VUWSA Annual General Meeting
Every year VUWSA is constitutionally obliged to hold two general meetings—an Initial General Meeting (IGM) and an Annual General Meeting (AGM). VUWSA’S AGM will be held this Wednesday, 1pm, at the Mount Street Bar and Café.
The VUWSA 2008 Annual Report will be presented at the meeting, and nominations for life membership of the Association will be tabled. A number of proposed amendments to the VUWSA Constitution have also been received for the AGM.
These proposals include the creation of two new VUWSA Representative Groups—respectively for New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) students, and for Victoria students with an interest in all forms of media and communications.
The proposed NZSM Group is a collaborative project between VUWSA and Massey at Wellington Students’ Association (MAWSA). This initiative has the support of the School of Music; both myself and MAWSA representatives have met with and discussed the proposal with the NZSM Director. The purpose of the NZSM Group is to help foster a strong community within the NZSM, including the creation of an identity group for students across the two campuses and the provision of specific information and support to these students. The NZSM Group is also intended to facilitate the election of student representatives to the NZSM Board of Studies and other relevant bodies, and would help build the strong relationship developed between VUWSA and MAWSA this year.
The proposed Victoria Student Media Group is intended to represent Victoria students interested in media and communications, from journalism to creative writing and broadcasting to art. Victoria Student Media would provide students with the opportunity to connect with various groups who share similar interests, and would create a forum within which to support initiatives and collaboration. In particular, it is intended that Victoria Student Media will work closely alongside The VBC 88.3FM and Salient to cultivate a pool of volunteers in a range of media-related areas, while giving students the chance to receive relevant training and experience as well as provide an outlet for their work.
A proposed constitutional amendment has also been received concerning Salient’s coverage of VUWSA affiliated clubs. The proposal is to add a further clause to Schedule 3: Publications Committee and Salient Charter of the VUWSA Constitution, as follows:
18. That Salient provides regular coverage of VUWSA affiliated clubs affairs, to appear in every issue of the publication. The coverage is to include, though is not necessarily limited to, one page per week. The Publications Editor, in conjunction with the Clubs Officer, is responsible for liaison with affiliated clubs to ensure provision of this coverage.
In addition to the proposals discussed above, a number of alterations to the list of Association Student Delegates will also be tabled. These are primarily ‘housekeeping’ amendments, such as the removal of defunct roles and boards, and modifications to reflect the name changes of others.
I am happy to provide you with further information regarding any of these proposed constitutional amendments, or about the AGM more generally.
I look forward to seeing you at the AGM.
Te Huinga Tauira
I recently attended Te Huinga Tauira, the annual Maori Students’ Conference. This was the first time that a VUWSA representative attended Te Huinga Tauira as part of the Ngai Tauira delegation.
Te Huinga Tauira provides an opportunity for tertiary students to discuss and debate topical issues, participate in cultural and sporting activities, and increase awareness of the issues that impact on Maori students at tertiary institutions and within the wider community. It is also an opportunity for Maori students to build and maintain their cultural identity, access social and support networks outside their institutions, and participate in activities that enrich and add value to their experiences within an educational context.
This year’s theme for Te Huinga Tauira was “Surviving the Recession—A Pathway Forward”. A wide range of speakers presented on topics connected to this theme. Speakers included Roger Field (Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University), researchers, educationists and politicians. The election for the Tumuaki (President) of Te Mana Akonga, which is the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association’s parallel national Maori body, also took place at Te Huinga Tauira. VUWSA is pleased to report that Jacqualene Poutu was unanimously re-elected to the role for 2010.
Congratulations to the co-hosts, Te Awhioraki (Lincoln University Maori Students’ Association) and Te Akatoki (Canterbury University Maori Students’ Association), for hosting such a successful event. Well done also to Ngai Tauira, who not only mobilised the largest number of delegates (55 out of 250 attendees), but also brought home the most prizes. Attending Te Huinga Tauira is amongst the most valuable activities I have participated in as VUWSA President, and I am very grateful to Ngai Tauira for presenting me with the opportunity to be part of their delegation.
In solidarity and service,
president@vuwsa.org.nz