[unclear: Must] What is Wrong?

[unclear: Basically] the report recommended various [unclear: hanges] to the voting procedures at [unclear: coun-ils], and changes in the structure of [unclear: nation-l] office. There seemed to be a feeling [unclear: round] the Council that the Working Party [unclear: ad] failed to get to the heart of the [unclear: mater]; that the dissatisfaction with NZUSA [unclear: temmed] from a lack of student [unclear: participa-ion] and involvement, rather than the [unclear: par-icular] structure of National Office, or the [unclear: rocedures] at May and August Councils.

While superficially this may seem a [unclear: trong] argument, a closer examination [unclear: hows] up its weaknesses. In essence [unclear: ZUSA] is an organisation which reflects [unclear: nd] implements students' views. NZUSA [unclear: an] only act as it is told to act by the [unclear: stu-ent] representative, it cannot ensure that [unclear: hose] representatives actually propose [unclear: iews] that reflect those of the "silent [unclear: maj-rity]". That is a problem for the [unclear: constitu-nt] associations.

NZUSA can be modified, as an [unclear: organisaion], in an attempt to make the policy [unclear: rom] councils as representative as possible [unclear: of] the attitudes expressed at those [unclear: coun-ils]. It is not possible to re-arrange the [unclear: or-anisation] to try and compensate for the [unclear: act] that the views expressed by delegates nay not reflect those of their associations.

This appears to be the nub of the [unclear: prob-em]. Students at UCSA and MUSA both of whom are making noises about with-[unclear: rawing], are attacking the wrong [unclear: organisa-ion]. If their students feel NZUSA is [unclear: mov-ng] in the wong direction, it is in a large [unclear: easure] due to their own poor [unclear: representa-ion] at Council. Most policy passed at Council is passed unanimously (with the exception of LCSA's frequent abstentions), [unclear: o] it is hard to follow the argument that [unclear: he] policies are not in tune with those expressed at Council.

The problem with LCSA and its [unclear: disatis-faction] with NZUSA had different origins [unclear: from] those with UCSA and MSU. Lincoln College is a specialist school, with a far more narrow spectrum of student attitudes [unclear: han] on any other campus in New Zealand, This is not to say that LCSA should not be [unclear: in] NZUSA. Far from it — NZUSA is considerably weakened if it does not embrace all university students. It does mean however that Lincoln students should recognise that their attitude reflects what are generally the attidues of only a small part of the other constituent associations.

Their dissatisfaction is more akin to the dissatisfaction groups within other universities feel towards their own association (as perhaps the science students at Victoria generally do not subscribe to the policies of VUWSA). I believe that Lincoln College students must become more aware of the position in which they are placed, and should re-examine their complaints with NZUSA, taking account of the principles of democracy.

How far should the 38,000 other students in NZUSA go to accommodate the wishes of 1400 Lincoln College students who have a disproportionate voting power (and no one is suggesting that that voting power should be reduced) in the interests of democracy?

It became apparent from May Council (particularly during the discussion on the Working Party report) that the other constituent associations were prepared to make large concessions to LCSA in order to try and keep them in NZUSA. Only time will tell whether the offers of compromise will be accepted in the spirit in which they were made.

The Working Party made only two important recommendations. One concerned the structure of National Office, the other was an attempt to make the policies emerging from Councils more representative of the views expressed there.