"What Is The Exec."?

Thirteen men and women have the care of £8633/10/-per annum, and have almost unrestricted powers over the affairs of over 2400 students who are members of the V.U.C. students association. Yet what do those students know of the work and personnel of their Exec.? What do those who vote, or don't bother to vote, at the annual Stud. Ass. elections know of the responsibilities which the successful candidate will have to bear?

Two years ago the then Secretary, shortly after the elections, resigned in protest at the inertia of some members of the Exce.—members he said who were not bearing the responsibility which their position entailed. But for all most students know or care the Exec. could go on holiday for a year, or invest the association funds in the St. George.

At fortnightly intervals the Exec. meets during term dealing with both routine matters and also such expensive and ambitious affairs as Extravaganza, of the new Student Union Building. Except just before elections when a few of the potential Exec. candidates come along to see what they are undertaking there are usually no students who consider it worth while even to see one sample of their representatives in action. (Sometimes an enterprising Psychology students will make a study of the Exec. for in time of decision people in a committee give very revealing examples of their inner makeup.)

The Exec's powers and duties range over all aspects of student welfare and entertainment. From encouraging such student activities as they "may deem lit." promoting student "health and physical welfare." managing and conducting a restaurant, publishing Salient and Spike, preserving records, employing servants and agents, handling all the Association finances, engaging in legal proceedings on the behalf of the Association, clubs, or individual students, controlling the affairs of affiliated clubs: examining their books, appointing temporary committees, or what you will.

The Exce. consists of thirteen, or fourteen if there is an Assistant Secretary. President, male and female Vice Presidents. Secretary. Treasurer, and four each men and women committee members. As well, there are an Accountant who sits in on meetings and gives financial advice, and the permanent office secretary who takes minutes at Exec. meetings, and is an expert, or Civil Servant, on Stud. Ass. business.

The Exec. has delegated to it by the Professorial Board powers of discipline over students. It may impose fines up to £1/1/- and also dock culprits the cost of any damage caused: as was recently done to the Weir House boys who painted the Cable Cars.

Vis-a-vis the Exec. the ordinary run of students have just as much power and influence as the Exec. accords them. Exec. members have not in the past shown themselves very concerned over re-election (a) because students don't really care what they do so long as it isn't too fantastic. (b) because most Exce. members only stand for one term, and (e) we could perhaps add, because they do not allow political motives to influence their actions as responsible administrators.

They have almost complete liberty to disregard the wishes of an A.G.M. the only proviso is that within set time limits, 100 members of the Association may requisition a referendum, when a two-thirds majority may override the Exec. Otherwise the only course, and a much simpler one, is to call an S.G.M for which only 25 members need petition, when a quorum of 50 may pass a vote of no-confidence, i.e., sack the Exce. In fact, of course the Exec. is pretty responsible to student opinion, and when they override General Meetings they do so because resolutions are impracticable, or student opinion seems apathetic or agin the resolutions, or they may just be too casual. The last two, for instance, were the main reasons for the disregard of the recent resolutions on H Bombs.

This year, in particular, the Exec., faced with an ever increasing amount of business, has resorted to the method of setting up advisory administrative committees to handle specific issues. There is, for example, the Finance Committee, perhaps the best known and most powerful. It is this committee which effectively allocates club grants and handles the Association's thousands. Nevertheless, the Exec., like Parliament, only delegates at will. It can always override its committees, or resume the committee's functions. Other committees ate the Extravaganza Committee, which runs the Associations best money raiser, the annual review, the Social, which organises dances and social pleasure, the Blues which awards the V.U.C. blues, the new Capping and Cappicade committees, the Publications, whose only real function is to advise the appointment of editors of Salient and Spike, and the House and International Affairs Committees will advise on overseas policy, looks after overseas students here, and publicise and attempt to expand student travel facilities. Usually, and constitutionally, the convener of the Committee is an Exce. member. As well, any member of the Exce. may attend Committee meetings, though they are normally closed to others, and the President is ex officio a member.

As well as representing the Association where necessary, chairing Exec. meetings, and some committee meetings, and generally supervising Exce. affairs, the President has such special functions as being censor of all Association publications, which probably also includes club publications.

While the Exec. has the final say in many appointments of non-Exce. members, such as Records Officer, Orientation Handbook co-editor (together with Mr Hogg, the College Liaison officer). editors of publications, organisers of Extrav., and Tournament controllers, there are many duties normally assigned, some necessarily, to Exec. members. Perhaps the lightest duty is that of club liaison officer, normally each Exec. member being an officer for three clubs. But the clubs make little use of this facility, and there are occasions when club business is raised at Exec. meetings and the liaison officers knows nothing whatsoever about it.

Then there are Student Association representatives on various bodies, such as the Student Union Planning Committee, the College Council, the Te Aro Park Committee. World University) Service). N.Z.U.S.A. biannual Council meetings.

The Exce. appoints members or conveners of its various committees, such as the House Committee, and assigns different portfolios. These are numerous and sometimes onerous. The cultural liaison officer was responsible for doing the preliminary work on the Arts Festival. The Health Officer organised the recent mass X-rays, the Public Relations Officer maintains good relations with the press, the Travel and Exchange Officer organises the exchange with Australia, the Board and Accommodation and Employment Officers maintain the registers in the Exce. office. As well members may develop their own pet schemes, such as the convener of the Education Sub-committee, which is considering the whole scope of university education.

While many dunes formerly undertaken by Exce. members are now handled by others, e.g. would-be, but defeated Exec. members, of the various committees, there are still enough Exec. tasks to jeopardise exams.

Fortunately there are some public spirited enough to under lake the duties, and others who are prepared to soft-pedal their studies for a year or so.

—W.