The Student Services and Amenities Levy Advisory Committee (SSALAC) is committed to ensuring students receive maximum value form the services, and the information provided in the submissions has been very useful in helping us understand what this means to you.

Firstly, the range of views presented on the proposed increase to the Levy for 2011 helps us shape the recommendation we will be presenting to the Vice-Chancellor later this month. And secondly, the ideas posed around the services themselves provided a snapshot of the potential direction and shape of the services. We will be engaging further with you in the near future about how we can explore and develop the ideas raised in the submissions.

Held in the Memorial Theatre on Monday 6 September from 2 – 3pm, the forum will be hosted by Chancellor Ian McKinnon, Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh and VUWSA President Max Hardy.

This forum is a follow-on from last year’s fee forum, but this year students will have the opportunity to ask questions about more than just fees.

Hardy says he thinks this development will be received well by students.

“VUWSA thought that some students would appreciate the opportunity to engage with the leaders of VUW about the general direction of VUW, rather than just about fees.”

The forum will cover government policies impacting the university, key developments in the university and the student fees process, including the setting of domestic fees for 2011.

The forum will also enable McKinnon, Walsh and Hardy to communicate the issues considered by the University Council when setting student fees and determining the university’s strategic direction.

This forum is similar to Massey University’s Vice-Chancellor’s Student Forum held in July, which also allowed students the opportunity to ask questions on a range of topics. Unlike Massey’s forum, the Victoria forum will not be accessible online.

Marino Harker-Smith, Salient.

Vice President (Education)

Bridie Hood – 662

No Confidence – 204

Vice President (Administration)

Richard Carr – 317

Thomas Horrobin – 172

Alan Young – 297

International Officer

Paul Zhong – 604

No Confidence – 244

Queer Officer

Kerry Brown – 246

Cruz Johnson – 221

Tom Reed – 298

Publications Committee Representative

Timothy Parker – 753

Total Votes Cast

For – 3570

No Confidence – 448

Total – 4018

To become a Class Rep and register for one of the following training sessions, please fill in the form at the back of the Class Representative Handbook and return it either in person or by email to the VUWSA Office. There are over 60 spot prizes to be given away at the trainings and nibbles will also be provided.

Foundation (Basic) Training

The foundation training sessions are for first time Class Representatives. You will learn the ins and out of your role and your attendance is a mandatory requirement in order to receive your Class Representative Certificate.

August 3

Kelburn, 11am – 12.30pm, Meeting Rooms 1 & 2, Student Union Building

Pipitea, 3.15pm – 4.30pm, RWMZ05

August 4

Kelburn, 9.15am – 10.45am, Meeting Rooms 1 & 2, Student Union Building

August 10

Kelburn, 3.15pm – 4.30pm, Meeting Room 2, Student Union Building

August 11

Kelburn, 10am – 11.30am, Meeting Room 3, Student Union Building

Supplementary Communication Workshop and Training

The supplementary trainings are for Class Representatives who attended training in Trimester One. Led by a specialist in communication and leadership, returning Class Representatives will build on their skills learnt in Trimester One.  This is a fantastic practical workshop so you should take this wonderful opportunity to increase your skill base.

August 4

Te Aro, 1pm – 2.15pm, R2.04

August 5

Kelburn, 2.15pm – 3.45pm, Meeting Room 3, Student Union Building

August 12

Pipitea, 3pm – 4.15pm, RWW501

Under 4.3.2 of Victoria University’s Security Management Guidelines, anyone who cannot produce a valid ID card can be asked to leave the premises. 

Over the last few months the University have had a number of non-students accessing and using computers and other resources; so they have increased their surveillance. 

All campus secruity guards wear a uniform with their name badge.  Anyone who is approached is fully within their rights to ask for identification. The University will also ensure that the guards introduce themselves when making requests for ID.

Victoria University students Phillip Drew and Aiken Hakes received the NZU Blue for outstanding achievements in croquet, while Lizzie Ingham was recognised for her performances in orienteering. Ella Edginton, Polly Higbee, and Stephen Whittington were rewarded for debating.

Winners were revealed last week by University Sport New Zealand, acknowledging the triumphs of university athletes in 2009.

From the 60 students across New Zealand who will receive the awards, 16 represented the country at the Beijing Olympics, while a further 28 have been granted a Prime Minister Scholarship for 2010.

University Sport New Zealand Executive Director Louise Burns says receiving a New Zealand Universities Blue is one of the greatest honours a student athlete can achieve.

“Since 1919 just over 2500 NZU Blues have been awarded. Previous recipients include All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, Olympic gold medallist Danyon Loader and 2009 Halberg recipient, rower Hamish Bond, so this year’s recipients are certainly amongst good company.”

VUWSA Clubs and Events Manager Melissa Barnard was understandably pleased with Victoria’s performance.

With attentions turned to professionalising the realm of sport, Barnard admitted winning an NZU Blue is a demanding feat.

“The selection criteria for winning an award for sports such as rugby are difficult.

“While there is a strong focus on their athletic performances, students must meet academic requirements. Players must be at the top of their game, which is the case for Drew and Hakes who have represented New Zealand.”

New Zealand Debating Champion Stephen Whittington agreed the selection process was tough but felt Victoria provides the debating society with a great deal of support, including sponsorship for international competitions.

“Our speakers are internationally respected and certainly debating is a strong sport at Victoria University.

“I understand criteria for selecting debating award winners in the NZU Blues are being reviewed, but young people are often interested in the debating society when they start here.”

By Rebekah Galbraith, Salient

Sarah*, 19, had planned to start a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics and International Relations in trimester two.

