Out of Reports

Lo, and behold! We are now up to the agenda. Again the proverbial fight to fill vacant positions. For now, we have no treasurer. However, Helen Aikman was elected for a two year term onto Council and the vacancy on the Commerce Faculty was filled by Brian McCulloch, a stage 2 Accountancy student who's "done all the faculty courses." Ah, but has he passed them.

Motion 6, (moved; Worth/Tees) established an SRC Officers Committee, with the SRC Coordinator as Chairperson, meeting at least three times a term and with the provision that failure to attend three consecutive meetings by any officer results in that officer forfeiting his/her position.

Much time had been wasted discussing the ambiguity of the motion as originally worded, and finally, "consecutive" was added in an effort to clarify this ambiguity.

Motion 7, proposing the establishment of two SRC reps committees was tabled. Not quite sure why.

Motion 8 was passed, supporting closer ties between VUWSA and the Wellington Trades Council, seeking ways in which VUWSA could pursue policies of mutual interest and benefit to both organisation, including making approaches for VUWSA to obtain observer status on the Council.

A procedural motion changed the order of the agenda and the meeting moved on to consider Education Fight back. Moved: Wilson/Adams (G) That this Association deplores the introduction of the Tertiary Study Grants system, which is both inadequate for student needs and rife with administrative problems; and protests the use of the Review of Financial Assistance for Post Compulsory Study as a diversionary tactic designed to keep students quiet about bursaries; and that telegrams be sent to the Prime Minister and the minister of Education informing them of this.

The "TSG", went the argument, "was something that emerged out of nothing, totally unlike anything that was ever discussed....." "something dreamed up and implemented without anybody knowing how it will work....." Administrative difficulties were such that if 2600 students at Massey University applied for the $17 hardship, it would take two and a half weeks full time interviewing; then all their applications would still have to be processed, and it would still have to be decided how much to give them.

Needless to say this motion was passed, as was Motion 1 moved Wilson/Adams (G) That this Association deplores the 10% cut in real terms in the Education Vote and the Minister's apparent unwillingness to make public the details of Government policy on how this cut is to be implemented and that telegrams be sent to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education informing them of this.

Motion 12, Moved Morris/ that VUWSA sees the threat of the PSA De-recognition Bill as a savage attack on the freedom of association managed to survive accusations of irrelevancy and outdatedness and was eventually passed.

Support fo the University Creche was shown in the form of a donation of $50 to the Creche Parents Association to help cover the difference between their recent grant allocation and the amount asked for. The motion was unanimous in its support.

John Penny's motion that SRC reports be published in Salient, rather than be given at SRC was definitely the most controversial of the meeting. The situation became complicated when the Chairperson accepted an ammendment that was contrary to the spirit of the motion. Peter Beach, in his capacity as Salient editor, not in his capacity as a private individual, (although we all realise he is entitled to his private individual capacity also - who of us isn't)?! said that he would be prepared to accept such reports, provided they be handed in to the Salient office by 3 o'clock on Wednesday. The only problem was that the motion as worded, implied that the publication of reports in Salient would replace their being given at SRC, except when the matter was of direct and immediate concern or interest to students. Peter Beach had intended that the publication of reports in Salient would be in addition to their being presented at SRC, since SRC officers were after all elected by and therefore accountable to SRC. This seemed obvious to all. What was not obvious was that the motion and ammendment were in direct contradiction, but when this was finally pointed out, the amendment was withdrawn, and put in the form of a foreshadowed motion.

There were many speakers, against the motion saying all that was necessary to reduce the time taken by (and therefore reduce the related boredom content of) reports was an effective Chairperson, who could limit the speaking time if necessary, and bring speakers to the point if they seemed to be wandering. John Penny eventually withdrew his motion in favour of the foreshadowed motion, which was subsequently passed and on that cheerful note, the meeting ended.

Rire Scotney and Paul Norman