Students and stakeholders at Massey University are calling for the Vice-Chancellor to resign over what they say is continued financial mismanagement.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences could lose up to 30 percent of its staff as part of another attempt to cut costs.
Massey University offers a world-class education, but some say its reputation is on the line - with another 40 full-time staff across the College of Humanities and Social Sciences set to lose their jobs.
"The staff and students are devastated at these changes, they're angry and they're calling for the vice chancellor to resign," Massey University's student association Vice-President Hennessey Wilson said.
It comes just weeks after Massey axed its undergraduate nursing course at the Auckland campus and students held a protest against more possible cuts to engineering and the sciences.
"There's financial mismanagement on the part of Massey, we've just built this new $150 million building and now we're having to make widespread cuts," Wilson stressed.
The University said it's facing $50m financial deficit, due to a reduction in enrollments and rising costs.
Massey University confirmed to Newshub on Tuesday that while the proposal could mean a reduction in academic staff, there would be no qualification closures.
New Zealand's Tertiary Education Union organiser Andy Hipkiss described the cuts as short-sighted.
"The current funding model is contributing to a brain drain from New Zealand, we're losing enormous talent and potential," Hipkiss said.
He believes more Government investment is needed to ensure this doesn't keep happening.
"It's been poor for years and years and it needs to change - the way it's formulated. We can't just treat international students as cash cows, we can't rely on that."
"The University has continually said there's no golden parachute coming from the Government, I think that's even less likely under a National Government," Wilson said.
"The Tertiary Education Commission does have a funding review but it's unlikely that will save the University."
Newshub reached out to National's Tertiary Education spokesperson, however they weren't available for comment.
A final decision on the cuts is due in December, following consultation.
