Victoria University of Wellington have announced in the midst of the exam period that they would like to make massive staff cuts within the School of Languages and Cultures. These cuts will see a drastic fall in the quality of student education.

Proposed changes:
Reductions (in staff): Spanish 18%, French 25%, Italian 33%, German 43%.
Job losses: 2x senior language tutors, 5x senior lecturers.
Total number of people who will be fired/asked to resign: 4.
Total number of people who will be demoted: 3.
Total number of people who will be moved: 2.
Total number of promotions available: 1.
Number of resignations already tendered: 1.
Total number of people being dismissed and constructively dismissed: 7.

Learning an additional language is becoming a necessity in this day and age as globalisation has seen the world become more inter-connected. If students are unable to learn a language properly at University, they are being held back. Victoria University prides itself on being "globally minded", however with these staff cuts in mind this will be far from reality.

It is unthinkable that the German, Italian, French and Spanish programmes would be able to perform at current levels if the cuts go ahead. The already very busy staff would be unable to teach to the same quality and the same quantity of courses.

In 2017, course fees will be increasing - why should students be paying more for an education which they will be benefiting less from?

This petition has been created to emphasise to the Decision Panel involved in making this decision that students at Victoria University do not want their language education undermined. This decision will be made on the 30th of November by a panel of six people.

These proposed changes are unacceptable. By signing this petition you are standing up for quality language education at Victoria University of Wellington.

To send through a written submission, voice your opinion to ej.park@vuw.ac.nz before the 21st of November. Your voice deserves to be heard.