It seems that at about 4.30 today Massey University announced to staff that they were closing enrolments for their summer school at 5pm. They had been due to close on the 1st of November. Seems a bizarre way to do it, and I am not sure if there was a rush in the half hour that they remained open!
The reason as stated on the Massey website is that they have now reached their funded cap and could take no more students in 2010 (except of course full fee paying international students). According to Big News those who had already enrolled may not get to study if there have not been sufficient enrolments in particular courses. Those courses will be cancelled.
As with Victoria closing off enrolments for the second semester this is going to disrupt plans and add costs for students and their families.
But I understand the position the universities find themselves in. Steven Joyce is still not moving to address this issue, and next year will be far worse. He is sitting on his hands, because he actually wants to “dampen demand”, and thinks it will all calm down in a year.
There is a lot of ad-hoc decision making from universities which will be leaving students and parents confused. There really is a need for leadership from the government on this to ensure that we get and retain as many people as possible in tertiary education over the next year.
