WSU Service Spotlight: Membership of National Organisations
NZUSA: www.students.org.nz
The New Zealand Union of Students’ Association is a federation of 13 University and Polytechnic students’ associations from across New Zealand. The WSU is an active member of NZUSA and pays a levy to belong each year based on the number of equivalent full time students studying at Waikato. WSU pays around $5 per equivalent full-time student to belong to NZUSA, which equates to a total levy of around $55 000 for 2011.
NZUSA was formed in 1929 and since then has strived to represent the collective interest of all students to Government, the public and the rest of the tertiary sector. NZUSA has two elected Co-Presidents and a National Women’s Rights Officer, who are all directed by students’ association to try and make certain policies occur. These policies are set by students’ associations (including the WSU) at the NZUSA conferences held throughout the year. Essentially, policy motions are proposed during the plenary sessions of each conference, and each students’ association votes on whether or not they agree with NZUSA adopting that policy. Each policy motion requires a 2/3 majority to be adopted. Based on its size, WSU is entitled to 9 of the total 86 votes during these plenary sessions.
NZUSA’s main role is that of a lobby organisation: they provide a national voice for tertiary students and lobby the government to get better policies for students. These include things like interest-free student loans, and an ongoing campaign for a universal student allowance. NZUSA also organise campaigns, provide education networking opportunities for students’ associations, talk to the media and undertake research in order to promote a better quality education for all services. NZUSA also employs a full-time research officer to conduct research on student issues.
NZUSA recently visited the Waikato campus as part of its national campus tour, where the NZUSA Co-Presidents and Women’s Rights Officer (plus the Te Mana Akonga Tumuaki) visit each of the member associations’ campuses. However, a major question that WSU will have to consider this year is whether membership of NZUSA is worth the amount of money that we put into the organisation, and whether this is a ‘core service’ that the WSU should continue to provide under VSM.
Te Mana Akonga
Te Mana Akonga (TMA) is the national Māori Student Body (Roopu) and advocates on behalf of Roopu from University campuses around the country. TMA is headed by a Tumuaki, or President. WSU pays around $3000 per year to belong to TMA.
Te Mana Akonga is the National Māori Tertiary Student Body (Roopu). Arising out of the Māori protest movements of the 1970s and emerging from the national Māori student collective Ngâ Toki o Aotearoa, they became an Incorporated Society in 1995 and took the name Te Mana Akonga. For the next 9 years Te Mana Akonga represented the interests of Māori Student Roopu at Universities. In 2004, the korowai of Te Mana Akonga also came to embrace Māori students studying at Polytechnics and Colleges of Education and their interests.
Te Mana Akonga has a staff member based in Wellington who assists the national student executive body (NZUSA) and provides a voice for Māori students. Essentially, Te Mana Akonga provides a point of contact for the discussion of all policy that will ultimately affect Māori students. They also run Te Huinga Tauira, which is a national conference for Māori students. To do all of this, TMA works in an equal, Treaty of Waitangi-based partnership with NZUSA.
Student Job Search: http://www.sjs.co.nz/
Established in 1982, Student Job Search (SJS) is a free employment service with 28 years experience at bringing employers and students together. Their vision is to improve the lives of all New Zealanders by supporting tertiary students to develop the skill and will to drive New Zealand's economic, political and social prosperity).
The majority of SJS’s funding comes from StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development), with support from Student Associations across the country. Currently, this means that WSU pays around $10 000 per year to be a member of SJS, and to allow Waikato students (as WSU members) free access to SJS’s services.
University Sport New Zealand: http://www.universitysport.org.nz/
University Sport New Zealand (USNZ) is the only National Sporting Organisation for tertiary sport in New Zealand. Working closely with its member Students' Associations and other National Sporting Organisations, USNZ operates National and International inter-university sporting competitions, including the annual Uni Games, Uni Snow Games, Uni Rowing Champs and the prestigious Uni Blues Awards.
USNZ is the sole sanctioning body for New Zealand teams attending FISU (International University Sports Federation) events including the World University Games, The World Winter University Games and the various sporting World University Championships. The WSU pays around $20 000 per year to be a member of University Sport New Zealand.
Aotearoa Student Press Association
The Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA) is a network of student newspapers from around New Zealand. ASPA serves to bring student papers together, to improve communication between them, and to aid the sharing of ideas, writing and illustrations. ASPA also has a newswire, which allows for student newspaper reporters to share relevant stories and information around the country. As a student paper / magazine, Nexus is a member of ASPA.
ASPA's principal aim is to entertain students and to inform them about issues that affect all students nationwide, promoting awareness of and involvement in these issues, and building solidarity among students. Student media has always provided an alternative view to that offered by the mainstream media, and ASPA aims to promote this challenging of accepted ideas at a national level. It also strengthens student papers in their fight for freedom of speech and freedom from political interference.
ASPA intends to hold at least one conference this year and also organises the annual ASPA Awards, which happen around October.