“I rang the enrolment people at Vic to talk about my courses before I applied, and they said I should have no troubles [getting in].”

VUWSA President Max Hardy says the decision has had a wider impact than the university allowed for.

“It is disappointing that the decision was pushed through so quickly, so close to the start of trimester two, with very little warning.

“Those students intending to enrol had a reasonable expectation that they would be able to study.”

Sarah agrees. “I thought I would be going to Vic, there was nothing to make me think I couldn’t.”

After applying online in late April, Sarah moved to Wellington in early May to set up her flat and find a job before uni started.

“They must have known before now, they must have been able to let us know sooner.”

Sarah says she is no longer sure where she will study now she is not able to apply to Vic until next year.

“It’s a really long way away. Most of a year really. It would be a bit different if I could go to summer school at Vic, but they have closed that to us too.”

A high-achieving student, Sarah says she is no longer sure that she will get the education she wants from Victoria.

“I know that I will make it into Vic next year, but it’s such a shambles that I don’t want to.

“I am starting to think that maybe it would be a better idea to go somewhere else.”

Losing high calibre students was a concern raised by some members of the University Council when making the decision to close admissions.

Victoria University Director of Student Academic Services Pam Thorburn says while the university cannot comment on individual students, “the university is always concerned about the potential loss of a student who is capable of completing degree study”.

“We appreciate that this decision may have a significant impact on study plans and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

Sarah says the issue is now trying to figure out what to do next.

“They really have left a lot of people without a direction. I know of other people in the same place as me.”

“A lot of us don’t have the experience we need to be able to get jobs to support ourselves and it’s just really tough, there aren’t many jobs for students at the moment.

“We’re kinda screwed.”

*Sarah requested that we change her name.

By Angela Mabey, Salient

Rotorua’s Cleveland Motel charged VUWSA $6724 for what they said were necessary repairs for damage caused by drunk Vic students staying there during Uni Games 2008.

The students made national headlines for their drunken revelries, and subsequent eviction by the motel’s owners.

Following a decision in the Disputes Tribunal in late February 2009, the Cleveland Motel was ordered to refund VUWSA a sum of $4114 from the $6724 it charged the association for cleaning and the non-utilisation of the final night’s accommodation.

The Cleveland Motel argued it was entitled to charge VUWSA for the damage and cleanup work left in the wake of the drunken carnage. The motel’s owners did not feel obligated to refund the association for the last night’s accommodation.

VUWSA stated there was inadequate proof to substantiate some of the costs charged for cleaning and damage.

Despite being ordered to pay the money back to VUWSA, the Cleveland Motel owners stubbornly refused to do so.

In late 2009, then-VUWSA Vice-President (Administration) Hardy asked the District Court to enforce the Disputes Tribunal decision.

Over a year after the Disputes Tribunal decision, VUWSA finally received the cash.

When contacted by Salient last year, Cleveland Motel management were less than consolatory about the decision, or indeed students in general.

“You fucking students are the scum of the earth,” the man said.

“You fucks, you scum of the earth. Look what you little pricks did down in fucking Dunedin! Scum of the earth, go save the world! Go save the fucking whales!”

When questioned about what the money would be used for, Hardy joked “Maybe we can go help those whales now.”

By Angela Mabey, Salient

The unprecedented and unexpected decision will be drastically unfair to potential students who will have been acting under an entirely reasonable expectation that admissions would remain open.

The decision is a result of the fact that the Government will not fund additional students for 2010.

“This is an extremely unfortunate consequence of the Government’s policy to limit enrolments,” said Max Hardy, President of the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association.

“We are asking the Government and the University to get around the table together and come to an agreement to fund these additional students for trimester 2”.

“This is a glaring example of how funding cuts affect individual students and potential students” 

“Access to tertiary education for all potential students, including very capable applicants, has been compromised, which is something all New Zealanders will be concerned to hear”

“Another 1300 potential students will now be looking for jobs and this is the wrong job market to make that decision”

The move was not supported by student representatives on the Council who said that the decision needed to be based on sound evidence which was not forthcoming.

“It was clear that the Council was in a very difficult situation, but I do not think that the information the Council needed to make this decision was forthcoming and that is why we suggested that it be postponed”.  Hardy concluded.

For further comment contact Max Hardy at 027 563 6986.

Examples

An estimated 1300 students will be denied access to Victoria. There will be many different circumstances.

Potential Student A:

Student A worked for the first half of the year in order to afford their tertiary education without getting into too much debt. They will now have to wait a further six months and will face managed enrolments (and the potential to again not be admitted) when they try again.

Potential Student B:

Was a top-scholar at their High School and was overseas during part of the first trimester for extra-curricular activities. They will not be granted admission.

Potential Student C:

Lost their job in the middle of the trimester, and has planned to up-skill themselves in tertiary education. They will be facing another 6 months of unemployment or inadequate employment.

Potential Student D:

Planned their degree properly for any number of reasons, and decided to start in the second trimester instead of the first.  They will not be granted admission.

No one around campus knows the history of the plaque, or if they do, they aren’t telling Salient.

If you don’t know where it is, then sorry, but it is tradition to not print where it is. Well, possibly not, but Salient has decided to make it one.

There was a lot of effort into placing the plaque, but due to the Campus Hub Redevelopment it has to move.

The university has asked VUWSA to find it a new home.

VUWSA President Max Hardy says the exec will be searching for an appropriate home for the sign.

“We are glad the university didn’t take the opportunity to take the sign away.

“It is a tradition on campus that we are happy to continue.”

VUWSA has agreed to continue the tradition and not publicise the plaque’s new home. Decisions made about the sign will be kept put of official minutes, just in case.

By Angela Mabey, Salient