News

OUSA has given a clear indication that it no longer wishes to be a part of the New Zealand Union of Students Association (NZUSA) and University Sport New Zealand (USNZ) last week.

In a Budget draft it has been revealed that OUSA plans to budget $0 for NZUSA in 2011, in stark contrast to the $86 168 (before tax) it paid in 2010 levies.
   Education Officer Stephanie Reader says that NZUSA should know that the OUSA Executive has been unhappy for some time. However, NZUSA Co-President David Do was seemingly blindsided by the developments and says NZUSA has not received any indication from OUSA that it is looking at withdrawing. Do says it would be "important to have a full discussion" with OUSA before any such move were to happen and “reminds” OUSA that according to the NZUSA Constitution, they have to give one year’s notice of withdrawal. It is unclear what the sanctions would be if OUSA breached this rule.
   Financial Services Officer James Meager (who was Acting President last week) says that OUSA tabled a motion at the recent NZUSA Conference to decrease the withdrawal notice period to three months.
   “While we were prepared for a substantial discussion to take place on the merits of this, a motion was put ‘that the motion now be put’ and was passed, meaning that discussion would cease on [whether to change the notice period] and we would vote on it. This left many of our group, and a couple of other associations without the chance to talk about the proposed motion to alter the constitution,” Meager says. “As expected, the motion did not gain unanimous support, and was defeated. One would have expected that this be a reasonable indication that OUSA may be wanting to look out for its future, and where it spends students' levies.”
   However, Meager says that the draft Budget figures represent the ‘extremes’ of Budget submissions – either the maximum or minimum amounts requested in the Budget submissions from staff and Executive. “It is not necessarily reflective of the Budget which will be open for submission by the student body from 25 August to 7 September.” 
   Meager says there are several options OUSA has to look at: either remaining as full paying members and exercising their 14 out of 60 votes (the most in NZUSA); shift to associate membership and pay a smaller levy, but receive only 1 vote; move and pass a constitutional amendment which would reduce the withdrawal notice period from 12 months to three months, “given  … the outcome of the [Education (Freedom of Association) Bill (VSM)] is unknown, and it would be prudent for associations to be able to use their students' money on providing local services and not be locked in to levies for 12 months”; pass the motion and remain in NZUSA; fail to have a constitutional amendment passed and give the 12 months notice of withdrawal, paying the 2011 levies; or fail to have the motion passed and just not pay 2011 levies. “Now, as you can see there are a lot of complicated outcomes.”
   If OUSA pulled out of NZUSA it would be a massive blow for the organisation, leaving it without a fifth of its funding.
   The news will further damage the strained relations that OUSA is developing with other student associations in the country. The draft Budget was announced at the height of last week’s election campaign, which had already been plagued by leaks of emails that Harriet Geoghegan had sent to presidents of other students associations around the country. Among the emails Critic obtained was one where she said OUSA was looking at a $0 student levy and an apparent endorsement of the 90-day employment bill. 
   As well as removing itself from NZUSA, OUSA’s draft Budget indicates that the Association will not be allocating any funds to USNZ, the group behind Uni Games. This will free up the $37 000 it pays in annual levies.
   A students' association does not need to be a member of USNZ to attend Uni Games. However, Meager says, “What you may need to be wary of though is that OUSA's contribution is substantial, and whether UniGames or USNZ would continue on without it.”