Racism row professor distances job loss from racism claims

Thursday, 10 September 2020

Outrage over high profile Māori professors’ contract not being renewed at University of Waikato misdirected.

One of six Māori academics who penned a letter alleging racism at Waikato University has told supporters not to read “an evil intent” into her contract not being renewed as the covid downturn had led to staff cuts.

Indigenous Education Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith has told her supporters to “tone it down” on Twitter after personal information about the University of Waikato not renewing her short term contract was leaked online.

Smith, known in academic circles as the Mother of Indigenous Studies, was among the academics who wrote a letter to the Ministry of Education with concerns about casual and structural racism at the university.

Supporters of Smith took to social media with a letter of support for her and the other academics, which had attracted over 1000 signatures, with many saying she had been pushed out of her job for being outspoken.

Indigenous Education professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith said, in this case, the University of Waikato letting her go was not a race issue or due to her being outspoken.

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However, Smith said the public were reading more into something that is “normal university procedure”.

“Just to be clear, I didn’t release that information about my contract,” Smith told Stuff.

Waikato University has appointed two commissioners to conduct an independent review.

Smith, who has been at the university for more than 10 years, said she didn’t know who leaked the information, but wasn’t impressed about her “private matters” being made public.

In 2016 Smith retired voluntarily from her previous position as Pro Vice Chancellor Māori and was offered a position as Professor of Māori and Indigenous Studies in the newly formed Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies on a short term contract.

The contract had since been renewed yearly, but this week she was told her contract would end this year.

“This is the time when the University of Waikato facility normally looks into staffing for next year.

“All I’ve been told is that my contact is not going to be renewed. They haven’t given me a reason why, but I’ve been told by my line managers.”

During the Covid-19 lockdown, Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said in a statement to University of Waikato staff and students that the university would be going into a financial hardship period, creating a strain on all budgets.

Smith said it was mentioned contracted staff may not have their contracts renewed and full-time staff would be required to carry the extra workload.

“What is happening to me is what could happen to a lot of contracting staff.”

University of Waikato Chancellor Sir Anand Satyan and with Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley.

“Personally I’m not reading an evil intent into this.

“I’m willing to think that all this stuff is subject to the normal business of the university to prepare for the future.”

Smith said her supporters had been misguided.

“They are reading into it that this is a sign of what’s going on and I’m being targeted.”

“But my message to them is that we need to focus on the issues at hand of systemic racism. I’m not the story, and they need to tone it down on Twitter.”

She said she intended to leave the university ten times better than when she arrived.

“Being courageous and addressing systemic racism, incorporating mātauranga Māori and fully supporting excellence by Māori in learning, teaching and research would help achieve this for the future.”

In a statement to Stuff the University of Waikato said the institute had not made any specific determination in respect of Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith, however the University could not comment further as it was an individual employment matter.

“In July we notified staff that due to the substantial financial impact of Covid-19 on international student numbers, the University would not be renewing or creating any new fixed term teaching or research positions unless they are fully funded by external research contracts,” the statement said.

“There has been no leak of Professor Tuhiwai Smith’s personal information from any official source at the University.”

The University of Waikato has commissioned an independent review into the recent public claims about racism.

Commissioners Sir Harawira Gardiner and Hekia Parata were appointed to conduct the review on Friday.

Once the review is completed, the findings will be made public.

The University will not provide further comment while the review is underway, the statement said.