Lincoln University’s fate is looking increasingly dire, with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robin Pollard, telling staff on August 8 that they had one year to “get a surplus or we are dead.”
Pollard later said the statement was made out of context, and that the university needed to “transform” to be “financially viable” and “flourish into the future.”
The Tertiary Education Union (TEU) has criticised Pollard for his lack of response to concerned Lincoln University staff, with Lincoln’s TEU representative, Cindy Doull, saying he is not responding to staff emails and letters asking for clarification of his comments.
Doull says Pollard’s statement has caused “a significant increase of anxiety levels” for staff and that the whole situation is a “nightmare.”
Pollard’s statement comes at a time of crisis for Lincoln University, with five deputy vice-chancellors having already resigned, and the university recording a net loss of $6 million over the last financial last year.
They are also still in the process of rebuilding campus facilities after the 2010 earthquake.
The university has already announced they will be cutting “unpopular” programs in order to save money this year, but the financial pressure still remains.