Design course back on after students told it was scrapped | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Waiariki Institute of Technology has reinstated a diploma course after it was mistakenly axed.

A group of students studying the institution's Diploma in Interior Design contacted The Daily Post late last week after being told the diploma they had spent thousands on would not be going ahead. They were devastated. The students had completed a Certificate in Interior Design and were going on to the diploma, hoping to work in the interior design industry once they had finished.

Waiariki's chief executive Pim Borren said the diploma should never have been scrapped. He has apologised to the students and has reinstated the course.

One of the students, Kim Wilson, who has studied part-time towards the diploma since 2009, said she went to class on Wednesday afternoon and the nine students were handed resources for the course.

She said the head of the department arrived and told them he was the bearer of some bad news and that the course was not going ahead as there were not enough students.

He told the students they needed at least 12 to do the course and it may be reinstated next semester.

Ms Wilson and two of her classmates, Teresa Walker and Elke Allen, were shocked by the news.

Ms Ellen said there was silence and Ms Walker said she thought she had not heard correctly after the announcement was made.

"To come five minutes after the class has started and tell the students and tutor at the same time that it [the diploma] is being axed is disgusting," Ms Walker said.

The head of department told the students they could cross-credit two of papers they did towards a Certificate in Interior Design to a Certificate in Creative Arts. He said they could complete graphic design and sculpture courses which could lead to jobs as an artist or working in a museum. Some students were told they could study interior design elsewhere.

But Ms Wilson, Ms Walker and Miss Allen said it was too late to enrol in another interior design course.

A meeting was arranged between Dr Borren and the students on Friday after several of the students sent letters to him expressing their displeasure at the course being canned and the late notice in being told.

In those letters, some of which were also sent to The Daily Post, the students talked about how much they had to give up to do the diploma. One student had moved to Rotorua from overseas to study.

Dr Borren said the course should never have been be scrapped. He said there was a new director of the school of computing, technology and communication and a new head of the arts department, and there was confusion among staff there.

"They got confused between cancelling a class as opposed to a course... Somewhere we all got wires crossed... It was a simple mistake. We have apologised."

The institute routinely cancelled classes but would never cancel a qualification that had been started, he said. Ten classes had been cancelled so far this year due to low numbers.

Ms Walker, Ms Wilson and Miss Allen told The Daily Post after Friday's meeting they were happy the issue had been resolved and the course was reinstated. "It caused us a lot of anguish," Ms Walker said.