It means a significant power shift from students—those who have your interests as the first priority—to institutions—those with other priorities.
It means that you will have no say in what services should be provided and how much you should be paying for them. That surely has no basis in principle.
Despite overwhelming opposition from students and submitters, National is supporting a Bill from the ACT Party that will forever undermine the ability of your students’ association to advocate on behalf of students. It’s a fringe ideology based law that will achieve nothing for students—instead it will deliver higher fees, worse services, services that students don’t even want and eliminate proper student oversight of important decisions.

The current legislation allows students to hold a referendum on campus to decide whether they want a universal students’ association or not. When one was held at Victoria—86 per cent of students said yes to having a credible independent voice on campus. The Government and ACT now want to legislate away that choice.

Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) provides an independent voice for students not controlled by the Government or the University. VUWSA belongs to the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) that has been a voice for many years in fighting for a fairer education system, reducing student debt, increasing access to allowances, and improving the quality of your education. We now have interest-free student loans thanks to the pressure from students’ associations.

Students voted for a universal association at Victoria because independent student oversight means decisions which are better for students—financially and academically. The principle: students are paying for this University, so they should have a say in how it is run and operated.

Internationally, it is shown that strong student representation improves student success; leads to better decisions for students; improves the quality of day-to-day teaching services; and leads to more responsive and appropriate student services, which are delivered more cost-effectively. It makes sense because those are the things that students care about.
What’s more—it is likely you will end up paying more in the long-term. Why? Because it is students that care most about how much they pay. It is only student representatives that can provide the student perspective—they are the ones that care most about the value for money students are receiving.

In a VSM environment, regardless of how many students join, students’ associations may very well see themselves beholden to institutions or unable to fund their activities—completely unable to provide a credible independent voice. That may not happen straight away, but over time your voice will be diminished. We have seen that everywhere VSM has been adopted. Institutions take control and the association loses its independence.
So, you end up paying more for something you have no say in. Yay.

David Do and Max Hardy are the co-presidents of the national students association, the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations(NZUSA). NZUSA works closely with VUWSA to ensure that your issues and concerns are heard at a national level.

This will be my final column in Salient. This time last year I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was newly elected on a platform of re-building the reputation of your association, delivering amazing services and being an articulate advocate for quality student-focused education, an outstanding experience for students here and fair decision-making. I am happy to say that we have taken big steps towards all of these goals. This will not be a list of what we have done, for that you can read the Annual Report. Thank you for the privilege of being VUWSA President.

Students serving students

I ran because I saw the great potential for our students’ association to be a positive force for students at Victoria and I think VUWSA has been that so far this year.

I think there is an enormous power in notion that members of the student community stand up to serve the rest of the community. Our welfare services, for example, are about of students caring for the welfare of other students.

Our pride in Victoria?

The disparate sections of the University often don’t feel like a community anymore, however. I think our university should be something we feel deeply proud of and have a lifelong connection with. I do not think over the last few years that Victoria and the student body here have done much towards achieving this.

This was an issue I brought up at University Council. Why do we come to Vic? Are we really proud to be at Vic? How do we create a University that we are proud of?

I think there are some obvious things that can be done to address some issues that have been holding us back.

One of the highlights of this year has been the progress of the Campus Hub project designed to give our Kelburn Campus a student-focused heart, and a new awareness by the University that spaces should be vibrant and designed for students. There will be new cafes and bars, and the Union Hall will next year be once again one of Wellington’s pre-eminent gig venues. New spaces will allow better learning environments, better social spaces, and importantly new spaces for cultural and political expression. The University and VUWSA have also recognised improving the social and academic orientation for new students as a key priority. Student services have recognised the need to be holistic, student-focused and easy to access. Perhaps these steps will all go a way to engaging us as lifelong members of a community here at Victoria.

Quality student focused education

The University is not a “business” – it is an organisation set up to serve our community. One of its functions is to equip us with an outstanding education. Both students and the Government pay a lot of money so it can fulfil this function.

But, the University is a community organisation and we are a part of that community, so we need to take some responsibility for ensuring we get a great education. This year your students’ association allowed for greater student feedback on courses, supported efforts to produce and train quality teachers and continued its watch-dog role in ensuring that lecturers and courses meet standards.

We encourage academics who genuinely engage students in their learning and research – and this requires resources and management willingness. We will continue to advocate for this, but students should continue to raise issues with us and ensure they get the education we all deserve.

VUWSA election results

I wish to congratulate all those who were elected to the VUWSA Executive for next year, especially Seamus Brady, the student president for 2011. Next year will be a fantastic one for VUWSA.

The turn-out at the election was probably about 10% of those eligible to vote, which is not a high. It should be higher.

I think to some extent that was because there were a lot of great candidates running. There was little controversy at this election. Many people I talked to thought that either candidate could do a good job and found it hard to choose. I think also that Salient and other student media failed to articulate the
difference between the candidates and allow you to make an informed decision between what were very good candidates.

At future elections VUWSA and Salient should improve on this.

Thank-yous

Understandably there are some people that I would like to thank. Thank you to the Executive this year – especially those that went above and beyond the call of duty in serving students here at Vic.

I worked with many University staff this year that showed a true commitment to working together to improve
this University for students – I am particularly grateful to Jenny, Rainsforth, Pam and Gerard. The VUWSA Trust provided invaluable advice and support, particularly trustees Alistair Shaw and Dave Guerin. University Council was a terrific experience, and I would like to particularly thank the Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor for their support and strong leadership.

Finally, I would like to thank Salient and the editor this year Sarah Robson, for covering VUWSA in a more responsible way than Salient has in the past. “More” is a relative term of course and I think much of the coverage this year remained irresponsible or frivolous and I think Salient should do more next year to fulfil its original goals of engaging and motivating students about what is happening on campus.

However, I want to publicly recognise the enormous achievement that you made this year producing the best
student magazine in the country.

Not over yet

We will still be busy over the next couple of months. We will try to keep interested students informed about what VUWSA is up to through the VUWSA website and you should still feel free to contact me at any time.

Thank you,
Max Hardy
president@vuwsa.org.nz

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

The VUWSA Elections are currently underway! You will have received an email to your student account which allows you to vote online and you can also vote in person. Very easy. You should vote. VUWSA can be a powerful force in ensuring your time at University is the best it can be – both academically and socially. The basis of VUWSA is that only students can represent students, we believe that students should have a say in how much they are charged and for what services and what sort of education they receive. You can also vote in person. Details are on our website.

However, VUWSA is only as strong as the students that participate. VUWSA is important. Please take the time to find out about the candidates and vote for the students you think should lead VUWSA in a difficult year.

VSM—National Ignores Us

Some sad new. National Party members of the Education and Science Select Committee have voted to support the ACT Party in its efforts to put an end to accountable and effective student representation and services at Victoria and across the country. They have ignored 98% of the 4837 submissions on the Bill which were against the voluntary student membership Bill.

Under VSM student support services, advocacy, representation, clubs, events and VUWSA’s contribution to major building projects like the Campus Hub are at serious risk. Students can still be levied for services, but will no longer have a say in what services will be delivered and how much they cost. They will also no longer have a consistent student voice advocating for quality education and a better deal for students.

