And the mover of the motion to dismiss the office manager, Steve Underwood, found that the bitterness of the students has not disappeared. During the course of the meeting he stood for two positions, and both times he was hissed and booed before being rejected in the ballot.

Association secretary, Peter Aagaard touched a nerve when he announced that the Executive had unanimously appointed present Studass Office worker Penny Booth as Office Manager, on a salary 'comparable to the starting salary of the last Office Manager'. He declined to say exactly what the salary was, saying instead that we should stop bandying the matter of salary around, instead let it remain confidential.

When he was asked why we shouldn't know, since we were all employers too, he just assured us that the SRC directive had been followed, and he was not prepared to disclose the exact figure.

Robert Lithgow appeared and said that it's easy enough to work out anyone's salary from the minimum wage scale, and our bursaries are public knowledge, so why all the secrecy? Peter adamantly refused to give any figures, saying it was fixed on the University scale and would be reviewed after six months. Since he was in the Chair in President Beck ford's absence, the meeting moved on.

Lithgow and Belich on Rights

What it moved on to was a motion by Angela Belich and Robert Lithgow about forming a three person commitee to draw up a bill of rights for Association employees. Robert spoke first, saying that the motion had already been passed at the SGM - what he wanted now was to actually carry it out

Something has to be done within the Students' Association to avoid the repetition of what he referred ro as 'grave misjudgements in the immediate past.' He wanted the motion to be interpreted as broadly as possible by the commitee, to make sure everything is covered. He also said that it applied to all Association employees (e.g. electricians, Salient typesetter) not just the office workers.

As for who would be on the committee, he first suggested himself, since he had started it all off and wanted to see it through. Then there was Graeme Collins, an ex-president of the Association and a life member, whose experience and interest qualified him in Robert's opinion. He also suggested members of unions, but no specific union yet, since the bill of rights applied to all Association employees.

The committee would have the power to co-opt as many extra people as it liked, but Robert didn't want any Exec, members on it since it was 'they that made this committee necessary.'

Freedman Sides with Exec.

Then Mike Freedman stuck up for the Exec, saying it was ridiculous to cut them out, since they are going to have to carry out whatever the committee decides. They have some experience, even if we don't agree with some of their past actions, and should be allowed to have a say.

Further nominations for the committee were Kevin Swann Stephen Underwood, one nominee of the Association office workers and Sir Thomas Skinner! Kevin Swann said he was a job representative in Australia for a year and had been granted special admission to Vic. He thought his experience qualified him for the committee.

Graeme Collins said he didn't know why he wanted to be on the committee, but he thought he should because of its importance and because of his concern for it. Steve Underwood said exec, should be represented because of experience, and to provide a different viewpoint. Sir Thomas was not available to speak. A vote was finally taken, and Robert Lithgow, Graeme Collins, and Kevin Swann elected.

The next piece of business to struggle to the surface was another radical motion in which we find Tony efficient-in-the-extreme Ward and John Ryall attempting to get rid of most student reps.

Abolition the Answer

Tony said that a lot of university committees had student representatives who, he claimed, did nothing much and were always heavily outvoted on big issues anyway Many committees don't really need reps in the first place, since students can often get more effective action through other channels.

As an example he quoted an obsequious (look it up) little institution known as the Boyd Wilson Field Allocation Committee. If students wanted action on any matter under their control, he said, it would be better to go through the Sports Officer than a student rep. There are 18 or 19 of these committees, and most of them are a waste of reps' time. The committees he thought reps should not withdraw from were Council, Union Management and Catering.

John Ryall backed him up with his own experience of wasting 2½ hours a month at an Arts Faculty meeting, when only every six months or so would anything worthwhile turn up on the agenda. He said we could rely on liberal staff members to present a students' point of view, and put people from SRC into something more useful. No-one really knows, or cares, what the reps are doing, and sometimes even the reps don't know what's happening.

Then Tom Duggan appeared from nowhere and said that every now and then something important comes up, like the assessment sub-committee in the Commerce Faculty. Some matters, he said, must have student representation, such as difficulty with subjects. Finishing with his traditional' ...and that's all I've got to say,' he disappeared again (who was that masked man?).

Following him, David Tripe, looking rather unconstitutional, declared his opposition to the motion which, he said, was a mere reflection on the work done by reps than on the student representative scheme [gap — reason: illegible] its got 'stuck in' they can get things done. There are [unclear: umerent] factions on the staff over issues, and [unclear: si][gap — reason: illegible] can support the factions whose view they [unclear: suppo][gap — reason: illegible] [unclear: ded] by saying that maybe SRC should be more careful who it appoints.

Prosser Cites Lack of Interest

Then Rod Prosser emphasized the lack of interest in those positions. People stand for them unopposed, and the ordinary students often don't know they have reps and there is an Association to back them up.

Anne Dwyer then told us of the time she has wasted at Arts Faculty meetings. She and John Ryall were members of the assessment committee, which held one meeting while she was titling on exam, and another in the middle of the Christmas holidays when she was again unable to attend. At general meetings, she said, students are quite outnumbered by staff, and she often wonders just how much her opinions are worth. On the other hand students years ago fought for representation, so [unclear: to] [gap — reason: illegible] [unclear: throw] it away now and then complain about [unclear: decisic] [gap — reason: illegible] as we inevitably would) would be stupid. Is it [unclear: woi] giving up what little effect we have, at the risk of [gap — reason: illegible] [unclear: osing] what could be done?

To finish off, Tony Ward cited the Commerce Faculty Assessment sub-committee which has been sitting for a year and a half and done nothing. He also quoted several courses where good action had been taken without going via the rep. SRC would be really leading students if encouraged more of this. Reps are a waste of time. The motion was voted and lost, and sank out of sight again.

Randall and Underwood Beaten

Now it was the turn of 'Item 6' to prise its way into the rapidly fogging minds of those still present. This was the election of 6 reps for the Union Management committee. Nominations were Peter Aagaard, who wanted to be the legal go between for the Union and the Association and Exec, Bernard Randall, who wanted facilities to be more accessible, Anne Dwyer, who as Cultural Affairs officer could represent the clubs. Kevin Swann, incumbent member who wants to continue and improve what we've got. Tony Briscoe, who thought he could represent student views better than it's being done at present; Steve Underwood, who knows the financial scene quite well, and thinks he would be of assistance at Council level. Robert spare-the-rod-etc. Lithgow, whose hobby horse' is discipline, and John Henderson, who was absent. Those elected were Peter Aagaard. Kevin Swann, Tony Briscoe, Robert Lithgow, John Henderson, and Anne Dwyer.

Next we had to elect a 4-person catering committee. The only three nominations were Rae Mazengarb, Tony Briscoe and Kevin Wright. Tony Ward who was in the chair at the time, moved that they be elected. Three or four people said 'aye' so they were. Enthusiasm was flagging fast as Ward tried to arouse interest in electing a Publications Board. John Ryall, Salient editor, briefly explained what the Board did and Rachel Scott. Derek Fikkers, Lionel Klee. Mike Freeman, Lindy Cassidy and Bob Drummond were elected (3 votes to 2, reputedly). Tony Ward then delivered the final death blow to the already unconscious meeting by declaring it closed.