Salient. Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Volume Number 39, Issue 5. March 29 [1976]
The Presidents Speak
The Presidents Speak
The Effectiveness at NZUSA
One of my predecessors as President at NZUSA once said that NZUSA was no more nor less than the sum of its members, and of course he was right. Any students' association, whether at local or national level is at its most effective when it has the active support of its members and, conversely at its least effective when it doesn't.
There's little doubt that the large turnout of students during last year's bursaries demonstrations led to bursaries becoming the political issue it did especially for the National Party. It was also important as part of the long-term campaign to force the Labour Government to at least partly honour its 1972 election promise to introduce an STB. Concerted united action is absolutely essential to get these sorts of promises honoured.
NZUSA and Ordinary Students'
One thing that disturbs me is the almost ritualistic feeling of antagonism that sometimes creeps into the way NZUSA is regarded. It is one thing to make constructive, albeit harsh, criticism. It is another to engage in petty, from-the-hip sniping because it's in fashion to do so. This ritualistic antagonism is unfortunate because it pushes people apart, whereas the only way we can make real progress is by resolving our differences openly and honestly and moving forward on a united front Obviously there is a communication problem though, as I said last week, I believe the greatest communication problem is between the ordinary student and his or her local association.
On 'Heavies'
I dislike the label of student heavy' at least when it is applied seriously, because it has implications of ego-tripping and self engrondisement. People who seek office in students' association, whether at local or national level, ought to be there to represent their members and because they believe very strongly in the objects and policies of the association, as I do in the objects and policies of NZUSA. Obviously if ratbags find their way into student politics they should be exposed and disposed of, but it's more likely, given a vigilant rank-and-file, that they wouldn't get that far anyway.
As far as NZUSA officers are concerned, students should feel free to approach us if they think we can help them OR even if they just want to know what we're doing. After all students provide the funds to run NZUSA and are collectively represented by it. If we couldn't at least be friendly and approachable, we ought to be down the road.
(Last week s interview with John Blincoe contained a number of transcription inaccuracies. The most important of these have however, been clarified or corrected in this week's column. - Ed).
The silly season has come around again for Annual General Meetings. The Victoria AGM will be held this Wednesday, March 31st and no doubt people are approaching it with the same enthusiasm that one would approach a dose of measles. Nevertheless, the AGM is important because it not only gives an opportunity to see where all the money has gone in the last year but also to raise issues and make policy. Despite their boring natures, AGMs do attract a lot of attention.
One issue to be raised at this year's AGM is the proposed tour of South Africa. There are always those who say that to debate such issues is a waste of time and has no place in student affairs. That, to my mind, is a narrow view. It assumes that somehow students are not part of the real world and don't need to have opinions on what is going on outside the university. It is important that students do have opinions on what happens outside this narrow cloistered little backwater, and the South African issue is something that will require people to make their opinions be heard.
It is to be hoped that students will support the anti tour campaign, and give their support to the NZUSA campaign. Certainly the voting at the recent referendum at Massey was surprising, although anyone who has read the motions put forward will see that the question did not revolve around the principles of the tour going to South Africa, but whether active support should have been given to the anti tour campaign. This is my view invited a negative response from what is historicaly a conservative campus.
Other things happening around the country in our fellow consituent are the continuing campaign to pillory Don Carson, the NZUSA International Vice President, for his actions at the Asian Students Association meeting in Thailand last year. Although Carson narrowly survived a no confidence motion here at Victoria over the expulsion of the National Union of Israeli Students from ASA, he was not lucky at Canterbury where the AGM there decided to say that NZUSA should not remain a member of ASA until NUIS was readmitted. There were further motions which condemned the expulsion of NUIS and it would seem that students have shown that they are willing to assert themselves and hold national officers responsible for what they do in the name of New Zealand students. The real test will be in Auckland this week when the issue comes up for debate at their AGM, and where there is a reasonably strong pro-Israel lobby. It would seem that if Don Carson and the 1975 NZUSA national executive decision goes down there then we are set for a repeat of the debate on the Middle Fast similar to the ones held m 1974.
This can only be desirable and hopefully will result in NZUSA having a clear and definitive policy on the Middle Last.
— Gyles Beckford
Starting this week at the Gymnasium.
Monday 1-2 Ballroom Dancing for beginners.
Friday 1-2 Ballroom Dancing for beginners
Thursday 5-6 Mixed Fitness Class.
There are also extra yoga classes and beginners are welcome:
Monday 2-3
Friday 9-10
Wednesday March 31, 8pm in the Music Room.
Guest Artist: Hugh McMillan (piano) playing works by Farquhar - Lilburn.
also student performers playing music for oboe, guitar, etc.
Wine and Cheese. Members 30c Non members - 50c.
2nd Wellington meeting on Oppose Apartheid Stop The Tour Movement' (incorporation Hart, Care and other anti-apartheid groups).
At. Trades Hall, Vivian Street.
Time: 2p.m.
Date. Sunday, 4th April.
To Plan Anti Tour Activities
AGM - Wine and Cheese. Wednesday
31 March, 7.30pm. Smoking Room.
We wish to apologise to Ecology Action organisers for mistakenly alleging they lost interest in attending their own AGM. A mixup in the bookings at Studass office caused confusion as to the actual date of their AGM.