However, the fight is not over. The National Party could still save effective student representation and we will be calling on them to do that.

We are also taking the reasonable steps to organise for the possibility of VSM and there will be a feature on this in Salient next week.

Some Things Happening This Week:

1. We will be interviewing the candidates for 2011 Salient Editor. We will be looking for someone who can deliver you a quality publication, as well as manage a potential transition to VSM.
2. We will be confirming the Orientation 2011 contract, with a view to radically improving Orientation and the first year experience in 2011. When we surveyed first year students we found that many students, particularly those not in Halls, thought that we needed to improve this and so this is a key strategic issue for us in 2011.
3. We will be holding an event on the Karori campus, with the objective of better understanding how we can serve VUWSA.
4. The President of the Council of Trade Unions, Helen Kelly will on campus on Monday to talk with interested students about the Government’s changes to employment law and how it may affect you. More info in this issue.

Cheers,
Max Hardy
president@vuwsa.org.nz

STUDENT ELECTIONS

The VUWSA General Election is currently underway and this week you’ll probably be spammed with various leaflets, posters and fliers from people wanting your vote. But that’s a good thing. VUWSA’s democracy is a wonderful thing.

You will receive an email to your student email address inviting you to vote and you can also choose to vote in person. If you care about your University – the quality of education you receive and what your students’ association does to improve your time at University – its really important you get out to vote.

The Executive play an important role at Victoria. They are responsible for the strategic direction and governance of the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association.
They also represent students within Victoria University and attend a wide variety of committees and board meetings to ensure students are fairly represented on all important matters.

A great example of this is the Student Services Levy Committee.  As a result of the strong relationships VUWSA built with the University, the Committee decided to recommend that there would be no increase to the levy for 2011. Last year the Council raised your levy significantly. It is great to see this year that the University has recognised the concerns of students and agreed not to increase the levy at all.

This week, we will also be advocating for a new “rolling reviews” system – whereby all student services are reviewed regularly, to ensure they are responsive to student needs and concerns. This is an important step to ensure that student money is spent responsibly and student services are operating effectively.

FEE SETTING

Last Monday the University Council decided to raise your fees by 4%. With the addition of the new increases to GST this has resulted in a 6.2% increase to your student fees for next year.

I, along with your other student representative – Conrad Reyners – spoke against this motion. Both of us highlighted the problems with the University constantly relying on students to bail them out.  We think that the University should provide us a quality education, but within its means.

Fees increases, lead to increases in the amount of student debt which is now at over $11 billion dollars. This is a massive amount of money, and it is having a large effect on what students can do after they graduate. Universities can no longer ignore the impact they have on the increased debt levels of the next generation of social leaders.

Kind regards,

Max Hardy
president@vuwsa.org.nz

UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE DATA

According to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) students at Victoria have a lower likelihood of completing a qualification than students at any other University in New Zealand, except Massey.

On Wednesday last week the TEC published performance indicators for every tertiary institution. The information was published in a league table, a media-friendly delight. The indicators were – successful course completion, completion of qualifications, student progression to higher level study, and students retained in study.

The league tables can be very easily criticised as providing the public with irrelevant comparisons and bad measurements. The information, for example, punishes tertiary institutions that cater for extramural and working students.

The information is to be treated with caution but it does highlight some room for improvement for Victoria.

For “successful course completion” Victoria scores 84%, third equal amongst the Universities. However, for “completion of qualifications” (the most unreliable information) Victoria scores only 63% or 7th out 8 Universities and only 81% of students were “retained in study” which places Victoria 5th. Not the happiest of statistics.

A bad showing in these measures could be related to a number of things e.g. academic teaching, pastoral care, advice, student life, unclear pathways, orientation, student intentions or demographics.

I will be asking the Vice-Chancellor and VUW Council for an explanation of these numbers. I think students here would like to know why they, statistically, stand less of a chance of completing their degree than at almost every other University in New Zealand. If appropriate I think students would also like to see what the University’s plan is to address these concerns, if change is appropriate.

STUDENT ELECTIONS 2011

Nominations are open for the VUWSA Executive. The Executive are responsible for the strategic direction and governance of VUWSA and for student representation at Victoria. If you care about your University and students at Victoria, you can make a big difference at VUWSA and I could encourage you to run for a position. Visit vuwsa.org.nz for information, and don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

YOUR STUDENT EXPERIENCE?

I am still looking for students who would like to share their student experience with University Council. Get in touch if you have something to say.

Cheers,

Max Hardy
president@vuwsa.org.nz

I believe that all students should engage in the process of improving the University they attend. The University, I think, is more than just a service provider. Taking ownership of your University is part of making a commitment to your own education and to the generations that will go after us. I am aware of course that some students don’t want to be involved. But there are others who are working to make sure that they and those that come after them have the best experience at University possible. If you are the latter, or care to shake off your apathy cloak for a day, I have two opportunities for you this week.

STUDENT FORUM MONDAY: 2011 FEES and YOUR UNIVERSITY

The Vice-Chancellor, the Chancellor and I will be hosting a student forum on Monday at 2pm in the Memorial Theatre. We will be there to discuss and answer questions on 2011 Student Fees and your University in general.

At VUWSA’s request the Forum has been opened up to issues other than just the fees you pay. It will be a very good opportunity to hear the leaders of the University front up about these issues and ask any questions you might have. I would encourage everyone who is interested in the quality of their education and how much they have to pay for it, to come.

NEW POWER PHRASE: THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Universities have a new power phrase they like to throw around – “the Student Experience”. On 27th of September I will be facilitating a workshop of University Council on this “Student Experience”.

My objective will be to try to give the Council a snapshot into the diversity of experiences that students have at Victoria and what defines these experiences –good and bad, remarkable and unimaginably awful.

Why? Council govern the University, and the decisions they make shape the University and our experiences of it. However, some never come in regular contact with the students of the University they govern.

As a Council, our objective is that all students have an outstanding “student experience” and that we all feel connected to and proud of our University.

No doubt, some students have some experiences that paint a rather negative picture of their time at Vic, either because of a lack of support, or institutional bureaucratic nightmares [StudyLink]. Conversely, some find their time at Victoria enriching and transformative. Sometimes because of what happens in their academic study, and sometimes because of what they do outside of the formal learning environment.

I would be interested in hearing what you think defines your experience, and how you think the University could improve it. Please get in touch (president@vuwsa.org.nz) if you have something to share.

LAST 7 WEEKS: CAMPUS EVENTS

The last seven weeks before exams are upon us. VUWSA wants all these weeks to be good weeks and we hope you will have fun and be supported to achieve exceptionally well. We have organised events every week. Our goal is to be visible and active on campus, so hopefully you will see us around.

Cheers,
Max Hardy
max.hardy@vuwsa.org.nz

The next few weeks are going to be an interesting time for the University and for students. The first half of the semester has started to wind down, essays are begging to be completed and mid-term tests are looming. In addition to this, the University is gearing up to make some significant decisions that will affect you and your studies.

