Merger will take month to decide

Ashleigh Daines, 27, who is studying business administration at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, says she can only see positives coming from the proposed merger.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says he expects to take about a month to make a decision over the proposed merger between Tauranga and Rotorua tertiary institutes.

Public consultation sought by Mr Joyce over the potential merger between Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology closed yesterday, with at least 83 submissions.

The proposal is to disestablish both institutions and create a new tertiary organisation aimed at providing enhanced vocationaland applied tertiary education programs and opportunities for students across the wider Bay of Plenty region.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick

Mr Joyce said the next step in the process was for the Tertiary Education Commission to compile the submissions for his consideration and he expected to take about a month to reach a decision.

"It's important the proposal meets the needs of students, businesses and the wider Bay of Plenty region and I look forward to reading through the views of the community alongside the detailed business case before making an informed decision," the Minister said.

Mr Joyce said his decision was "not pre-determined", and if the proposal did get his go-ahead, it would still need to go through cabinet for sign-off.

The number of submitters for and against the merger was not yet known, he said.

However, on Monday about 35 Rotorua locals and students made it clear where they stood on the merger by protesting outside Waiariki Institute's main campus.

The protest was led by organisers of the Keep Waiariki Local lobby group.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick also sent a letter to Mr Joyce urging him to stop the merger process which was co-signed by chairman of Te Arawa Lakes Trust Sir Toby Curtis and Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust Grahame Hall.

In the letter they suggested there was widespread dissatisfaction and wanted the two institutions to instead developa "meaningful proposal document and openly consult with their communities".

Both Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Council chairman Ian Turner and Waiariki Institute of Technology's council chairman Graeme Nahkies said the parties' concerns were "unfounded".

Mr Nahkies said: "The proposal is about growth and expansion. Not shutting down anything."

Mr Turner said: "Can I assure people that there is no intention of closing any of the delivery sites; the main campuses will continue to be based in Rotorua and in Tauranga for any new institution, this will not change.

"We believe that this merger will provide great benefit to the whole of the region, particularly when you consider the benefits it would have to those who currently have virtually no access to the excellent tertiary education that both Rotorua and Tauranga have enjoyed."

Tauranga mother of two Ashleigh Daines, 27, who is undertaking a six-months Level 2 Business Administration Certificate at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic also backed the merger.

"I think it will be good particularly for people coming from places like Whakatane who want to study closer to their hometown, or having to travel back and forward.

"I also think it is likely to create more widely recognised courses ..." the former Whakatane resident said. Additional reporting NZME