Students’ associations call for national reform

Students’ associations call for national reform

Today, the Presidents of the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA), Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) and Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) said that they would investigate a series of reforms for discussion at the NZUSA Congress on 8 November.

These reforms will include:

• A more inclusive governance structure that involves all student associations
• An increased focus on core NZUSA business: loans, allowances and the impact of Voluntary Student Membership
• A credible role in organizing relevant, national campaigns on issues that matter to students.

The VUWSA President Rory McCourt said he empathized with the concerns of students and student representatives who have reservations that NZUSA had fallen into a period of inactivity. McCourt said “these reforms offer hope for the return of an effective national student voice.”

The AUSA President Daniel Haines “welcomes the need for internal review so that we always perform to best practice, NZUSA needs to have clear direction from its members so moving forward there are clear expectations of needs.”

Otago University Students’ Association President Francisco Hernandez said: “Now is not the time to abandon a national student voice at a time when many students are hurting due to government allowance restrictions, increases in the cost of living and suffering in cold damp flats.”

The Presidents called the recent moves by the Waikato Students Union (WSU) President giving notice to withdrawal from national body without consulting Waikato students, a “rash and hasty decision”. The three called for careful consideration of the issues facing NZUSA, but appreciated that WSU had generated a discussion for improving the organisation.

All the three student associations will undertake a robust consultation process with students and their executives, engaging their memberships and other students’ associations nationwide with the goal of achieving a positive way forward for a strong national student voice in New Zealand

ENDS