One of the most important of these decisions is the setting of our fees and the decision about whether or not
fees will be raised for 2011. It’s important that students are listened to on this issue and I think it is important that the University fronts up to students. After all, we all want a quality education backed by sufficient resources, but we do not want to be treated like cash cows that don’t have a choice about whether to pay or not.

I have asked the Vice-Chancellor and the Chancellor to attend a student forum on Monday the 6th September so that students have a chance to communicate to senior management and governance what they think are the most important issues that the University should consider when setting your fees for the coming year (and they will can share their thinking). This will also be a chance for you to comment and question the University about the strategic direction it is currently taking. You will have the opportunity to ask the leaders of the University any questions that you might have. But please, no egg throwing.

When it comes to setting our fees it is important that the University fronts up to students about any fee increases. It’s also incredibly important that the university presents a solid, reasonable case for why fees need to be increased, if that is what they are recommending. VUWSA will be trying to ensure that the university is accountable to students and can justify any proposals that affect us.

We have held a “Fees Forums” in the past. This is because fees are important, student debt is increasingly
continually, and we generally do not want to leave University with a massive financial ball and chain. This year however I asked for the Forum to be about more than just fees because I felt that students should have the opportunity to engage with the University’s management and governance on the direction of the
University generally.

Whenever the University makes strategic decisions that affect students, usually students either aren’t aware
of what these strategic directions are, or don’t have a direct opportunity to respond to them (except through
their representatives from VUWSA). These decisions can include anything from deciding to increase the number of post-graduate research students (at the expense of undergraduate places), deciding to invest in a multimillion dollar Campus Hub project, or a decision to set up (or close down) a new School or degree programme.

VUWSA is committed to ensuring that students are informed about these key decisions and have a chance
to have a say where appropriate. However, sometimes it is best to here it from the leader of the University
themselves, and that is why VUWSA has organised this forum.

Thinking in the long run is important. The university’s strategic direction is going to determine what kind of university Victoria is going to be. These are fundamental questions that students should be actively engaged in. Do we want this University to be focussing heavily on science, technology and the physical arts? Or
should we take advantage of the unique position of this place within our capital city, and instead focus more on humanities, politics, governance and law?

At the end of the day, these are questions that students should be engaged with.

The Forum will be held on the 6th September (first day after the mid-trimester break), from 2pm – 3pm in the
Memorial Theatre, Student Union Building.

Three things happening this week:

1. We will be finalising the terms of reference for a comprehensive review of VUWSA’s representative structures and how to improve them dramatically.
2. We will be developing a survey of students, which will be used to ensure that VUWSA is responsive to students and what they want.
3. We will be developing our response to the University’s proposal to reduce the size of the third trimester (see the News section of Salient). We want to ensure that students are able to retain the flexibility that the third trimester offers in finishing their degrees and choosing interesting courses. Please get in contact if you are concerned about this.

Cheers,
Max
president@vuwsa.org.nz

Salient Editor Sarah Robson last week decried VUWSA’s fall from our supposed position as the “bastion of student culture”. Funny. We have never attempted to be that. Does anybody particularly want us to? VUWSA has never been the “centre” of student culture as Sarah’s revisionist history suggests.

VUWSA is a representative organisation that exists to ensure that student interests are advocated for and protected. If VUWSA is performing well one of the things it does is facilitate and promote the development of student culture(s). But our job is not to be the centre of it.

VUWSA provides the magazine that you are reading now primarily because it allows for the development of a student community by providing an outlet for communication and debate. Last time Academic Idol was run, it was a great example of how VUWSA can bring the disparate groups of the University together. I hope it is as successful again this time. Whether the VUWSA By-Election garners more votes than a for-fun Salient run poll with less credibility than a Zimbabwean election is not a good question to ask. Ideally, both would have high turnouts for different reasons.

Whilst never being the “centre of student culture”, whatever that means, VUWSA has consistently supported the development of a culture and community at Victoria. I will give you a number of examples.

We have set up, funded, provided meeting space for and supported countless clubs, societies and representative groups over the years. Many of which are are now “bastions of student culture”. The University population is large and VUWSA recognises that a job is often done better when it is devolved to smaller groups. The PGSA, the Law Students Society, VicComm, the Pacifica Students Council and STUDiO for example all do a fantastic job and that is why VUWSA funds and supports their efforts. If other students set up groups for other sectors of the student community we will support them. Should VUWSA organise the a Law Ball? No, LSS can do it better and VUWSA should help them.

We are funding the development of a “Campus Hub” in Kelburn. This massive project will transform our campus and give it a student-centred heart. It will be the most important development in promoting student culture at Kelburn in a decades. In the past we have funded the building of the new library, the Student Union Building (which provides some of the only exclusive spaces available for non-academic student activity) and the Recreation Centre.

Recently we have ensured a completely new Retail Strategy which is geared towards dramatically improving the quality of the cafes and bars on campus. The Union Hall is being revamped by VUWSA and will once again be a major Wellington gig venue. VUWSA organises Orientation, Re-Orientation, welcome packs, clubs days, Team Victoria’s participation at University Games and Snow Games and hundreads of events around the year. We provide Salient and fund the VBC 88.3 FM.

It is true that campuses in cities more boring than Wellington have a livelier student culture because the city doesn’t offer much else. Wellington offers a lot, and VUWSA doesn’t need to fight that, we need to respond to the particular student body at Victoria.

VUWSA gives students the ability to debate and have a direct say on what services are available on campus, what sort of education they receive and where their fees go. Not all students take up the opportunity, but it is very important that they can.

VUWSA can and should improve. We need a PR and communications overhaul, which will take time. But we should not ignore the great things that our organisation makes possible now.

A new and revealing account of the 19th Century Taranaki land wars has come to light at Victoria University.

The written account of Harriet Gore Browne, the wife of the governor at the time, wasn’t published until 100 years later. This account was the topic of Professor Charlotte Macdonald’s inaugural professorial lecture ‘The Skeleton in My Life: Harriet Gore Browne’s 19th Century Problem’, presented last Tuesday.

Macdonald explored what drove Browne to write this narrative and the circumstances surrounding her at the time. The lecture aimed to place Browne and her account in the context of the changing views in society during the 19th century.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh was extremely pleased with Macdonald’s work.

“Professor Macdonald’s research has contributed much to our understanding of New Zealand history, particularly of the women who emigrated here in the 19th century.”

The lecture was part of the university’s Inaugural Lecture series for new professors.

Executive Reports on Half-Year Progress

This week VUWSA Executive members will all report on their progress thus far towards achieving VUWSA’s goals. These goals were all set by students at a General Meeting of VUWSA and form the basis of everything that VUWSA does.

Our goals are:

ONE:Quality. Ensure quality and equity in teaching, assessment and conditions supported by adequate resources.

TWO: Equity. Promote equity for disadvantaged members in access to the University.

THREE: Outstanding Student Experience. To provide or assist sporting, social and cultural activities.

FOUR: Student Support and Welfare. Ensure adequate income, welfare and employment support for students.

FIVE: Public Issues. To promote discussion and action as appropriate on issues concerning students.

SIX: Value. Maximise benefits and minimise fees.

