University of Auckland vice-chancellor abruptly resigns

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater has abruptly resigned just six months into a new term. The university said that Freshwater had tendered her resignation but would remain in the role until early 2026, writes Isaac Davison for NewstalkZB. Chancellor Cecilia Tarrant said the extended notice period would allow the university to find a new vice-chancellor.

Her resignation is unexpected, coming not long after she was reappointed for another five-year term late last year. It follows a difficult period for the vice-chancellor in which two of her major reform proposals were dropped after widespread backlash. Freshwater was the university’s first female vice-chancellor when she was appointed in March 2020 and steered the university through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement comes just a week after the Herald revealed that a controversial merger between the law and business faculties had been canned after staunch opposition. Freshwater was one of those championing the proposal. She faced a similar backlash among academics last year when the senate, the university’s peak body, voted to pause a makeover of the university’s curriculum amid concerns around widespread course cuts. Last week, the university was ordered by an Employment Court judge to pay high profile scientist Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles NZ$205,000 (US$123,200) in court costs.
Full report on the NewstalkZB site