To the students of Victoria University,
Over the mid-trimester break, a bag containing the new VUWSA Food Bank database, along with a number of Food Bank application forms was either lost or stolen between Nelson and Wellington.
VUWSA Welfare Officer Robert Latimer was in charge of these bags. With the consent of the President and Vice Presidents, Latimer was allowed to take the laptop (on which the VUWSA Food Bank database is saved), along with unentered Food Bank application forms, to Nelson for entry during Latimer’s mid trimester break holiday.
We wish to convey our most sincere apologies to students. We understand that the loss of this information may rightfully be considered a great breach of your confidence in the Association. Though Latimer was in charge of the bag at the time, the Executive had allowed him to take it away from the VUWSA offices. It is for this reason that we take collective responsibility.
We, the VUWSA Executive, wish to present this earnest apology to you. In addition, new policy is being developed that will prevent such a thing occurring ever again.
At VUWSA, we take your privacy very seriously. We are taking extra precautions so this does not happen again. We hope that you are not deterred by this incident from using the VUWSA Food Bank, as it is a great initiative that serves the many Victoria University students suffering financial hardship.
In the past six months, under the guidance of Welfare Vice President, Seamus Brady, along with the support of the rest of the Executive, the Food Bank system has greatly improved. For instance, President Jasmine Freemantle has trained more than a dozen Executive members and staff in delivery of the Service in order to ensure that students receive consistent and high quality assistance. VUWSA anticipate that this trend will continue, and are committed to making the VUWSA Food Bank a better service for the benefit of students.
If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate in contacting VUWSA. The best way to do this is via our website, www.vuwsa.org.nz, where you can find the relevant contacts.
Yours respectfully,
The 2009 VUWSA Executive