SEVEN: Accountability. Ensure the structures and procedures that result in effective and efficient communication, management and accountability.

I think these goals are good ones, but as a student you have the right to change VUWSA’s goals and policies.

It is important that VUWSA Executive members are accountable to students and it is an ongoing mission at VUWSA to make sure that we are as transparent and representative as possible.

We will be publishing these reports on our website, with every fortnightly Executive work report and all meeting minutes. If you are interested in what the Executive of your students’ association does then these will give you a good idea.

Overtime I have no doubt that as we work towards these goals VUWSA makes the University a better place to study – academically, socially and economically. This has been true for more than a century – from supporting the development of hundreds of student groups, to ensuring that course outlines were provided for every course, to ensuring the new library building was built.

However, it is also important that we report on our progress, and sometimes we do not do as well on this point.

Column Last Week

I apologise for not submitting a column last week. I was under the impression that I was not supposed to submit a column for that issue.

Things happening next week

Here are seven things that I have picked out of what will be happening next week to help give you a bit of an idea about what VUWSA is up to.

1. The Joint Student Union Board is meeting on Monday. JSUB governs the Student Union Complex and services (including the Recreation Centre). We will be discussing the retail strategy, whether the subsidy for the Recreation Centre services are set at the right amount, and more.

2. I have my regular meeting with the Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh on Monday. In this meeting I want to discuss developing a Student Charter which outlines the rights and responsibility of all students, the 2011 University budget, Victoria becoming a Fairtrade University, providing students with leadership opportunities in governance, 2010 and 2011 admissions and the Student Experience Strategy.

3. Regular meeting with the Manager of the Library Sue Roberts. We will be discussing the new Maori and Pacific collection and how the Library and other Student Services can improve their service points / delivery.

4. University Council will be doing a tour of all the campuses on Saturday.

5. The Student Union Building upgrade developed design meeting will be walking through the final plans for the upgrade.

6. I will be starting a weekly interview on the VBC 88.3 FM – Wednesdays 9.30am. It will be podcasted too, so we will put it up on the website.

7. The VUWSA welfare team will be discussing a plan of action in response to the massive increase in bus prices and GST which will both hit students in the pocket (see the WVP column)

For only a few of you, welcome to Victoria. For most of you, welcome back.

Where have all the new people gone?
Normally we would be welcoming many new students to Victoria at this time of the year. This trimester however there will not be any new domestic undergraduates. More than 1300 people who would otherwise have come to University were denied admission, because the Government said it would not fund them and the University decided it could not afford them. There was exceedingly little notice. Spare a thought for those who have had their plans of study ruined or put on hold by careless planning.

Reorientation
Even though we don’t have many new students we are still holding a Re-Orientation to welcome you back to Victoria. VUWSA and the VBC have sorted a solid week of events from gigs to speed dating. Check this issue of Salient and the VUWSA website or Facebook fan page for more information

VUWSA By-Election
Some positions were not filled last year at the general election, so we are holding a by-election. Nominations are now open for the positions of:

• Vice-President (Administration)
• Vice-President (Education)
• Queer Officer
• International Officer
• Publications Committee Representative

You are welcome to get in touch if you want more information about any of the positions. Being on the VUWSA Executive is a rewarding experience and is about representing the views and interests of all students. You can make very real positive change for students at Victoria in these roles so I would encourage you to think about nominating yourself.

Student Services Levy – What should VUWSA’s Position be? Let us know.
VUWSA wants to know what you think about the Student Services Levy, what services it should fund and how much it should be.

There is a bit of background for this one.

Last year the Student Services Levy, which is levied by the University, was increased significantly. This is because the services it covers are no longer funded partly by your course fees and the government grants. The Levy in 2010 is $510 for on campus students and $326 for distance students.

Although VUWSA vigorously opposed this decision, because it meant that students had to pay more for the same services, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University to ensure students would have a say in the Levy and how it was allocated.

The result of that agreement was that the Student Services and Amenities Levy Advisory Committee (SSALAC) was established to allow for collaboration between the University and students (through VUWSA).

The Committee has a proposal for the 2011 Levy. To keep it simple, the proposal is to limit any fee increases to the amount needed to maintain the level of service delivery at the same as it is in 2010. This would lead to an increase in the Student Services Levy by 1 – 3%. The table below shows you what your fees will look like.

Is this the right proposal? We don’t know what you think unless you tell us. You have your chance to let us know now. We will be putting an online survey on the VUWSA website, so please take 5mins to let us know what you think.

From the President’s Diary:

Saturday and Sunday
NZUSA Conference (national study body, working on national representation and advocacy)
Dunedin

Monday
Regular meeting with Salient Editor
11am, VUWSA

Tuesday
Student Union Building Upgrade Developed Design Meeting
11am, CSB
Equity and Diversity Committee Meeting
1pm, TBA
Student Experience Strategy Group
2pm, TBA

Wednesday
Publications Committee Meeting—10am, VUWSA Offices, all students welcome
Meeting with Director of Student Academic Services Pam Thorburn—11am, HU
Address by Minister for Tertiary Education Steven Joyce—12pm
Campus Hub Project Control Group Meeting—1pm, RB
VUWSA Executive Meeting—5.30PM, VUWSA Meeting Room, Level 2 SUB

Thursday
Regular meeting with VBC Directors
10am, VUWSA Offices
Associate-Director Student Support Services, regular meeting about Student Services—11am, KP

Friday
Regular meeting Associate-Director Campus Support Services —9am, WT
Student Services Levy Workshop with Service Managers—3pm, TBA

Budget 2010

The Government’s latest Budget was not fantastic news for students or the University. Direct funding to the tertiary education sector has been cut by $100 million. Victoria’s grant will be reduced, it seems, by $2.2 million because of the axing of the tripartite funding. This is very bad news for the quality of education and will see your fees increase again.

Changes to the student loan scheme follow the general trend of restricting access to some students, whilst making it more expensive to all of us. The 7 EFTS cap is particularly worrying and marks a significant change in tertiary education policy. Students doing double degrees will in many cases be paying their fees upfront if they slip up only a couple of times during the five or so years it takes to complete such degrees. As we know, that is something that few students can afford. Some students will be forced to leave University unqualified, in massive debt, because they cannot pay their fees upfront and they have, for a variety of reasons, reached the 7 EFTS limit.

Things will also be more expensive for us students. Those who receive living costs will face higher costs due to the increase in GST and more than 6% inflation, without adequate compensation. For students struggling at the moment, that will not be an easy burden to bear.

Overall this Budget treads water by simply shifting money around in the same pot, but with a real decrease in tertiary funding. I was hoping for more, but you can make up your own mind.

VUWSA Alternative Student Guide (VASG)

VUWSA will be publishing the VASG next trimester, which provides information about what students really think about first year courses at Victoria. The aim of the publication is to assist students in choosing their courses by giving them accurate information about the courses they are going to study, and to provide the impetus for improvements in the quality of teaching and learning at Victoria. Thank you to everyone who fills out a survey this week, and contributes to this process.

We will also be extending the VASG online and to 200 and 300 level courses in the near future.

