What indeed?

What are university politicians doing to us?

The lunacy of the comments attributed to Colin Knox in the last Salient are paralleled only by the ludicrous statement which Professor Percy of Auckland made at the conclusion of his negotiations with the Government for an increase in the salaries of university teaching staff.

What Mr Knox said at the June 10th Meeting of the Joint Committee was a blatant contradiction of the Students' Association's policy and was in opposition to the statements of the other student representatives on the committee. Surely his job as a student representative is to reflect our policy.

The Committee of the Vice-Chancellor and Deans is a non-representative, anti-democratic anachronism, yet its power in this university is unrivalled. Far from letting it pontificate, unmolested by students, we must continue to push for representation on it, and for the election instead of the appointment of its members, or else for the removal of its policy-making prerogatives.

The second matter: Professor Percy is clearly past it. Asking for university salaries which are on a par with those in Australia, is not like asking for New Zealand to have its own moon shot, as Percy was heard to remark. We are losing staff more quickly than they can be replaced and the exodus will continue until some incentive to stay is offered. Of course, increases have been awarded since that foolish comment was made, but the dailies reported across the board increases of 25%. Bilge! Three lecturers in my experience alone have received increases of 9, 15 and 20% respectively.

If the university is to survive the 70's, its organization must be much more flexible and democratic and its funding must be assured. The organization is in disarray and the pittance we are getting is in jeopardy. Both staff and students must be represented by people who will take a firm stand in the interests of the survival of the university.