Salient
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VUW Academics Stand with Māori Academics at University of Waikato
- Salient
- Rachel Trow | Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa | She/Her <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " > Photo: Stuff After incidents at Waikato and Otago Universities, an open letter to Education Minister Chris Hipkins has been undersigned by Māori academics across the country. The open letter calls for a national enquiry into racism at New Zealand universities “for the purpose of committing to, and accelerating with urgency, a tertiary sector that honours te Tiriti o Waitangi.” The letter comes after caps on Māori and Pacific entry to Otago Medical School and an independent enquiry into racism at the University of Waikato garnered national attention. Leading academics Dr Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou) and Prof. Brendan Hokowhitu (Ngāti Pūkenga) have not had their contracts renewed at Waikato while the review takes place, according to RNZ reporting. In a statement to Salient, Victoria University expressed support for the open letter sent to Minister Hipkins, adding that they “do not conduct specific cultures [sic] reviews as such” themselves. The University listed their “commitment to decolonisation and indigenisation” as ranging from “symbolic changes” such as changing the University’s name to “active and visible commitments” such as including Māori leadership at all levels of University structure. VUW also recognised that “there is always more to do.” Academics at VUW have come out in active support of Māori academics at the University of Waikato, participating in a solidarity event on Friday the 18th of September. Staff were encouraged to wear purple and “incorporate Waikato Indigenous academics” into their teaching. Salient spoke to Dr Emalani Case (Kanaka Maoli) and Dr Vincent Olsen-Reeder (Ngā Pōtiki a Tamapahore), representatives of the solidarity event at VUW. Olsen-Reeder commented on the situation at Waikato, stating that “it’s really hard to see your colleagues, friends and whānau in distress. So many of us have been victims of racism in some form, at some time, so we’ll always want to show solidarity in that way.” Case and Olsen-Reeder were in agreement that VUW had “solid fundamentals in place” in regards to race at the University citing their Treaty Statute and Māori Outcomes Framework. However, the pair echoed the University’s assertion that there is always more that can be done. Dr Case offered that “one of the things I think all universities can do is hire more Māori and Pacific staff.” Case highlighted the importance of hiring Indigenous staff in permanent positions. When asked what they would like tertiary staff and students to consider moving forward, Olsen-Reeder told Salient, “I would love for us all to review what it means to be a great citizen of Aotearoa, regularly… Ask yourself how you can dismantle harm today, or open up space for someone, or challenge the stuff your parents taught you. Those are great things to do not just to combat racism, but to be anti-racist.”
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