VUWSA Van-Finally putting it behind us

At the end of 2007, two members of the VUWSA Executive made a shameful decision to spend student money to “pimp out” the VUWSA Van. Fortunately, because VUWSA is an accountable organisation, the controversy was comprehensively exposed by Salient and has lingered over the Association since. If the University had made a similarly wasteful decision (as it undoubtedly does, from time to time), then it is unlikely you would have found out about it.

So in many ways the VUWSA van, whilst shameful, has heightened our awareness that our expenditure must be accountable to students. New robust financial policies were put in place to ensure that it could not happen again.

Early this year, the van broke down and this gave us an opportunity to re-assess our needs. We are going to sell the van and the “pimped out” aspects of it and we hope that this will give us the opportunity to put it behind us. We have negotiated with the University, through your representatives on the Joint Student Union Board, to provide the service to students in a cost efficient manner. A new van will be bookable by student groups through VUWSA by trimester 2. The new van will be fit-for-purpose, but will probably not have tinted windows.

We will be seeking to recoup as much as possible from the old van but I am very happy to see VUWSA cutting our losses and putting the controversy behind us.

From the President’s Diary

Monday
VUWSA Performance Management Committee
11am, VUWSA

Meeting with the Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh
3pm, HU

Tuesday
Student Union Building Upgrade Developed Design Meeting
11am, CSB

VUWSA Manager, regular meeting including discussing new finance procedures
2pm, VUWSA

Wednesday
Publications Committee Meeting
12pm, VUWSA Offices, all students welcome

Campus Hub Project Control Group Meeting
2pm, RB

Thursday
Associate-Director Student Support Services, regular meeting about Student Services
11am, KP

Friday
Student Finance Hardship Committee Meeting
8.15am, KP

Assocciate-Director Campus Support Services, regular meeting about Campus Service
9am, WT

University Council last Wednesday voted to close the doors to any new domestic undergraduate students for 2010, with only some exceptions. No students studying in the first trimester will be affected.

The University felt it needed to make this decision because the Government caps the number of students that it is prepared to fund in any year and as the University is already over that cap, it does not want to take on any more “unfunded” students.

The decision will be drastically unfair on many people who were considering studying in the second trimester and have a perfectly reasonable assumption that admissions would remain open, as they have been for at least a decade.

In 2011 the University will introduce managed enrolments based on academic merit, but apparently for 2010 the only measure they can take is a blanket halt on admissions. A very unattractive option.

The decision severely curtails access to tertiary education, including for many very capable students, and sends more than 1300 people out to find jobs in a very bad job-market.

The Government is of course aware of the situation, and could take stop-gap measures to prevent such blatant unfairness whilst Universities move to introduce managed enrolment. They have showed no willingness to do that, and that is very disappointing.

This is very stark example of the effects of reduced government investment in tertiary education.

The move was not supported by student representatives on the Council. We thought that this decision should only be made in exceptional circumstances, and as we had no solid evidence to demonstrate that this was a necessary move, we proposed that the decision be deferred.

This demonstrates a wider issue, which is important to all students. We need to ensure that the University makes decisions that affect students for good reasons and with sound evidence to back it up. It is not heartening to see that this does not appear to be the case. Only with strong student representation can we make sure this happens.

We did however have a small but significant success, when Council voted to allow students who had a few papers to finish their degree to be admitted to the second trimester.

Congratulations to all those who graduate this week.

If you have any questions, ideas or issues, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Regards,
Max Hardy
president@vuwsa.org.nz

From the President’s Diary:

Monday
Graduation Dinner, to congratulate Honorary Degree recipients and celebrate the graduation
7pm, the Wellington Club

Tuesday
Discussion on Draft Research Report into Student Services Levy services at Victoria
10am, SUB

Student Union Building Upgrade Developed Design Meeting
11am, CSB

Meeting to Discuss Student Union Building Relocations
2pm, SUB

Graduation Ceremony One, Faculties of Architecture & Design and Science
6pm, MFC

Wednesday
Publications Committee Meeting
12pm, VUWSA Offices, All students welcome

Graduation Ceremony Two, Faculties of Commerce & Administration and Law
1.30pm, MFC

Campus Hub Project Control Group Meeting
2pm, RB

Graduation Ceremony Three, Faculties of Commerce & Administration and Toihuarewa
6pm, MFC

Thursday
Associate-Director Student Support Services, Regular meeting about Student Services
11am, KP

Graduation Ceremony Four, Faculties of Education and Humanities & Social Sciences
1.30pm, MFC

Graduation Ceremony Five, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences and the New Zealand School of Music
6pm, MFC

Friday
Student Finance Hardship Committee Meeting
8.15am, KP

Student Experience Strategy Group Meeting
9am, HU

This week I will try something new. To keep everyone informed about what VUWSA and I are up to, I am going to give you the privilege of knowing the highlights of my calendar for this week. This will include all those boring things that you may be interested to know are going on but aren’t worth writing a whole column about. Obviously it will not include the regular things that VUWSA continues to do – like quality student advocacy, welfare services like Campus Angels and food banks, clubs and events etc, or the more regular meetings we have with University staff and others.

I hope the new list will give you an better understanding of what VUWSA is up to, and an ability to ask questions when you are interested in anything going on. The list will normally go next to my President’s Column, but Caitlin has that this week, so that will begin next time. To see the events organised for Women’s Fest go to page 33 and for more details about other events and services check out www.vuwsa.org.nz.

From the President’s Diary:

Monday
Joint Student Union Board
2pm , Student Union Building

VUWSA Sport Council
6pm, VUWSA Meeting Room, all students welcome

Tuesday
Student Allowance Review Board Hearing
10am, StudyLink

Campus Hub Student Feedback Workshop
11am-12.30pm, Alan McDiarmand Building, Seminar Room 3, all students welcome

VUW Equity and Diversity Strategy Meeting
1pm, Hunter Building

Campus Hub Student Feedback Workshop
4pm – 5.30pm, Alan McDiarmand Building, Seminar Room 3, all students welcome

VUWSA Cultural Council
6.30pm, VUWSA Meeting Room, all students welcome

Wednesday
NZUSA Federation Executive Meeting
3pm, By Teleconference

Special Meeting of University Council
4.30pm, University Council Chamber

VUWSA Executive Meeting
6.30pm, VUWSA Meeting Room, all students welcome

Thursday
VUWSA Initial General Meeting
1pm, Student Union Hall, all students welcome
Including making sustainability a VUWSA constitutional goal, Police on campus, update on the Campus Hub, and a chance to win a $700 snowboard, $100 grocery voucher and enjoy the BBQ and drinks specials. It is also your chance to make directions and ask questions to the VUWSA Executive.

Friday
Student Finance Hardship Fund Meeting
8.15am, Kelburn Parade

Accountability and transparency to students is important at VUWSA. We are a student run organisation and you control what we do. VUWSA requires a higher degree of accountability for the use of student money than the University does and this is a good thing. VUWSA also spends a lot of its time making sure the University is accountable to you for the use of your money, but that is a much harder task.

Salient does a lot of the work for you, and makes sure that you find out about it when VUWSA has made bad decisions (definitely not something you can say about your University) and that we release the information that we should be releasing.

