Massey Unniversity has responded to the Voluntary Student Membership Act by increasing its fees next year by an amount about equivalent to that paid by students to their Student Associations.
Just to note:
- it seems like the fees are compulsory
- the government will have a big say on what the increase can be used for – not even the university
- it looks like students through their association may be able to negotiate with the university about what services are kept – but no guarantees
- it’s likely to be the model that will spread across NZ – I was in Waikato University yesterday and they are looking at something similar
So all those who backed VSM will still pay the same, but you won’t have any real say about how your money is spent – even less if you decide not to belong to the student association. Taxation without representation it’s called.
And now you don’t even get the choice of a referendum.
What was wrong with an opt-out clause and accountability around association spending as we suggested?
Well done. Everyone loses.
And the political leanings of the VC have nothing to do with either this increase or the timing of it, right?
At least it’s nice to know that he hasn’t forgotten his old mates…
The university will spend the money more effectively than the student association. So expect to see better education and fewer piss ups at Massey.
Students get better value for money. That’s a win in my book.
yet another example of how not to have universities that produce independent thinkers…. not that independent thought suits the authoritarian political model we seem to have accepted as our ideal way of developing society…
goes right along with the half witted nudge nudge, nods as good as a wink type of approach the naysayers assume to be the acceptable form of political discourse(little georgie take note)along with the mindless assumption that everyone operates from the same (lack of) principle that their hero’s wallow in every day….
pressuring students into conformist thinking, and behavior is going to do no more than accelerate the descent into the same idiocy that is seeing the country stagnate at a compounding rate…..
if this sort of wedge is driven in, and allowed to thrive, then we stand very little chance of breaking out of the self destructive, self absorbed, delusional approach to topical issues that we’ve been led down by the barking dogs of the corporate elite, and the hand puppet formerly known as john keys national party..(acting as the pr agents for the asset grab underway)
“So all those who backed VSM will still pay the same, but you won’t have any real say about how your money is spent”
Students have very little say in how money is spent by their students associations at the moment: Only 5-10% actually turn out to vote in their elections. The way student associations decide what services to provide is the same as the way the university does: By randomly surveying students.
The real question is: Who is going to be more efficient in spending the money? When you consider the amount of waste and fraud that has gone on at student associations I would back the uni.
Yes it seems to be the default arrangement people are moving to. The fees increase hasn’t been announced for Vic Uni yet but the University/VUWSA have announced there will be no cost to join VUWSA so presumably unless VUWSA decides to provide no services it has entered the same arrangement.
If the Labour party parliamentary clowns had not spent so long in their pathetic fruitless attempt to delay this perhaps the whole thing could have been different with opt out clauses as you suggested David.
At least the Massey Uni Students’ Associations aren’t planning on blatantly breaking the law like OUSA is:
” “Member” or “member” means:
a. a student at the University who has not opted out of membership by way of notice in writing; ”
http://ousa.org.nz/downloads/OUSA%20Constitution%20Version%202%20VSM.doc
Huh, kind of sounds like they’re claiming everybody at Otago to be a member unless they opt-out, which kind of sounds in direct contradiction to this:
” 229A Membership of students association voluntary
No student or prospective student at an institution is required to be a member of a students association. ”
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2011/0080/16.0/DLM2301310.html
I’m happy to pay fees for good services. I’m not happy to pay fees for children who want to use my money to break the law.
Think I don’t know what I’m talking about? Look at the name on the front of the current OUSA Constitution.
Hey moderators, somewhat oddly the first part of my intended comment has been reproduced above – it might make sense to delete the initial, incomplete comment: http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/10/13/a-note-to-those-who-supported-vsm/comment-page-1/#comment-208059
!
Excellent. The University will spend that money far more effectively than the Student Union.
Problem solved. Let’s move on to more important issues.
Well at least students wont have to pay for the NZUSA or are you saying that does a good job for students? Or is it that it does a good job as a source of employment for Labour Party members so you dont want to lose it?
Looks like a massive ‘own goal’ by ACT and their crazy fellow travellers. Inevitable, really, when these RWNJs start legislating their ideology.
George, the timing is everything to do with fee setting for 2012. All institutions around the country do it at this time of year.
Thomas, that’s just plan rubbish. As an example a replacement student ID card costs $15 at the association I work for. However, at the nearby university (who manages the card instead of the students’ association) they charge exactly double what we do (using the exact same contractors as we do, same cards, etc). That’s the opposite of spending the money more effectively.
Disreali seems to think the universitys would do a good job- yeah right . You have no idea of how universities work , they get big dollops of money and are very secretive of what they spendt it on. Some fraudster spent $600K of a universitys money last year.
As well they will contract the student services with the local student association , thus completing the circle of one big carnival
The unreality is strong in this one.
@Draco
Not to mention the irony …
Ghostwhowalks
What about the student union officials who have spent millions of student money fraudulently, such as what happened at Whitirea Polytech?
Yes, I thought this might happen. VSM means loss of collective advocacy and representation for students, leading to diminished immunity against hardline fee rises from university administration and tight funding from central government. One suspects that there will be a reduction in tertiary students over time, and that will adversely affect our nation’s economic performance due to worsening of the current serious shortage of skilled personnel.
Oh, for election night and gotterdammerung for the ACT Party…
Our student union voted for a 4% increase in fees this year. Without a single widely available notice for consultation. They were so good at advocating for us against these mean, mean universities.
Stop acting like the unions are actually worthwhile.
Yes well done voluntary VSMers. You’ve eaten the cake and ruined my birthday.
Disraeli, tell us how you get on when the university increases the fees. Tell us about the wide consultation, the details of their costs and income they you will get…… and after you wake up from your dream
… congratulations you missed the point.
The University increased fees (which I happen to agree with but that’s beside the point) and the Union rubberstamped it. Without any consultation with the students. Which is apparently the whole point of them being around. So now when the Uni increases fee next time… it’ll just happen like it already has.
So -nothing- has changed in regards to that. But now I don’t have to pay $100 a year to an organisation which then campaigns on issues I disagree with.
It fundamentally amazes me people are against freedom of association. It’s a right found in our legislation and the UN Convention on Political and Civil Rights. Why is it new to you?
You are mistaken about freedom of association, its actually about the right to join whoever you wish.
“Freedom of association is the individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests.”
So you cant be PREVENTED from joining the local soccer club, or even Black Power.
However I understand Student Associations had opt out provisions.
That makes two situations where you seem to be …. dreaming
Please don’t suggest student associations had opt out provisions. I looked at it during my second year. Four months later of being led through a maze I just gave up.
Dissie , that was your missed opportunity, work out how the system operates and then do it for others for a ‘small fee’.
I hope you werent studying law, because the entire edifice is based on that premise.