The polytechnic has about 450 equivalent full-time staff positions, and 800-900 staff members.
Many were nervous after receiving letters this week advising them of the meetings at the Dunedin campus today.
The meetings will be delivered by teleconferencing to Cromwell campus staff.
Chief executive Phil Ker said yesterday the meetings were to inform staff about projected funding cuts in 2010 and how management planned to deal with them.
"I will be foreshadowing changes to funding that I know about, and some which are being speculated about.
"The budget process for 2010 will be quite crucial. There is no doubt we will need to work differently."
That would involve cost-cutting and "redoubling efforts to boost revenue", he said.
Mr Ker would not give details of the changes being proposed.
He said he had provided unions with an advance copy of his presentation on the basis it remained confidential until the staff meetings had been held.
The polytechnic had a difficult 2008, abolishing positions or cutting the hours of about 20 staff across four departments. Management responsibilities were also reallocated and managementreduced by one to 12.
Mr Ker reassured staff there was "no crisis" this year.
"There are worries for 2010. We have a new political climate, a new government with a different attitude and a new government which doesn't have any money.
"I would say anyone who ignores that radically different environment would be stupid."
He would tell staff the 2010 budget-setting process was being brought forward to ensure the polytechnic was ready when funding cuts were finalised.