This week we are taking a number of steps to improve the information that you get about your students’ association.

VUWSA Budget

We will be re-releasing the 2010 VUWSA budget, which has been revised since changes in student numbers and staffing levels. It will be available at www.vuwsa.org.nz and I encourage all students to look at the budget, ask questions, bring ideas and make comments to the Executive.

In 2010 we will also be seeking your feedback on the 2011 budget and will use your feedback on the 2010 budget when drafting it.

VUWSA Operational Plan

We will be releasing the 2010 Operational Plan, which sets out the VUWSA Executive goals and tasks for the year. Again, all students are encouraged to make suggestions or comments based on the plan. Again, in 2010 we will be asking for your feedback in drafting the 2011 plan so ideas are very useful.

Minutes and Work Reports

We will be putting Executive work reports and the minutes of Executive meetings on our website. Executive meetings are open to all students, but most students have better things to do it seems, so these are available if you want to know what we are up to.

VUWSA IGM : Take Two

The IGM, and the presentation of the Annual Report and the audited financial statements are another important accountability measure.

We are re-holding the VUWSA IGM. Twice as much fun. The IGM will now be 1pm on 13th May in the Union Hall. This is a chance for you to see what the Executive is up to, ask questions and make directives. There will also be a free BBQ, cheap drinks and prizes to be won. More information in my Presidents’ Column next week and on the posters around campus.

In 2010 VUWSA will be laying a wreath on ANZAC Day and I wanted to let you know a little bit about why.

In 1917, Rawdon Beere, a Victoria student who was serving in Europe, wrote to Spike (the student magazine at the time):

I have just received a pair of socks from the Association – socks that will warm my feet delightfully, but can never warm them as my heat would be warmed by a sight of the College tennis court and its surroundings.

Most of us will not know what it feels like to wish to return to Victoria as much as Rawdon did. Thousands of students had their studies interrupted or stopped forever as they were enlisted and sent to the horrors of war. At least 435 students, sent to serve in both world wars, would not return. This is something worth remembering.

The First World War gave VUWSA our first woman President, Edith Davies, when President Frederick T Clere was enlisted. Edith organised knitting bees and prepared parcels of socks and other comforts for those serving abroad. It is a small example of the service that Victoria University students have given.

Wars have had a deep impact on the student body at Victoria, and many of our members have served for New Zealand, and some have died doing it, and we will remember that on ANZAC day.

VUWSA Initial General Meeting

The VUWSA IGM is 1pm Wednesday in the Union Hall. There are a number of amazing reasons to be there.

One: We will be presenting the 2009 Annual Report and audited Statement of Accounts, which makes absolutely riveting reading.

Two: You will be treated to an update on the Campus Hub (which we are all funding) and food and drink on campus.

Three: A motion will be put forward reversing VUWSA’s blanket objection to cops on campus. The VUWSA Executive wants permission to invite the police onto campus when it can benefit the safety of our community here, but we will continue our objection to any active patrolling.

Four: A constitutional amendment has been proposed to make sustainability a goal of the Association. If you feel students and the University should be leading the wider community, then you should come and vote.

Five: Three members at the IGM will win prizes! One $700 snowboard and two $100 grocery vouchers are being given away.

So come along and see what we have been up to, ask questions if you feel inclined, and win something maybe.

Very soon National Party MPs will decide whether they are going to support the ACT Party’s to destroy accountable student representation and student-run student services at Victoria. National want to hear what you think about it. I think you should write a submission against this Bill that would put an end to Universal Student Membership. You can do that by going to saveourservices.org.nz before Wednesday.

In order for you to make an informed decision, I thought I would offer you a list of what is at stake.

If this Bill goes through you:

• May end up paying more money, as the University decides to pick up lost services but cannot pull on volunteer labour.
• Will lose your voice. No longer would you have an effective say in how your money is spent, the Universities decisions and your own education. Unfair decisions will be made undisturbed and eventually the quality of education will slip as the University meets its other priorities. You will be taxed without representation.

You will lose these services:

Representation

• Representation on Faculty Boards, Academic Committee, Academic Board, VUW Council, disciplinary hearings, serious misconduct hearings, the Joint Student Union Board (retail, Rec Centre etc.) and many other boards. Student representatives advocate to ensure that your education is a priority and well-funded, that students are treated fairly, that academic and non-academic facilitates are available and good decisions are made.
• Coordination, training and support of over the 800 student representatives every year.
• Funding and support for over a dozen Representative Groups (including the Law Students’ Society, the Postgraduate Students’ Association, and UniQ etc.).
• Representation and advocacy both within the University and externally on issues affecting students (ranging from student employment to library provisions)
• Funding and support for NZUSA – our national voice that won us interest-free student loans, capped university fees, scholarship, quality assessment, countless student welfare and support issues since 1929.
• The shared oversight of the Student Services Levy and the services it fund including Student Health, Counselling, Careers, Finance, Learning Support and Disability Services.

Student Advocate

• Our full-time professional student advocates. Our advocates can support and advocate on behalf of students concerning both internal and external student grievances. The advocate keeps the University honest and ensures that students are treated fairly and not taken advantage of.

Welfare Services

• Free Bread twice a week.
• A food bank service every day at Kelburn and at slightly different times at Karori and Pipitea.
• Campus Angels (now operating from 3 Campuses), which was a service set-up in response to concerns over student safety when they leave our campuses at night.
• Free Bus tickets for students who study at more than one campus such as Karori.
• Free Flu Shots.
• Funding and support for Student Job Search .

Publications and Student Media

• Production and distribution of welfare and education related publications. The VUWSA Alternative Student Guide provides an invaluable guide to what student actually think about the course they have taken.  The VUWSA Cookbook, the International Students’ Guide, the Sexual Health Guide are some of our welfare publications.
• Salient, the award winning student magazine.
• VBC 88.3FM, your student radio station.
• Production and distribution of the annual Handbook Diary and Wall Planner.

Campus Events, Clubs and Student Experience

• Funding and support for over 80 sports and cultural clubs.
• Printing and faxes for all students and student groups.
• Coordinated and subsidies for Victoria teams attending annual sporting events, including but not limited to University Games and Snow Games
• Funding and support for University Sport New Zealand that enables national competition and support for all types of clubs on campus
• Orientation, Re-Orientation, and regular events and activities throughout the year making our time at university a little less dry.

Major building projects

• The building of the Student Union Building, the Library and the Recreation Centre.
• VUWSA is currently undergoing a major project to upgrade and reinvigorate the Kelburn campus area. It is called the Campus Hub Project) and it will give students a vibrant campus. VUWSA has ensured that students have the chance to be consulted at all stages of the project.
• VUWSA through our Trust is providing the funding to upgrade the decapitated Boyd-Wilson Field.

Commercial services

• VUWSA owns VicBooks. Which means we ensure that textbook prices are moderated

Other services

• Provision of subsidized car parks and lockers at all campuses.

Roger Douglas’ Bill was not designed to free you from the chains you never knew you had, but rather a cynical attempt to silence your voice, both locally and nationally, to take collective decision making out of student hands and put it into that of the politicians.

