STAFF SHORTAGE AT LINCOLN COLLEGE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30897, 2 November 1965, Page 31

STAFF SHORTAGE AT LINCOLN COLLEGE

University teachers throughout the country were alarmed at the continued grave difficulties New Zealand universities were having in recruiting staff, said the president of the Lincoln College branch of the Association of University Teachers (Mr J. G. White) yesterday. Mr White has just returned from a national meeting of university teachers’ representatives in Wellington. “Lincoln College, in common with other universities, is experiencing a very serious staff shortage,” he said. “Of the 52 lecturing positions at the college, nine are unfilled. These vacancies range from assistant - lectureships right through to professorial level, and most have been vacant for 12 months or more. Poor Response “Many of the staff at Lincoln are recruited from overseas, but at present our universities are in a poor position to compete for staff with countries such as Australia and Great Britain as our salary . scales are much lower and

general conditions of appointment less attractive. Consequently high-calibre staff are difficult to obtain to fill existing vacancies. A recent survey has shown that in New Zealand universities few or even no applications are received for many advertised positions.” Student numbers were rising rapidly at Lincoln, as they were at other universities, Mr White said. Unless high-calibre staff were recruited at a much faster rate than at present, severe loads would be placed on existing staff, with a possible decline in teaching efficiency. “We have a large teaching and research block under construction at Lincoln College, but as Dr. D. G. Elms, of Canterbury University, has pointed out in regard to Ham, if our grave recruiting difficulties continue we may not have the qualified staff to fully utilise these new facilities,” he said.

“Urgent action is needed by the Government if the situation is to be improved.”