Polytechs' top brass to be axed - leaked memo

The Government plans to drastically overhaul the way polytechnics operate by slashing the size of their governing councils.

The move has the potential to dump about 250 of the 400 existing councillors, including chairmen.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has met Dave Guerin, executive director of the national association for institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPNZ), and outlined her plans, which would cut all councils to just eight members. They generally have between 14 and 20.

In a confidential memo, leaked to the Sunday Star-Times, he said the minister was planning to introduce legislation within the next couple of months to change the governance structure. Universities and wananga would be unaffected, he said.

The proposed new structure would comprise four ministerial appointees, the CEO, an academic board representative, a student representative and one member co-opted by the council.

Guerin also reveals Tolley would appoint the chairman, probably from one of the ministerial appointees.

"The minister is also thinking of introducing new low-end governance intervention powers, so that she could appoint specialist advisers to deal with a specific issue," Guerin said.

He went on to say he was not confident Tolley had a clear vision for what she wanted or that she would receive good advice on the issue from the Tertiary Education Commission - the organisation charged with managing the government's relationship with the tertiary education sector.

Guerin would not comment on the changes except to say that things could always be improved and he was happy to work towards that.

But the changes are set to erode the traditional composition of polytech councils, removing employer, Maori, union and other community group representatives.

One of the key sticking points is likely to centre on the minister's intention to appoint board chairmen, which would remove the ability of councils to elect their own leader. There is also concern about the level of control the government could exert if the changes become law.

Tolley refused to comment on the plans but her office released a statement that says: "People in the sector have reported that current governance structures could be refined to achieve stronger and more effective outcomes. The issue is being considered by government though final decisions have not been taken as yet. The minister has had ongoing discussions on governance issues with ITP councils and chief executives and will continue to do so."

Most polytech CEOs and council chairs would not comment on the plans because they have not been made public. However, Palmerston North's Ucol chairman Duncan Milne said he believed the restructure plan should cover all tertiary institutions, not just polytechs, because all would benefit from improving governance structure.

Milne hoped there would "robust debate" before any changes were made.

Another council chairman, who did not want to be named, was critical of the "secretive" way the proposed changes were handled, particularly a line in Guerin's email that the details not be shared with councillors to "respect the minister's confidence".

"Most people who have received the email are in shock . . . It is critical to maintain close governance connections with employers and trades."

Polytech council members get an honorarium of about $200 per meeting. There are up to 12 meetings a year. Chairmen get a salary of about $25,000.