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We Say

DEMOCRATISING USP

The University of the South Pacific’s Council is due to meet
again later this month to discuss the regional institution’s
ongoing, seemingly intractable problems.
Its last meeting in October managed only to appoint a new
Deputy Chancellor after a lot of debate over the agenda. For-
mer Auckland University Vice Chancellor Pat Walsh now takes
over from Tonga’s Aloma Johansson, but other matters on the
agenda had to be carried over.
Just prior to that meeting, embattled Vice Chancellor Prof
Pal Ahluwalia called a media conference to answer questions
about the university’s financial status. He talked about the
significant restructuring necessary (in both academic and
administrative functions) to respond to cuts in USP’s operating
budget and the impacts of COVID-19. He ruled out an across
the board salary cut for all staff and said the university was
doing all it could to retain jobs in difficult circumstances.
At this stage, staff numbers will be reduced through natural
attrition through retirement and resignations, but there will Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia
also be job reallocations and other structural changes.
The funding challenges have been exacerbated by Fiji’s Meanwhile Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Regional Campuses,
decision to suspend its F$27.6 million contribution to the uni- Estates & Infrastructure, Dr Guilio Paunga said “the coopera-
versity, saying it wants governance issues addressed first. The tion from regional governments during this COVID-19 time was
plans outlined by the University’s management at the media superb”, with ministers for finance and communication taking
conference didn’t account for a prolonged suspension, as they the initiative to see how they can support students.
are hoping there will be a resolution to this impasse. Dr Paunga is overseeing a maintenance program for USP’s
Professor Pal told media that Australia had released $3.5 regional campuses, which has been slowed but not stalled
million after the university responded to requirements around entirely by COVID. The Alafua (Samoa), Emalus (Vanuatu),
children protection, teacher education, work around disability Tuvalu and Marshall Islands campuses all need attention.
and equality, and the continuity of education. Australian High The deferred maintenance program has been costed at F$36
Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes says Australia is watching million, with Professor Pal saying they will be trying to “fix a
what is happening at USP very closely. decade of under-maintenance.”
“Our overriding concern is the viability of the university Recently a former USP academic, Wadan Narsey has sug-
and its reputation and the well-being of the students from gested the makeup of the USP Council be revisited, to include
across the region that attend the university,” he told Islands more “people’s representatives” who are accountable to the
Business. “It really is a crown jewel for the region, and we institution’s private students and their parents. He also sug-
need to do everything we can to safeguard its reputation and gest government representatives be selected who represent
its financial well-being and I hope that a compromise can be the political spectrum in their country (rather than just the
reached that will enable that to happen. interest of the ruling party), and that a review team of former
“This is taxpayers’ money we are contributing; we are the USP academics and international experts be formed to map
second largest donor after of course, the Fiji government, USP’s history and a future vision.
which is by far the largest donor. I know they share our con- We agree there is merit in these suggestions—particularly
cerns about the future of the university, but this is Australian the idea of opening up the Council’s makeup to ensure it is
taxpayers’ money, and we need to be sure that it is being more reflective of broader Pacific island stakeholders and not
spent in the manner in which it is meant to be spent.” just political ones—if the region’s ‘crown jewel’ is to retain
Professor Pal’s media conference was notable for the pres- its lustre. More importantly, the university’s leadership needs
ence of senior university managers and union reps. Acting to be able to focus on steadying the ship, shoring up finances,
Deputy VC Education Professor Jito Vanualailai talked of the and ensuring that 2021 is not another year of turmoil, but
support USP has been offering students during COVID-19, one where current and new students get the education they
including the establishment of a call centre to reach out to deserve.
students who were not keeping up with online participation,
to understand why they might not be continuing with their editor@islandsbusiness.com
learning and to find ways to further assist them.

Islands Business, November 2020 5