Leadership Updates - New Faculty

New Faculty Transition Lead Academic Support

Professor Nuala Gregory, Dean of the New Faculty, is delighted to announce that Professor Mark Barrow will support the new faculty through the transition.

Mark will stay at the UoA until June 2025 as Transition Lead – Academic to support Nuala and the new faculty on a range of initiatives that will set the faculty up for success in the future. Mark has been Dean of EDSW for seven years and brings a wealth of experience to the role.

New Faculty Director of Faculty Finance

We are also pleased to announce the appointment of Bevan Iles as the new Director of Faculty Finance.  Bevan brings a wealth of experience to this role, having successfully led multiple change initiatives across the university.  As the current Director of Faculty Finance for the Faculty of Education and Social Work (EDSW), his leadership has been instrumental in projects such as the transition from Epsom to City Campus and the implementation of the new Workday finance and planning system.

Bevan has over 25 years of experience in the tertiary sector, including 17 years at the University of Auckland and 8 years at Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology). Prior to his time in the education sector, Bevan worked as an auditor with Audit NZ.

We are excited to welcome Bevan to this important leadership role as we continue to focus on financial strategy and operational success for the faculty.

Consultation Feedback Reminder

A reminder to submit your feedback on the proposed academic leadership and professional staff structures for the new faculty arrangements. Your input is important in ensuring the new structure is coherent, aligns with the University's broader strategic goals, and supports the efficient delivery of teaching and research. Feedback can be provided via the online feedback form by 4pm, Friday 27 September.

Consultation timeline overview

Friday 30 August

• Consultation documentation is available on the staff intranet

Monday 2 September – Friday 27 September 

• Staff are invited to provide feedback on the proposed academic leadership structure and professional staff structures for both the new faculty and the expanded Faculty of Engineering. 
• Feedback must be submitted through the online feedback form by 4pm, Friday 27 September. 

Monday 30 September – Friday 4 October

• Feedback submissions on the proposal are collated. 

Throughout October

• The Review Committee considers submissions and forms recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor. 

Late October

• Either communicate the confirmation to all staff, continue consultation on an amended proposal, or not proceed any further with consultation. 

Thank you for your continued dedication and commitment to supporting our teaching and research during this period of transition. Times of change can bring both opportunities and challenges, and the University encourages staff to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing during this period. Confidential counselling and advisory services are available through EAP, which includes Rongoā Māori support, and additional resources can be accessed via the Change and Resilience hub on SharePoint.

Naming Consultation: Next Steps for the New Faculty

We appreciate the valuable input we've received so far regarding the name for the New Faculty, which brings together the Faculties of Arts, Education & Social Work, Elam School of Fine Arts, the School of Music, and the Dance Studies programme. To continue the conversation and ensure everyone can contribute to the final decision, we will hold a series of staff and student hui at Fale Pasifika. These sessions will provide an opportunity to collaborate further and explore the options in more detail.

New Faculty Naming Huis – Register now!

• Hui 1: Monday 30 September 1.30pm – 3.00pm
• Hui 2: Tuesday 1 October 1.30pm – 3.00pm
• Hui 3: Wednesday 2 October 1.30 – 3.00pm

Please register for one of these sessions via this link—we look forward to further discussion and collaboration as we work together to shape the future identity of our new faculty.

Naming Consultation:  Expanded Engineering Faculty

With the decision by the University to bring Engineering, Architecture, Design and Planning together under the same roof from next year, there is an opportunity for us all to consider a new name for our faculty. One which represents our distinctive disciplinary make-up and the exciting future opportunities that this presents.

We will first select a name in English, and this will be followed by the development of a Te Reo Māori name in collaboration with the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori.

Expanded Engineering English name

The following principles are offered as guidelines for choosing an English name:

• Representative: The name should be representative of the types of programmes and disciplines within our Faculty
• Concise: The name should not be overly long or convoluted
• Meaningful: The name should be understood by both our local and international stakeholders

Your Feedback

A few possible English names have been developed for your consideration by the Transition Team, in no particular order:

1. Faculty of Engineering and Design
2. Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
3. Faculty of Engineering, Design, and the Built Environment

We would very much appreciate your thoughts and suggestions on these options.

You might also think of an alternative name that you consider more suitable. If so, there will be an opportunity to include this alternative in your response.

We ask that you please submit your feedback via the following online form by Monday 7 October.

Operational Continuity Key Focus Areas

The Operational Continuity team has been working closely with New Faculty Dean, Director of Faculty Operations (DFO) as well academic leaders and professional staff managers across from the three existing faculties.

This partnership is vital in ensuring a smooth and coordinated transition as we work to establish the operational foundation of the New Faculty.

The key priority has been to maintain smooth operations throughout the transition period. Given the complexity of integrating multiple faculties into a cohesive unit, efforts have been focused on ensuring that essential services, resources, and processes continue without disruption.

In recent weeks, the team has made progress in both laying the groundwork for a comprehensive operational continuity plan and bringing focus to immediate transition needs. The work has centered on several critical areas, including:

• 2025 Marketing and Recruitment Plan
• 2026 Prospectuses
• 2025 Event Programmes
• Physical access for staff and students
• Orientation in 2025

Thank You for Your Continued Support

We want to extend our appreciation for your continued engagement and support throughout this transition. Your input is helping to shape the future of our faculties, and we look forward to working together as we move forward.