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Salaried NZUSA President?
SGM To Decide On Wednesday

Can we, should we, pay £2000 per year to NZUSA?

At Wednesday night's SGM students will be asked to decide whether Or not Victoria University supports the proposals for a full-time President of NZUSA.

At a meeting last Tuesday Executive members tried to make up their minds whether or not they should make a favourable recommendation to the SGM on the proposals.

Men's Vice-President Murray Boldt said NZUSA needed more money to make it a more effective organisation. He suggested that Victoria's commitment to NZUSA should be all or nothing.

Chris Robertson, President of the Association, said that some other universities are waiting to see which way Victoria acts on the matter.

At Winter Council the other constituent universities appeared to be in favour of a full-time President for NZUSA. However, Mr. Robertson, who has been in touch with some of the larger constituents since Winter Council, suggested that some of the other universities are now beginning to have second thoughts about a full-time presidency.

Chris Robertson, Tony Hassed and John McGrath all expressed doubts about Victoria's ability to stand the financial strain of supporting a full-time NZUSA.

President Robertson estimated that it would raise Victoria's contribution to NZUSA to about £2000 a year. This would mean an even further increase of the Victoria Students' Association fee, he said.

Some Executive members felt that if the student fees had to be increased they would rather see the money used to provide better facilities for students at Victoria.

Ross Jamieson expressed concern that a full-time President for NZUSA would jeopardise Victoria's chance of being able to afford a full-time President.

Most of the Executive members were conspicuously quiet during the discussion. John McGrath said he was reluctant to have to vote on a recommendation to the SGM because he lacked sufficient information to be able to give a fair evaluation of the matter. Tills seemed to be the feeling of several other Executive members.

The Executive finally decided to report to the SGM that it favoured in principle the idea of a full-time President fur NZUSA.