Pasifika at Massey.
Massey University’s commitment to Pacific learners and communities is about to be boosted, with the development of a new Office of Pasifika Student Success.
The changes come after consultations with staff to strengthen Massey’s support for Pacific students, in line with a newly adopted plan supported by the Univerity’s Senior Leadership Team, designed to lift and accelerate Pasifika student success at Massey University.
The new office will see staffing increase to 11 across the three campuses, with new roles being advertised this week. They will include the leadership role of Dean Pasifika, along with a team leader, four Pasifika student support coordinators and distance learning and postgraduate advisors.
As well as the new office, Pasifika-focused roles are also being developed in the five colleges. It is expected these new positions, along with existing Pasifika student advisor roles within the Centre for Teaching and Learning and National Student Recruitment Team, will provide a proactive and coordinated support ecosystem for Pasifika students and staff.
Massey Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes says it is a very exciting time for Pasifika at Massey and the creation of these new roles and energy will accelerate and build on the work previously done by the Pasifika Directorate.
“Massey has an incredible opportunity to serve Pacific communities both here in Aotearoa New Zealand and across the Pacific through our distance learning programmes and we are determined to ensure that we are giving our Pasifika students the best possible experience and environment in which to excel,” Professor Byrnes says.
She acknowledged the current Pasifika Directorate under the leadership of Associate Professor Malakai Kolamatangi. “Associate Professor Kolamatangi has grown Pasifika student numbers and has been a strong advocate for the University’s engagement with the communities we serve.
Massey University was the first New Zealand University to recognise the importance of growing Pasifika communities when, in 2007, a Pasifika strategy was introduced. Professor Byrnes says the new developments provide a perfect opportunity to review the current Growing Pearls of Wisdom strategy and she looks forward to engaging with students, staff and Pacific communities on refreshing the strategy.
The Dean Pasifika role can be viewed here