“Ask not what you can do for your [student community]. Ask what’s for lunch”
- Orson Welles

Nothing has acted more like a sedative to the vibrancy of our little University community here at Vic than the state of the food and drink on campus. We surveyed students and one thing glared through the masses of data more than anything else –the food and drink on campus was too expensive and not good enough (there were usually some other words to describe “not good enough”). So we did something about it.

Students want a campus that they want to be around. This is why we are partners to the Campus Hub development, which is geared to creating a vibrant centre for the campus. Retail, and specifically food and drink will be a critically important aspect of this.

VUWSA has ensured that retail spaces are let with the goal of enhancing the campus environment and meeting student expectations, and not merely securing rental revenue. A few dollars of rent is a small reward for a dull campus and unhealthy and poor students.

We ensured student feedback in the development of the briefs for new cafes and kiosks. VicBooks (owned by students for students) has started offering good food and coffee and there are many new developments across the campus coming soon.

But really you should let us know what you want. You now have the right to a say about whether food and drink retailers are meeting your expectations. Isn’t VUWSA just fantastic? So let me know if you have ideas, complaints or questions or would like to be more heavily involved in the process of overseeing the retail on campus.

The swine is coming round again – immunise yourself

Get your flu shot. Flu in the middle of your studies/exams/assessments is lame. Swine flu will be the seasonal flu this time around, so it is probably a good idea to immunise.

You can get one from the Memorial Theatre Foyer this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 11.30 and 1.30pm and from Pipitea Student Health while stock last.

We will stick up for you

The story of the students who were forced out of their course, after having attended lectures and tutorial and having paid their fees is not an isolated event. The University is staffed with people who want to give you a great education, but they don’t always look at it from your perspective. Sometimes with very bad results. If you think you are being treated unfairly then you should contact our Advocate and they will usually be able to sort out any issues within the day.

Class Representatives are being trained this week. Every paper you are enrolled in should have one. Make sure you know who they are and if your class doesn’t have one, email our Education Organiser. Class Reps act as important link between you, your lecturer and VUWSA. If you have any concerns about your lecturer, course content, or assessment then have a chat with your Class Rep who will be able to help you or they can help you get in touch with us.

New additions to the VUWSA family
Last week VUWSA welcomed two new staff members. Melissa Barnard takes up the new Clubs and Events Manager role and Advertising and Sponsorship Manager Wendy Turk. Both Melissa and Wendy bring a lot of fresh energy and commitment to their roles and are looking forward to the year ahead.

Melissa is coordinating the Team Vic defence of the University Games Shield during the Easter break. If you play one of the 23 sports on offer and are keen on travelling to Invercargill (travel subsidies available) email clubs@vuwsa.org.nz. We defended the Shield last year so we will need a very strong team to triumph once again and make it an unprecdeneted three in a row

Max Hardy
president@vuwsa.org.nz

A lot is at stake over the next few months.

The Act Party currently have a Bill in Parliament that would put an end to accountable student representation, devastate advocacy, welfare and many other student services, severely weaken the vibrancy of campus and eventually decrease the quality of education at Victoria. I think you should let the Government know that you don’t want a bar of it.

When you enrol at Victoria, you become a member of VUWSA and you chip in for a vast array of services that VUWSA provides. Being a member of VUWSA means that you have a say in how your money is spent and those that spend the money are accountable to you. That is not true for other services at Victoria which are not accountable to you, but take your money nonetheless.

Paying more money for less is not something that many students want to have to do. The Act Party Bill in Parliament proposes that you can no longer pay for important student services with your student loan or have control over what services are delivered and how much they cost. Instead, you will either have to pay the money upfront if you choose to join, or you will have to pay the money to the University. The trouble is, the University cannot provide the services to you at the same cost as VUWSA, which relies on many thousands of hours of volunteer labour and is not burdened by the bureaucracy of a large institution. And why should they if they are not accountable to you?

Student representatives make sure that your education is a priority for the University and students are treated fairly and not taken advantage of. They also make sure that your money is spent well. You need a voice across the University, on University Council, each Faculty, and each class. You also need a voice making sure that there are appropriate learning and teaching facilities, as well as facilities for non-academic activities. Student representatives ensure the University is thinking about the whole student experience.

But I don’t really want to preach to you. Instead I would like you to make up your own mind. Would you prefer that you had accountable student representation and that you were levied by an organisation that students could control or would you prefer that you were levied (more) by an organisation that you had no control over?

You can find out more about the Act Party Bill at www.saveourservices.org.nz.

Also feel free to email me, or pop into VUWSA, if you have any questions or ideas.

This week you should join a club, attend as many orientation events as possible, familiarise yourself with the services available to you on Campus, pick your tutorials and figure out whether you have chosen the right courses. You may also have StudyLink to contend with, some readings to do and a new city and Campus to get used to. I hope it is an extraordinary week. Have fun. It only gets more stressful from now.

This week is also a good time to reflect on why you are at University in the first place. To learn, probably. Victoria University likes to say that you are here to ‘develop you critical thinking skills’, so that is a good goal. Have fun and enjoy the whole student experience, is also a good reason to be here. Get a degree and a real job, is a common one.

The degree you end up with is probably not the most important thing you will get from your time at University. The students that get the most out of their time at University are those that get involved in the student community and take advantage of all the opportunities available to them. Your discussions, experience, networks, friendships and ideas you build outside the formal University learning environment are usually more important than the piece of paper you receive at the end of it.

Once you have figured out why you are here, you should ask what you think the University and VUWSA should be doing. The University is owned by the people of New Zealand and students are the key stakeholder in the provision of their own education. That means you have the right to have your say about all aspects of the University. You also have the responsibility to ensure you are getting the most of your own time here.

VUWSA was set up by students at Victoria, who understood that students were the only people who could represent students. They believed that only students could ensure that the University was delivering the education, community and facilities that they wanted out of their time here. This 111 year old idea still holds true.

Feel free to come into the VUWSA offices at any time with any questions relating to anything to do with the University and your experience in Wellington as a student. Also feel free to send me an email – president@vuwsa.org.nz

New students, Welcome to Victoria! Returning students, Welcome back. Third trimester students, I hope you had a fantastic weekend. If I have not introduced myself already, my name is Max and I am the humble President of your students’ association for 2010. It is our job to help you get the best out of your time at University in 2010.

There are three messages I have for you in my first Salient column – VUWSA has changed; you should get involved in Orientation and student representation is important.

The VUWSA you may be familiar with or have heard questionable stories about has changed. We have a new intake of talented staff, a fresh and committed Executive and a new outlook with a solid focus on our core principals. While we have always delivered a broad range of services for students at Victoria in a very financially efficient manner, this year we are committed to doing so professionally and consistently. Scandals of the past which have overshadowed the enormous contribution that VUWSA makes to the student community are no more.

It is safe to say that Orientation 2010 is one of the best in years. From March 1 our own mini music-festival will show you the best of what Wellington has to offer and is the perfect distraction from your studies. Featuring some of the most exciting and talented artists from across the land and the world. Deerhoof, the Chills, Ladyhawke (DJ Set), the Mint Chicks, Die! Die! Die!, Ladi 6 and many more all for under $20 or free. You should also participate in the many other activities we have on. Check our website for the details. You can get a lot more from your time at University than grades, so make sure you are involved in the activities around. VUWSA will be running Clubs Week all week in the quad and joining a club is one of the best ways to get involved.

