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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 11. May 23 1977

Cutbacks Discussed

Cutbacks Discussed.

Perhaps the issue which has the immediate concern of the students during the conference was the "cutback on overseas students.' As this issue was discussed in the first session, there was a heated debate between the students and the reps from the Labour and Foreign Affairs Dept. The latter gave some reasons for the drastic action but was rebutted by the Congress. It was clear that the reps tried to evade the questions of the floor which who believed that the reasons for the policy lay far from the excuses given.

The Language Achievement Test for Overseas Students (LATOS) was rejected by the Congress as one of the main criteria for admission into N.Z. educational institutions. The Congress also challenged the validity of the statement given by the government reps which reasoned that LATOS really tests the English standard of the Overseas Students. However, a proposal to carry out a LATOS test on the Kiwis so as to "get the proof" was refused by the reps.

During the second session on May 8, reports were submitted by representatives from all the campuses briefing out the actions taken so far concerning this cutback issue. After listening to the reports, the Congress decided that the actions were not enough, and thus an action committee. (N.O.S.A.C.) was formed to start a campaign nationally and internationally against this policy. A press statement was released (published in Evening Post on May 12), and a telegram of support was sent to demonstrators at the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) meeting in Christchurch.