New Polytechnic courses refused

Press, 11 February 1981, Page 12

New Polytechnic courses refused

The Education Department’s refusal to sanction 49 out of 55 proposed new coursds for the Christchurch; Polytechnic has made ‘planning an “exercisein -’futility,” the Polytechnic; Council has been told.' y y At the year’s first council meeting, the assistant director, Mr I. W. Hall, criticised the department for its slow response: .to new course applications and its “bolt out of the blue” decisions, in approving or disapproving courses. Mr Hall called the situation a “educational Golden Kiwi.” The Polytechnic had been asked to put its applications in order of their priority, but this had proved an “exercise in futility.” Of 55 new courses applied for, only six had been approved, without apparent reference to suggested priorities. It was possible to show that there was already sufficient staff for many of these courses, he said, and therefore the costs would be minimal. “It seems unreasonable, especially where we have the staff and there is a need in the community.” One of the highest priorities listed, in the International Year for Disabled Persons, was a course in skills for the physically disabled. Staffing, within present allocations, was available. The chairman, Mr C. H. Rtissell, said that he,was “ashamed” that the department had turned down, the application. Mr P. Mills.said that allocation depended oh the money , available. The question of whether staff

was' available wasimmaterial, he said: . Mr Hall said that his council had been asked to list its priorities, but once the; applications reached Wellington, there was no dialogue until the decisions were made. Last year, this meant waiting “until Christmas Eve” for a reply •.. to applications made by August. It was decided to write to the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) about the council concerns, and ■ discuss them with him personally when, he visited the Polytechnic on February 25. Class-contact hours A circular was received from lhe department retting out the new conditions of service connected with classroom-contact hours for tutors. Class-contact hours had been reduced in response to the tutors’ industrial action last year. All grades of tutors have now been limited to 800 such hours a year; previously their hours ranged from 915 to 800, depending on grade. ’ ,■ The weekly maximum class-contact hours hav.e been reduced from 27 to 24. The duty year has been extended to 200 duty days, excluding statutory holidays. Staffing has consequently. been adjusted, so that 3.4 extra tutors are required by the Polytechnic. " -■, : Mr Ji D. A. Hercus, the Polytechnic’s director, said that the changes had affected the institute. Tutors were teaching less, but the Polytechnic still had its regulatory hours to fill. Therefore, there

was a shortage of teachers. Computer refusal Council members will also discuss with Mr Wellington a State Service Commission decision refusing the purchase of 10 micro-computer stations at a total cost of $45,000. The computers were intended for use in t’ ■> -training of tutors in basic computer knowledge, and the provision of courses for students by March this year. The commission s refusal was' on the grounds that such computing facilities would be possible later on the main frame computer, which is yet to go out to tender. Mr Hercus said that the micro-computers could be .used to simulate office machines. Waiting for the purchase and commission of the main computer would delay training for two years. The Polytechnic initiative had been in response to a department invitation, in the first place. The Polytechnic wanted merely to give a basic awareness training; the $45,000 was trivial, he said. Professor H. McCallion said there had been a tremendous amount wasted on computers everywhere. “As long as students get the basic skills, such as they can on a basic keyboard, then the additional skills needed won’t be that great,” he said. He said that lhe subject should be examined calmly. Mr Hercus said that his office telephone lines had been “red-hot” with calls from secretaries who wanted to learn the new methods.