Victoria is a fantastic University and it is run by committed staff who seek to provide you an outstanding education. However, believe it or not, they do not always take your perspective into account. Sometimes they have conflicting priorities and sometimes they just don’t realise that there is a student perspective to be heard or don’t know who to talk to. And a very few times they are pretty evil. That is why student representation is important.

VUWSA co-ordinates and supports over 800 student representatives across the University. Your representatives ensure that your education is a priority, that students are the number one stakeholder in any important decision and that don’t get hoodwinked by the University. They represent you on bodies ranging from the University Council, Faculty Boards, the Joint Student Union Board, to the Hardship Committee and the Bar Committee.

This year we are adding some new representatives. A new committee will now oversee the setting of the Student Services Levy (funds Student Health, Finance, Counselling services etc.) and another one the provision of food and drink on campus. Sound like something that is important to you? There will be opportunities for you to have your say.

2010 will also see work beginning on the Campus Hub Project. VUWSA is helping fund a massive upgrade of the Kelburn campus and so if you have any ideas, concerns or questions you should let us know and we work with you in making Kelburn a campus that you want to be around.

Hello. Kia ora. My name is Max. I am your new AVP. I deal with money. $$. £€₣7/8©¥™.

You may have seen the tax refund ads all over the place at the moment, and as your newly elected, responsive, forward-thinking, money man, I have introduced a service that will help you get your money back, for free.

Free Tax Refund Advice—don’t give your money to no-one

The Government may owe you money. You could let them spend it on healthcare or welfare or something, or you could wrench it from their cold ungrateful hands. Very soon VUWSA will be helping you do just that. A number of faceless corporations offer you this service already, but they take a significant cut of your money. VUWSA will not do that, because we are nice (and you’ve already paid for us anyway).

VUWSA provides a lot of services to students (like way heeeaps), and we provide them very cheaply, a lot cheaper, for instance, than the University could provide them for. One thing I want to do is to increase the amount and quality of services we provide students, and in the long-term bring their cost down (which is mostly your levies). Look out for the publicity on this one and do not give a cut of your money to anyone.

Better Financial Accountability, Processes and Budgeting

It has become customary for the outgoing VUWSA Executive to complain about “longstanding issues with VUWSA’s financial systems”. So do something about it, you had a year. Well I have a couple of months. Improving VUWSA’s financial systems and accountability is my top priority.

I campaigned for it, so this is what I am doing:

The Executive has recently introduced a monthly accounts review system, which will review profit and loss and balance sheet against budget, and review debtors and creditors, with reporting on steps being taken on any accounts over 30 days. The monthly review will also confirm that till, payroll, GST and bank reconciliations and other regular checks have been done. We have also introduced a Theft and Fraud Prevention Policy. Simple stuff; why did it take so long?

What’s more – we are going to make the 2010 Budget (and subsequent monthly reviews against budget) actually make sense to students, and to the 2010 Executive (quite groundbreaking). This will allow better accountability, and give more control to the Executive on things like surpluses and deficits… cost overruns and cost under… runs…

More revenue, more money, more services

Some of VUWSA’s money does not come from student levies. This is a good thing, because it allows us to provide services to our members that they do not pay for (so you get more bang for your buck or whatever). It also builds a sustainable Association. I am currently in the process (with others) of developing a non-member revenue plan, so you get more stuff, and, eventually, your levies can be reduced, if that is what students vote for.

The door (or email server) is open

I am at VUWSA a lot of the time, and I am more than willing to discuss with you the state of VUWSA’s administration and finances, my plans and any plans you might have. Accountability is what it is about.

In service,
Max Hardy
Vice-President (Adminstration),
avp@vuwsa.org.nz

Needless to say, I was surprised the plays were quality. All of them were. And I was terribly impressed. The Two Day Plays is an event that should stick around.

The six finalists each did their best to devise and polish a ten minute play in 2 days. As well as using their two prescribed props, the play had to have someone shaving in it, and a thirty second song.

First to knock that bastard off were the HalfWITS. Their play, Destination Venus, was a fine example of some old fashioned New Zealand storytelling. Two kiwi blokes from Rangiora decide to build a rocket – because if Sir Ed could climb a mountain – then they can get to Venus. The story culminates in a classic bloke vs sheliah dilemma when one of the boys, Gordon, falls in love with an Alien. A nice story, well told with the support of a terrific soundscape and some solid acting. Oh, and he chose the girl – I like that.

Hackman were next up and took the risky and not-too-often attempted challenge of devising a more serious play. The Execution of Billy Ray Mitchells was a clever and engaging depiction of the circumstances surrounding a Texan man’s capital execution. Including a live Skype feed from Auckland, some inspired use of the audience and chilling moments of drama, this was a good play. Indeed, out of all of them, it stuck with me the most.

Holy Balls was the play devised by a group of year-eleven Wellington High School students, with more senior directors. A funny little story, not intended for the Christians in the audience. There is a new messiah in town, and he has been told by God to make fired chicken – Christian Fried Chicken – “Good for the Soul”. Very well done, and featuring the best integration of shaving into any of the plays as the disillusioned messiah rips his Jesus-beard off in defiance when Campylobacter threatens his business (how could God do that to him?). The High School students certainly held their own amongst the more established groups.

The Places in Between by Newtown Ghetto Anger was wonderfully creepy. A man doesn’t like salespeople. In fact he has developed a penchant for trapping them in his basement. This time it is a Mormon. Excellent comic-timing made for a hilarious time, and an interesting backwards structure kept us intrigued. However, the ending was rather confusing, and not really in a good way. Despite that, thoroughly enjoyable.

My favourite of the night was Refreshments Will Be Served by the ever-impressive Theatre Militia. A simple story portraying one man coping with the death of his father. As he is hit by this loss, he is immediately sent through the rigmarole associated with such incidents. Making funeral preparations. Receiving condolences. Wondering whether he has a clean suit. Vegemite or marmite? A play of great integrity and tied together by a terrifically understated performance by the main actor. The high-risk strategy of “doing serious” paid off here.

The last finalists were Babyshads and they gave us Kelburn Mama Mia: An Abadaba tribute. The life of the stay-at-home-super-mum came under fire in this delightful acidic comedy. It’s all perfect and friendly until you stab someone, drag them into your laundry and try to find those ‘perfect abs’ somewhere amidst their stomach fat. An inspired song, that I have called friendly, friendly, made the play an extremely pleasurable experience.

The judges then retired, and we were treated with the enchanting, quirky little number The Autopsy as a filler. The judges decided on the HalfWITS and their Destination Venus as the winner of the competition and an impressive prize package.

Overall, it was a great night of great theatre, and was brilliantly presented by Cohen Holloway – the self-proclaimed king of ‘not knowing what the fuck he is doing’.

I look forward to the second Two Day Plays – and you should too.

By Max Hardy