For only a few of you, welcome to Victoria. For most of you, welcome back.
Where have all the new people gone?
Normally we would be welcoming many new students to Victoria at this time of the year. This trimester however there will not be any new domestic undergraduates. More than 1300 people who would otherwise have come to University were denied admission, because the Government said it would not fund them and the University decided it could not afford them. There was exceedingly little notice. Spare a thought for those who have had their plans of study ruined or put on hold by careless planning.
Reorientation
Even though we don’t have many new students we are still holding a Re-Orientation to welcome you back to Victoria. VUWSA and the VBC have sorted a solid week of events from gigs to speed dating. Check this issue of Salient and the VUWSA website or Facebook fan page for more information
VUWSA By-Election
Some positions were not filled last year at the general election, so we are holding a by-election. Nominations are now open for the positions of:
• Vice-President (Administration)
• Vice-President (Education)
• Queer Officer
• International Officer
• Publications Committee Representative
You are welcome to get in touch if you want more information about any of the positions. Being on the VUWSA Executive is a rewarding experience and is about representing the views and interests of all students. You can make very real positive change for students at Victoria in these roles so I would encourage you to think about nominating yourself.
Student Services Levy – What should VUWSA’s Position be? Let us know.
VUWSA wants to know what you think about the Student Services Levy, what services it should fund and how much it should be.
There is a bit of background for this one.
Last year the Student Services Levy, which is levied by the University, was increased significantly. This is because the services it covers are no longer funded partly by your course fees and the government grants. The Levy in 2010 is $510 for on campus students and $326 for distance students.
Although VUWSA vigorously opposed this decision, because it meant that students had to pay more for the same services, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University to ensure students would have a say in the Levy and how it was allocated.
The result of that agreement was that the Student Services and Amenities Levy Advisory Committee (SSALAC) was established to allow for collaboration between the University and students (through VUWSA).
The Committee has a proposal for the 2011 Levy. To keep it simple, the proposal is to limit any fee increases to the amount needed to maintain the level of service delivery at the same as it is in 2010. This would lead to an increase in the Student Services Levy by 1 – 3%. The table below shows you what your fees will look like.
Current
ex GST
Current
12.5% GST
1%
ex GST
1%
15% GST
3%
ex GST
3%
15% GST
Internal
453
510
458
527
467
537
Distance
290
326
293
337
298
343
IT only
105
118
106
122
108
124
Is this the right proposal? We don’t know what you think unless you tell us. You have your chance to let us know now. We will be putting an online survey on the VUWSA website, so please take 5mins to let us know what you think.
From the President’s Diary:
Saturday and Sunday
NZUSA Conference (national study body, working on national representation and advocacy)
Dunedin
Monday
Regular meeting with Salient Editor
11am, VUWSA
Tuesday
Student Union Building Upgrade Developed Design Meeting
11am, CSB
Equity and Diversity Committee Meeting
1pm, TBA
Student Experience Strategy Group
2pm, TBA
Wednesday
Publications Committee Meeting—10am, VUWSA Offices, all students welcome
Meeting with Director of Student Academic Services Pam Thorburn—11am, HU
Address by Minister for Tertiary Education Steven Joyce—12pm
Campus Hub Project Control Group Meeting—1pm, RB
VUWSA Executive Meeting—5.30PM, VUWSA Meeting Room, Level 2 SUB
Thursday
Regular meeting with VBC Directors
10am, VUWSA Offices
Associate-Director Student Support Services, regular meeting about Student Services—11am, KP
Friday
Regular meeting Associate-Director Campus Support Services —9am, WT
Student Services Levy Workshop with Service Managers—3pm, TBA