Otago Uni cutting 160 jobs

Otago University has confirmed it is cutting 160 fulltime equivalent jobs.

It originally proposed axing 182 positions as part of a reconfiguration of support services, but vice-chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne confirmed yesterday that 160 jobs would go

Tertiary Education Union organiser Shaun Scott said that while the union was pleased fewer people would be made redundant, it was still a "drastic cut".

The total number of people losing jobs may be higher than 160, with no head count given by the tertiary institution, and a ‘‘hell of a lot of people’’ would be affected regardless, he said.

Hayne said more than 600 submissions were received and much of the feedback from staff was ‘‘constructive’’ and supportive of the proposed shared services model.

‘‘There is wide recognition that we need to change the way we do business in several areas and we need to focus our collective efforts to get this right.’’

The university needed to provide a more seamless experience for students and resources for that would be increased, Hayne said.

Otago University has about 3800 equivalent fulltime general and academic staff and more than 18,000 equivalent fulltime students.

The business case proposes reducing 160 fulltime equivalent support services positions.

The changes will be made over several years, with processes to confirm staff in current or new roles to be completed by mid-2018.

Redundancy will be determined by length of employment.