That was the general feeling at the Tertiary Education Union’s (TEU) stop work meeting yesterday.
More than 250 people attended the meeting at the University of Otago Union Hall, which included speeches from TEU branch president Craig Marshall, Otago University acting vice-chancellor Prof Helen Nicholson, Otago University Students’ Association president Quintin Jane, and Ministry of Education spokeswoman Jan Tinetti.
The financially troubled university is looking to make savings to its operating budget of $60million per year, and is going through a variety of "management of change" processes in a bid to cut staff numbers at various departments.
Mr Marshall said there was a lack of vision about how to deal with the tertiary education sector, which was in "crisis".
"I think it’s fair to say the resourcing for the sector has been inadequate, and there has been a lack of vision."
"I would be unhappy for the status quo to remain."
He described the creation of Te Pūkenga, which brought together 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics and nine industry training organisations into one organisation, as "rearranging the deck chairs".
"It simply doesn’t solve the issue of underfunding."
Prof Nicholson acknowledged it was a "challenging" and "unusual" time for many staff, and appreciated the good relationship the university had with the unions.
The university had gone from more than two decades of positive finances to facing significant deficits in recent times.
That was because of systemic problems with the way the institution was funded, not financial mismanagement.
The university received up to 80% of its funding from the government, and that funding had not kept pace with inflation, Prof Nicholson said.
In June, Ms Tinetti announced an extra $128m would be pumped into the tertiary education sector over the next two years.
"That funding was welcome, but it was not enough," Prof Nicholson said.
As a result of this, the university would have to continue to "tighten its belts", which was "not something we do lightly".
"Something needs to change."
Ms Tinetti, who spoke via livestream, thanked the tertiary education sector for its hard work during a "disruptive" time.
She acknowledged the need for "free and frank" discussion.
No-one applauded at the end of her speech.
Mr Jane criticised the Tertiary Education Commission for reducing the allocation of funds for the University of Otago and other tertiary providers by $51.8m this year and a further $56m next year as "disgraceful".
"A culture shift away from user-pays towards a public service approach is needed," he said.
