Photo: 123RF/ Matej Kastelic
They told the Education and Workforce Select Committee inquiry into student accommodation today that staff at some halls were poorly prepared to help students with sometimes harrowing situations.
The committee is considering pastoral care and residents rights in student accommodation following complaints about how some halls of residence handled last year s national pandemic lockdown.
The government introduced an interim code of practice for pastoral care of domestic students following the death of student Mason Pendrous in a hall of residence in 2019. He would have turned 21 today.
Canterbury University student Miriam Lindsay said there was not enough support when students in her hall of residence in Christchurch needed it last year.
Report from RNZ
Students and parents have urged MPs to regulate universities’ halls of residence and introduce minimum standards for pastoral care.
They told the Education and Workforce Select Committee inquiry into student accommodation yesterday that staff at some halls were poorly prepared to help students with sometimes harrowing situations.
The committee is considering pastoral care and residents’ rights in student accommodation following complaints about how some halls of residence handled last year’s national pandemic lockdown.
Victoria University of Wellington student Azaria Howell said the hall she lived in last year encouraged binge drinking, did not take medical events seriously, and ignored complaints about sexism and racism.
Student hostels: MPs urged to regulate universities halls of residence nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
So far six of New Zealand’s eight universities have said they would pay half of the MIQ costs for new or returning students, but would not help fund partners or dependents. International students already pay significantly higher course fees to study New Zealand universities. For example, in 2020 a bachelor of commerce degree at Lincoln University cost $5900 for a domestic student, compared to $28,500 for someone from overseas.
ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff
Karla Lopez Reyes was among the first international students to enter New Zealand following the border closure. Andrew Lessells, national president of New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, said the Government and universities should foot the whole bill as many returning international students only left the country to visit family or undertake research.
Covid 19 coronavirus: International student downturn costs 700 university jobs
28 Feb, 2021 08:51 PM
4 minutes to read
Kiwi language teachers face precarious times created by the financial hole left by falling foreign enrolments. Video / NZ Herald
Kiwi language teachers face precarious times created by the financial hole left by falling foreign enrolments. Video / NZ Herald
RNZ
By John Gerritsen forRNZ
Nearly 700 university staff are losing or leaving their jobs because of a financial hole left by falling foreign enrolments.
The eight institutions are missing hundreds of millions in student fees this year because they are expecting no more than 10,000 international students - less than half the normal figure.