Unitec established the Fono Faufautua to enable the Pacific community’s voice to be heard at a leadership and senior management level. A number of Pacific community leaders have been members of the Fono for the last two decades.
As an external group, the Fono is able to bring a fresh viewpoint on Pacific education and a broader understanding of the challenges Pacific students face. The board looks at issues from an objective perspective and identifies areas where performance could be lifted to help Pacific students.
Goals of the Fono Faufautua
The Fono Faufautua provide support and advice to the DCE Pasifika and the Director or Pacific Success to ensure that Unitec as an institution are meeting the objectives of the Unitec Pacific Success Strategy 2019-2022.
The Unitec Pacific Success Strategy vision is:
Unitec is the world-leading institution for Pacific Prosperity and the tertiary institution of choice for Pacific Peoples.
The four goals of the Pacific Success Strategy are: 1. Increase Pacific student success, completion and participation rates.
2. Grow Unitec staff capability and capacity to empower and support Pacific students
3. Grow Pacific knowledge and awareness in Learning, Teaching and Research.
4. Develop and maintain partnerships with Pacific communities and stakeholders.
The Unitec Pacific Success Strategy 2019-2022 is operationalised through the Unitec Pacific Success Strategy Operational Plan 2019-2022.
Progress
Unitec’s Pacific Centre regularly measures the success of the strategy goals and the operation plan actions and reports this directly to the Fono Faufautua at the quarterly fono meeting.
The Fono Faufautua also request Heads of Schools and Managers of various support teams to attend fono meetings to report on their work towards achieving the goals of the Unitec Pacific Success Strategy 2019-2022. Through the endorsement and the ongoing support of the Unitec Fono Faufautua, Pacific success remains a priority at Unitec.
Fono Faufautua Members
The current Fono Faufautua is made up of seven members Tevita Funaki (Chairperson), Vui Elena Fa’amoe-Timoteo (Deputy Chairperson), Dr Ofa Dewes, Fa’alogo Niko Toluono, Taito Eddie Tuiavi’i, Flora Apulu and Fale Andrew Lesa who is a Director on the Unitec-MIT Board.
Ex Officio members of the Fono Faufautua are Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga (Deputy Chief Executive – Pasifika, Partnership & Support), Seulupe Dr Falaniko Tominiko (Director of Pacific Success), Lupe Kautoke (Unitec Student Council Pacific Representative) and Josephine Victorino (Fono Secretary).
Back Row: Lupe Kautoke, Taito Eddie Tuiavi’i, Vui Elena Fa’amoe-Timoteo, Fa’alogo Niko Toluono, Seulupe Falaniko Tominiko.
Front Row: Peseta Sam Lotu-I’iga, Ofa Dewes, Tevita Funaki, Flora Apulu, Josephine Victorino.
