Library Cuts

But the main item of interest in this part of the meeting came when Lindy reported on action taken so far regarding the cutbacks in Library hours. She said that in carrying around a petition about this she had got the impression that students were not too concerned at losing the use of the Library on Friday nights as this really only inconvenienced part time students.

She moved a motion to the effect that SRC declare itself dissatisfied with the level of finance and priority given to Library services. Immediate reaction came from the floor. The first speaker attacked the stand at present being taken by the Association. He said that if student reps had done their jobs in the first place, then the cutbacks would never have occurred. Given that they had, he said our approach now should not be one of attack and confrontation but one of negotiation with the Library. He sat down to loud applause.

Gyles Beckford agreed with much of what the first speaker had said, but pointed out that negotiating with the Library could achieve nothing when the directives for the cuts had come from the Registrary. Professional Board and University Council. He was disappointed that so little action had been taken since the last SRC when a strongly worded motion had been passed. Why had no leaflets been distributed to students on the matter? He also mentioned that although closure of the Library on Friday nights may only inconvenience part-time students, there were nearly 3000 such students at VUW.

As he too sat down to applause, it was clear that the crowd was at least listening—no mean feat for an SRC. Gyles rose again minutes later to ask who would raise the matter at Prof. Board the next day as we had no reps on it at present (Lindy: "I'll be there") and since the Board would almost definitely delay matters for a month by sidetracking it into a committee, what other action would be taken (Lindy: "Then we'll set up a committee')