We wanted to update Unitec whānau about recent changes to the Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts programme, which mainly affects new enrolments in the Level 5 (Year 1) Dance programme.
We have made the difficult decision to pause all Level 5 (Year 1) enrolments for the 2022 intake of Dance in the Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts programme at Unitec. Although we are disappointed that we won’t have a new cohort of dancers joining us in 2022, the pause allows time for the redevelopment of the Unitec dance offering so that we continue to be a vibrant, world-class dance programme that incorporates Mātauranga Māori and Pacific knowledge and values.
The pause is necessary as the Dance discipline requires specialised technical spaces that will no longer be available on campus following the sale of Unitec land and buildings in 2018 to the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development (MHUD). These are mainly at the north end of the campus where the performing and screen arts disciplines are concentrated and must be vacated by the end of this year.
New intakes for Acting and Screen Arts are not affected, and the Level 6 and 7 (Years 2 and 3) Dance cohorts will continue with a combination of on-campus and off-site delivery in 2022. Unitec is in the process of securing a suitable community-based dance studio for this purpose.
Once completed, the School will have its own purpose-built facilities in Building 108 at the southern end of the campus. Building 108 represents a significant investment for Unitec and will have capacity to house a large proportion of the School’s programmes.
If you have any queries at all about the changes to the Dance programme, please contact our PASA Academic Programme Manager Michael Miller mmiller@unitec.ac.nz
Ngā mihi
Nick Sheppard
FAQs
How many students will be affected by the intake pause in 2022?
The pause affects approximately 24 final-selection students to the Dance discipline, with no one being accepted to the 2022 intake. There are up to 24 students at each level.
Why didn’t we tell prospective students sooner?
We have advised all students and prospective students at the earliest possible time following confirmation of the pause in enrolments. While the pause isn’t ideal, it is a necessary and sensible part of realigning the programme with Unitec’s new footprint, without compromising delivery to current students.
Is this COVID-related?
No. Unitec has been working since before COVID on the redevelopment of the Dance programme following the sale of Unitec land and buildings to the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development in 2018.
What is Unitec’s financial position? Is the intake pause a result of financial issues?
No. The pause in intake to the Dance programme for 2022 is necessary to allow time for redevelopment of the offering towards a more contemporary programme.
Will more programmes be paused?
No. The pause in enrolments relates only to Level 5 (first year) applicants to the Dance programme for the 2022 intake.
Is this to do with the merger with MIT?
No, this is solely a Unitec decision.
What happens to the rest of the Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts degree?
All existing Dance students – the Level 6 and 7 cohorts in 2022 – will be able to complete their three-year full-time degree, with no interruption, in a blended model of on-campus and off-site delivery. However, no new applicants will be accepted to the Dance programme for 2022. All other students are unaffected.
Will any other courses be affected by the pause in enrolments?
No. Only Dance is affected.
What happens to the staff, including lecturers and tutors, in the Dance school?
No staffing changes to the core team are anticipated as a result of the pause in enrolments for 2022.
Is the studio that is being closed located in one of the buildings that was closed earlier this year due to asbestos? Are those buildings part of the land sale to the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development?
No, they are not.
Are there other remaining buildings on the Unitec campus where a new dance school could be housed?
Unitec has investigated whether an alternative location for the Dance programme could be established on campus, but new and existing buildings are already required by other courses and an economically viable solution has not yet been found.
Does Unitec remain open to potential benefactors or partners who could fund a new studio?
Unitec, in partnership with Te Pūkenga and other key stakeholders will continue to look at suitable mid to long term options. Partnerships will be an important aspect to consider as we plan for the future.
Why can the mix of on-campus and off-site delivery not be a permanent solution for the Dance programme?
This off-site space is an interim measure to allow all existing Dance students to complete their degree. However, it is not a viable permanent solution, and Unitec continues its work to redevelop the Dance programme
Which organisations have you sought to partner with? Why hasn’t it worked out?
We cannot comment on potential partners or discussions for confidentiality reasons. There must be economically and practically viable solutions for all parties in order to establish a permanent dance school in a new location, and Unitec continues to work on solutions as part of the redevelopment programme.