News

The University of Otago Design Studies School will be disbanded, after a closed-door meeting of the University Senate on Wednesday last week.

 
Senate meetings are always off-limits to the media and public, but Critic understands that Vice Chancellor Sir Professor David Skegg made a long-winded speech spelling out the need for the closure of the department. The speech also indicated that other departments will come under similar scrutiny in the future.
The closure of the department was deemed necessary after a loss of $5 million from the tripartite adjustment fund, and a potential further loss of the same amount when the Government unveils the 2010 Budget. “We need to be creative” said Sir Professor Skegg regarding budgeting issues, presumably without a sense of irony.
Senior Lecturer in the Deartment of Marketing Robert Aitken submitted a motion, seconded by OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan, that “any changes to the Department of Design Studies and associated academic programmes be based on the recommendations of the planned 2010 Review of the Department and the appropriate Boards of Study and Divisional Boards.” However, this motion did not pass, as it was felt that the changes were a University-wide issue.
Dean of Law Professor Mark Henaghan then submitted a successful motion that all students currently enrolled would be allowed to finish their degrees.
This meeting came amidst strong student opposition to the changes, culminating in a 300-strong silent protest outside the Clocktower before the Senate meeting.
“The protest definitely helped – you could see the staff feeling guilty as they walked past,” protest organiser and third-year Design student Zack Hogg told Critic. This was a sentiment confirmed by Geoghegan, who told Critic that the protest noticeably affected the tone of the meeting, and brought home to Senate members the fact that these changes would have a significant effect on students.
The protest had a ‘blackout’ theme, designed to reinforce the notion of a bland and colourless University in the absence of an active Design department.
Courtney Stewart, creator of the Facebook group organising the protest, said “the students have merely been informed of proceedings, mostly secondhand, with no time for or acceptance of student views and suggestions, something we all feel to be quite biased towards a quick, unaltered result for the University heads.”
Hogg opined, “I’ve lost respect for Otago University … I’m not sure how much a degree from them is worth after this undemocratic behaviour.”
Sir Professor Skegg was, however, entirely dismissive of the idea that the University was being undemocratic, saying “I don’t think anyone is pretending the University is a democracy” during the meeting.
Geoghegan told Critic, “We tried really hard to ensure a more open process was followed but unfortunately the proposal was pushed through.” Geoghegan is now working with the University to set up a meeting to inform Design students of the impact of the closure, and to ensure that students would receive one-on-one meetings to assist with course planning.