Does the University intend to provide video lectures? If the lecturer sees a need for video material that supports their teaching and learning then they are free to explore that avenue. Currently there is no dedicated resource or strategy for video lectures.

Will the University support an independent advocacy service if, under VSM, the student associations are unable to provide this service universally? The difficulty is in Massey providing support for advocacy that is potentially against itself. The University would like to see an independent advocacy service continue under VSM but the money must come from students, and willingly. How this can be done is something that needs to be worked out between student associations and the University. At this stage there is no guarantee of an independent advocacy service continuing under VSM.

What is the eight year rule? This proposed rule defines a maximum of eight years to complete a Massey qualification where completion times are not already described. This is being introduced to improve completion figures and to impress on students the importance of progression. The move is being made in response to the Government focus on completions.

What changes are being made to enrolment processes? Enrolments dates will be brought forward and some courses will be capped. The criteria for enrolment is changing to attend to the Governments priorities. New software seeks to be more useful for students as well as providing the information for the TEC.

Will the summer school enrolments be capped? Last years reactions to the Government’s capped environment are behind us. For Massey the task of restricting enrolment has been difficult. Distance student numbers will continue to reduce. However, the process in 2011 is clearer and there will not be a cap on summer school although courses in the summer semester may change to fit with strategic needs.

How will Massey deal with peak load issues of library space and parking? This is a shared issue, other Universities offer space to Massey students and students from, say, Auckland or AUT, use Massey facilities. There is no easy solution but Massey is aware of the problem, especially at Albany.

How engaged are students in the wider issues, such as student services and government priorities? Students worldwide have never been that focussed on issues outside of their daily life and study. It is only in an immediate crisis that students get fully involved. It is not apathy or disinterest, it is busy people focussed on other concerns.

Is Massey prepared for natural disasters? In short, yes. But there is always room for reviewing our systems. For distance students the regional support proved its effectiveness during the Christchurch earthquakes.

Are international student numbers going to increase at Massey? The government is pushing very hard in this area and have made their expectations of improved performance clear. There is room for more international students at Massey.

Can international fees be grand-parented? Without financial information a decision cannot be made. However, discussion of the grand-parenting option will continue and be settled.

Will mature students, through government policy direction, be prevented from studying at university? An alarming trend seems to be the reduction of support for adult students. Some policies may have little impact but the trend is concerning. Massey will continue to lobby for life-long learning.

With Albany non-tuition fees proportionally high, is the University planning on reducing them over time of prorating them for part time students? In short, no. The mechanism for discussion is the fee setting process, but it should be noted that the Albany Student Association engaged with students and supported the building levy initiative. The solution may be in increasing student numbers on the Albany campus which would spread the cost of the new Student Amenities building.

What is likely regarding fee rises for 2012? There will be an increase in tuition fees. For student service levies there is a connection with the VSM legislation currently before the house. The final fee will be decided through a process of engagement and alignment with the principles of fee setting. The fees decision will be made at the September 1^st meeting of the Massey Council.

Not all questions were able to be asked in the Forum. The following questions have been sent on to the Vice Chancellor and the responses will be posted here.

Is there an option of a student area at Massey Wellington that is not the common rooms? A place where we can chill out, with some games, magazines and maybe some music that’s for students? Over exam week there was something in the Pyramid – can that be done again? Tussock and the common rooms do not have a student feel – most students feel that it’s more corporate and for more mature staff and students.

 Should Massey sports teams across the country have some kind of national competition, maybe play against each other to help grow sports teams? Would Massey support this?

When will the Wellington campus library be upgraded?

What consideration has been given to older students who have challenges reading a screen as opposed to hard copy? I am concerned for a number of students with less than 20/20 eyesight their difficulty at reading screens and not receiving hard copy

Will student magazines be supported if associations disappear? Which student magazine do you think is the best across the campus’.
 
A lecturer has mentioned a Plagiarism database that record students who plagiarize. Is this a new system? What does it mean for students?

EXMSS represents you in Massey meetings

 I have been giving feedback on the proposed Disciplinary Regulations since 2008. Good on Massey for getting students involved right from the start. There have been times when I have had to be clear and strong in my assertion that the system must serve student first and foremost.

At the November Academic Board meeting the revised disciplinary regulations for student misconduct were tabled. The regulations themselves follow the procedures of past years however the scope has widened to now include academic misconduct such as plagiarism. Two issues have emerged from the final draft which was passed through the board for inclusion into the Massey regulations: the role of the Registrar in deciding on the level of misconduct and the placing of offences on student’s transcripts, the latter of which was brought up at the meeting.

In the past cheating through exams or by copying assignments or other students work has been controlled by the teaching staff and often dealt with in differing ways across the University. Under these new regulations academic misconduct will now be described as level one, level two or level three, with L3 being the worst offence. Instances of level two and three misconduct will be recorded on a database that is available to Academic Integrity Officers (not lecturers) so that repeat offences can be noted. Level one offending is seen as an opportunity to teach the student more about the issue.

In the meeting it was suggested that L2 and L3 offences should be placed on the student’s transcript. I was vocal in opposition to this, as this could easily generate a range of negative consequences that would have repercussions far in excess of the ‘crime’ committed. After further discussion the idea was dropped.

Students discussing the issues at the 2010 EXMSS AGM

The second point is about the role that Registrars take in deciding the level of the offence. In supporting documents the level is described but there is no one to assist the Registrar in getting it right. The Registrar makes that call alone. When pointed out to the Academic Board it was agreed that further discussion should take place around the support the Registrar gets in making this call. It was also noted that the key stakeholder (students) will need to be clearly informed about the changes and possible consequences now that the stakes are much higher for students if anything goes wrong.

The student voice had an impact. Students will benefit from having a representative on Academic Board. Let’s just hope we can continue to keep students in the loop if we no longer have universal membership of the representational bodies that work this system.