Editorial: Difficult decision faces NMIT board

OPINION: In Opposition, the National Party was scathing about tertiary education funding abuse and wastage – and rightly so.

Its indignation over twilight golf lessons, hip-hop tours and non-performing students signed to take advantage of the bums-on-seats funding model made for ground-shaking politics.

It was also appropriate, and Labour's damage control specialist Michael Cullen was soon hauled in to create a new funding system.

The sector is now much more focused on performance, both of students and – as the funding screws have tightened – on individual programmes.

Last year, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology culled the equivalent of 13 fulltime staff for a saving of $1-million. Now, the institute is looking to save a further $2m.

Clearly, more jobs will go; provisionally around 20. As well, chief executive Tony Gray has confirmed that two high-profile programmes – adventure tourism and creative writing – might be squeezed out by the funding pressure.

As Mr Gray acknowledges, the institute must fit within the financial skin it is given. Its board and management must make difficult decisions based on logic and evidence rather than emotion.

It must also be acknowledged that the courses have not been cut yet, and Mr Gray has signalled that options other than straight retrenchment might be considered.

Clearly, the adventure tourism programmes are costly. The current tutor-to-student ratio appears unsustainably high. Mr Gray points out, too, that the completion rate of students – a key marker when it comes to government funding – has been poor.

However, as accomplished adventure racer and former student Nathan Fa'avae points out, the course is nationally significant.

If it were to become a victim of government parsimony, this would be a loss not only to Nelson but to New Zealand.

The programme currently offers one, two and three-year study options and a certificate and two diplomas.

Hopefully, some consideration will be given to the responsibility the institute has towards this year's beginning students who have signed up anticipating their studies will cover the full three years. As Mr Fa'avae points out – and the establishment of the course 15 years ago reinforces – tourism is of increasing importance to the New Zealand economy.

The institute's own programme blurb puts it this way: "...beaches bordering the city, three national parks and the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand make this region one of New Zealand's most popular adventure tourism destinations.

Students from all around the world come to study adventure tourism at NMIT."

As an integral part of the Bachelor of Arts and Media programme, creative writing is another important study option that is now, sadly, under threat.

NMIT's handful of degree courses help underscore its educational credibility, and opting to dumb down the institute and dismantle programmes that have been carefully built up over time would be a huge loss.

The community should be putting the acid on Tertiary Education Minister Stephen Joyce – for it is government funding that is the real villain, not NMIT leaders.

Courses like these are a far cry from twilight golf and hip-hop tours, and are worth fighting for.

- © Fairfax NZ News