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Salient. The Newspaper of Victoria University College. Vol. 19, No. 5. May 5, 1955

Fresher Eligibility

Fresher Eligibility

Shirley Thomson (VUC) in the Woman 80 meters Hurdles. She won.

Shirley Thomson (VUC) in the Woman 80 meters Hurdles. She won.

—Block Courtesy "Auckland Star".

Requesting that the Council vote for a motion which would allow freshers to compete in Easter Tournament, the CUC delegation through Male. Douglass gave four main reasons in favour of their proposal. First, the first year student was the potential leader in student affairs, and it was therefore desirable to gain his interest early. Secondly, freshers constituted the largest single class of students in the university, and should be treated as their importance warranted. Thirdly, first impressions of freshers were most important—fresher eligibility would in effect induce these students to play for the university summer sports clubs. Fourthly, claimed CUC, by refusing to allow first-year students to compete in tournament, colleges were in effect cutting across the purpose and spirit of orientation.

Referring to the problem of "ringins", CUC thought that this would be virtually eliminated, and in reply to criticism of fresher's immaturity, made two points, first that whether the charge that freshers would be corrupted by tournaments was true or not, the blame lay at the feet of NZUSA Council and secondly, that the Council underestimated the power of the first-year student to differentiate between right and wrong.

Mr. Douglass, suggested that freshers warranted the same privileges as the rest of the student community.

VUC's delegation, led by Mr Galvin, wanted students in their first year to give some indication of their willingness to play for a University club before they were eligible for Easter tournaments. To this end, they proposed that freshers would not be deemed eligible unless they had played before Easter for the University College in whose district they had resided for the previous year.

This scheme was called unjust by Mr. M. J. and K. B. O'Brien. CUCs remit was eventually carried.

The despondent old gentleman emerged from his club and climbed stiffly into a taxicab.

"Where to, sir?" asked the driver respectfully.

"Drive off a cliff," replied the old gentleman, "I'm committing suicide."