OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR
Office of the Vice-Chancel or
22 Princes Street, Auckland 1142
Telephone: (64) (09) 3737599 ext 87746
Email:
[email address]
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142, New Zealand
10 August 2017
Ms Brie Sorrenson
The FMHS Postdoctoral Society
The University of Auckland
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
85 Park Road
Grafton
By email: [FYI request #6130 email]
Dear Ms Sorrenson
I refer to your request of 4 July 2017 for information regarding the decision to close the Park Avenue
Childcare Centre at the Grafton Campus on 24 November 2017. The University’s response fol ows.
Under the Official Information Act we are requesting the details of all meetings where the Park Avenue Early
Childcare Centre was discussed in relation to the upcoming building work that has resulted in its intended
closure. Specifically we request the names of the committees (we do not expect to be provided with the
names of the individual committee members) discussing the proposed closure along with the dates and
minutes from these meetings. We also request minutes from any consultation with the teachers, educators
and parents with regards to this closure.
You should note the Vice-Chancellor reported the following to Senate at its meeting of 31 July 2017:
The Vice-Chancellor advised that there was no consultation prior to the decision to relocate the
Park Avenue ECE. This was because the University administration had no viable options other than
to locate the Park West building on that site. To do otherwise would have been to leave the School
of Population Health and University Clinics stranded once Tamaki closes at the end of 2019.
Notice to parents was given in April, providing as much lead time as possible to make new
arrangements ahead of the November closure date. An arrangement for University places had been
made with an alternate early childhood provider and, where possible, places were also being made
available in the University’s other centres. At time of writing, new arrangements had been
confirmed for 85% of the children currently enrolled in the centre.
Date
Meeting
Attendees
Minutes/notes
7 Dec 16
Meeting with
Micheal Rengers, Associate
No meeting notes
Property Services,
Director Accommodation
architect and
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
consultants re
Director Student Engagement and
options and
Support
timeline for
Peter Fehl, Director Property
relocating Park Ave Services
ECE
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
Development
External consultants
14 Dec 16
Meeting with
Micheal Rengers, Associate
No meeting notes
Property Services,
Director Accommodation
architect and
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
consultants re
Director Student Engagement and
options and
Support
timeline for
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
relocating Park Ave Development
ECE
External consultants
20 Jan 17
Campus Life
Brendan Mosely, Director Campus No meeting notes
internal meeting to Life
discuss relocation
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
and timing options Director Student Engagement and
presented
Support
Micheal Rengers, Associate
Director Accommodation
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Centres
1 Feb 17
Meeting with
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
No meeting notes
Property Services
Development
to discuss
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
relocation and
Director Student Engagement and
timing options
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Centres
15 Feb 17
Meeting with
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
No meeting notes
Jasmax to discuss
Development
requirements
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
Director Student Engagement and
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Jasmax
1 Mar 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
communications
Director Student Engagement and
consultant re
Support
comms plan to
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
announce Park Ave Peter Weir, Chang Practice
closure
Manager
Fluer Prankhurst
Date
Meeting
Attendees
Minutes/notes
10 Mar 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
communications
Director Student Engagement and
consultant re
Support
comms plan to
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
announce Park Ave Fluer Prankhurst
closure
14 Mar 17
Park Ave ECE
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Comms Project
Director Student Engagement and
Group meeting to
Support
run through comms Micheal Rengers Associate
plan and gain
Director Accommodation
feedback
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Alice Faull, Comms and Marketing
Manager
Zahra Herrmann, Park Avenue
Centre Leader
Fleur Prankhurst
22 Mar 17
Park Ave ECE
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Comms Project
Director Student Engagement and
Group meeting to
Support
run through comms Micheal Rengers Associate
plan and gain
Director Accommodation
feedback
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Alice Faull, Comms and Marketing
Manager
Zahra Herrmann, Park Avenue
Centre Leader
Fleur Prankhurst
27 Mar 17
Staff meeting at
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Attachment A
Park Ave
Centres and Park Avenue ECE staff
29 Mar 17
Meeting with
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
No meeting notes
Property Services
Development
to prepare for
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
meetings with
Director Student Engagement and
parents
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
3 Apr 17
Meeting with
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
No meeting notes
parents of Park Ave Development
ECE to discuss
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
closure and
Director Student Engagement and
transition
Support
arrangements
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Parents of ECE
3 & 4 Apr 17 Parent information
No meeting notes
meetings
Date
Meeting
Attendees
Minutes/notes
4 Apr 17
Meeting with
Col een Seth, Associate Director
No meeting notes
parents of Park Ave Development
ECE to discuss
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
closure and
Director Student Engagement and
transition
Support
arrangements
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Parents of ECE
11 Apr 17
Meeting to discuss Adrienne Cleland, DVC
No meeting notes
and confirm salary
(Operations) & Registrar)
sacrifice
Andrew Phipps, Human Resources
arrangement with
Director
BestStart
Peter Fehl, Director Property
Services
Colleen Seth, Associate Director
Development
Brendan Mosely, Director Campus
Life
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
Director Student Engagement and
Support
Stuart Glasson, Director of Faculty
Operations, FMHS
20 Apr 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Ministry of
Director Student Engagement and
Education re
Support
registration
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
requirements of
MOE Representative
new ECE
15 May 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Jasmax to discuss
Director Student Engagement and
design
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Jasmax
19 May 17
Meeting to discuss Colleen Seth, Associate Director
No meeting notes
business case
Development
requirements
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
Director Student Engagement and
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
22 May 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Jasmax to discuss
Director Student Engagement and
design
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Jasmax
29 May 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Jasmax to discuss
Director Student Engagement and
design
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Jasmax
Date
Meeting
Attendees
Minutes/notes
8 Jun 17
Park West Business Adrienne Cleland
No meeting notes
Case Meeting
John Fraser
Stuart Glasson
Peter Fehl
Col een Seth
Brendan Mosely
Anne-Marie Parsons
Others from FMHS
12 Jun 17
Meeting with
Anne-Marie Parsons, Associate
No meeting notes
Jasmax to discuss
Director Student Engagement and
design
Support
Celeste Harrington, Manager ECE
Jasmax
12 Jun 17
ECE Reference
ECE Reference Group
Excerpt in Attachment B.
Group meeting.
Various aspects of
Park AVE ECE
closure,
consultation and
new build
arrangements were
discussed
The other requested material (discussion of the Park Avenue Early Childcare Centre in relation to the
upcoming building work that has resulted in its intended closure from minutes of meetings) is provided in
Attachment B.
Yours sincerely
Rebecca Ewert
General Counsel