Auckland University Students' Association
From Freepedia
The Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) represents students at the University of Auckland. AUSA publicises student issues, administers student facilities, and assists affiliated student clubs and societies. AUSA also produces Craccum and bFM.
The AUSA was founded in 1891. The constitution of the AUSA centers the organisation around student advocacy and the provision of welfare services.
Today AUSA has 20,000 members out of 33,000 equivalent full time students currently enrolled at Auckland University.
AUSA boasts over 80 affiliated clubs, two bars on campus (Shadows and Bar None), a University Bookshop, the StudentCard discount card, Student Job Search on campus, market days and events such as Orientation, Re-Orientation, End of Daze, Capping week, Womensfest, Cultural mosaic, 15 Minutes of Fame (student film festival), Blues Awards, Ecofest, and this year (2005) the first annual Band Competition.
As required by legislation, the University council conducted a student referendum in 1999 on whether membership in AUSA should be voluntary or compulsory. The majority of students supported voluntary unionism, and so AUSA membership become voluntary. Referenda on the same issue were held in 2001 and 2003 (the request for a referendum is in the form of a petition to the University council, which any student may call, and thus must be conducted, provided no two referenda are less than two years apart), and in each case, the majority of students voted for voluntary unionism. The current position has AUSA contracted by the University to provide student services. Detractors of voluntary student unionism say that AUSA suffers drastically from VSU, and that VSU undermines AUSA's ability to advocate on behalf of students and provide welfare services. They also say that in controlling the flow of money, the University dictates the terms to some extent of its operations through a Student Services Agreement. AUSA currently has free membership, but all students pay the University a Student Services Levy, which the University sets and gives a percentage to AUSA according to the number of members it has. Under compulsory (universal) student unionism, students paid the levy directly to AUSA, and through Annual General Meetings had the power to set this levy, overruling any decision any Executive could make. Proponents of VSU, on the other hand, claim VSU means freedom of choice for students. They cite the United Nations declaration of freedom of association. They also paint AUSA executives under compulsory unionism as being wasteful, and believe that under voluntary AUSA executives are forced to be more accountable to members. They claim that the level of intervention is very limited (for example, the conditions are only that AUSA must run orientation and the like). VSU campaigners see student associations as filling a service provider role, rather than that of meeting the need of a community and advocating for students.
The Executive
The AUSA Executive consists of:
Office Holders: The President, The Educational Vice President, The Administrative Vice President, The Treasurer, The Maori Students Officer
Portfolios: Clubs and Societies Officer, Cultural Affairs Officer, Environmental Affairs Officer, International Affairs Officer, Media Officer, National Affairs Officer, Overseas Students Officer, Pacific Island Students Officer, Sports Officer, Student Representative Council Chair, Tamaki Representative, Welfare Officer, Women's Rights Officer, Craccum Editor
Craccum
Craccum is the weekly newspaper produced by the AUSA. The name originated from the scrambled acronym of "Auckland University College Men's Common Room Circular".
The publication has frequently found itself in legal difficulties due to its deliberate attempts to be controversial. These attempts have included an issue containing methods to create a bomb, and an issue discussing ways to commit suicide.
A recent publicity stunt saw Craccum sell its cover - which was ironically bought by Salient, the Student magazine of Victoria University Wellington Students' Association, with the funds from Victoria University's marketing fund. The joke was on them, as the theme of that issue of Craccum was Corporate Sellouts. Craccum successfully made the point that commercialism would erode the students' voice.
bFM
95bFM (or simply 'bFM') is a typical student radio station that plays alternative music. Like other student broadcasters, it supports local artists well before they become mainstream.
Originally started as Radio Bosom - a capping stunt, bFM has gone a long way. Today, with voluntary student union membership, bFM is pushed to make a profit for the Association, and exists more as a corporate entity than a student radio station.
