More Info →"Students out in force to protest"

This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 5 August 2000 "Protestors wend their way from Massey University to the College of Education to protest the repositioning proposals"
‘Repositioning’ was the infamous title given to a staff restructuring process at Massey University in 2000 that saw multiple positions across the colleges of science, business, social sciences and humanities under threat of disestablishment. The Association of University Staff called it the ‘single biggest academic redundancy exercise in New Zealand’s history’. Driven by drops in student numbers and government funding for the tertiary sector, the review was challenged in the High Court by the association and attracted scathing criticism from staff, students, and some Palmerston North city councillors.
The protest march began at the Turitea campus of Massey University, making its way via road across Fitzherbert bridge to the Hokowhitu campus (College of Education) on Centennial Drive where protestors attended the open session of the University Council meeting. Behind closed doors, the decision was taken to go ahead with the restructure pending the outcome of the judicial inquiry. ‘Massey News’ reported the outcome of the meeting – that most of the proposal would go ahead – in their 14 August edition.