If the money is retrieved from Clelia, as this article states is the VUWSA executive’s intention, “every student” could not possibly be paying for this – just one.

Graeme: There is more information on this topic in this week’s Eye On Exec

VUWSA is not the university, and the university is not a debt collector – Critic and OUSA have spent recent years opposing proposals to increase Otago University’s power over students and VUWSA should be doing the same.

Will it support the university withholding degrees and course changes from those with unpaid power bills or rent arrears? I certainly hope not.

VUWSA has a right to be peeved off, but it shouldn’t seek to vastly increase the power of the university for a few thousand dollars. If VUWSA wants its money back it should file a claim in the disputes tribunal (it’ll cost them $50) and/or engage a debt collection agency.

And I’ll be just as annoyed with the university if it agrees to this.

Oh – and pay Chris Renwick his honorarium. The honorarium may have been foolishly raised a number of years ago, but it’s his right and he should be paid – if people within VUWSA think he’s not doing enough to be paid, or don’t like him or his actions enough to pay him they have two options:

1) If they don’t think it impacts on his continuing to hold office, then lower or refuse his bonus(es); or
2) If it’s more serious, file a petition for an SGM to move a motion of no confidence.

Like it or not, Renwick was elected. His election may have been guarenteed when Alexander Nielson won Treasurer, but people voted for him and have left him in office for the 3~4 months he served. And they voted and haven’t sought his removal knowing he’s entitled to be paid – however little work he does and however much he annoys anyone else.

And if these options are considered insufficient then try to change the rules.

And I laughed.

“Normal Person Elected to VUSA; Genuine Lack of Fucktardery Surprising, Welcomed.”