Report Signals Positive Change For Victoria Uni

Report Signals Positive Change For Victoria University

The recent Academic Audit report for Victoria University has sent yet another signal to the institution to review its Council member composition. This particular paragraph of the report has been welcomed by Ngai Tauira, the Maori Students’ Association at Victoria University.

The report asks the institution to consider the current student membership on Council. Legislation permits up to three students representatives. At the moment there are two student representatives on Council which are filled by VUWSA (Victoria University Students’ Association) representatives. However there is room for another student member. The report recommends that this slot be filled by a member of Ngai Tauira.

“We welcome this recommendation and ask Victoria University to seriously consider this’, says Danica Waiti, spokesperson for Ngai Tauira, “ We have lobbied continuously for years and years, we have gained the support of VUWSA, written submissions, lobbied and yet we still get nowhere with the university. We now wonder what it will take to secure Maori student representation on Council”.

Overall Victoria University is commended on its recent appointment of an Academic Vice-Chancellor (Maori) as illustration of its renewed commitment to Maori students and staff.

“We agree that this position is significant in terms of addressing Maori needs within an essentially non-Maori institution”, says Miss Waiti, “This appointment could be strategic for Maori if given the appropriate resources and institution-wide support it needs, as the report suggests”.
The actual commitment of Victoria University to Maori students is questioned by Ngai Tauira. Several universities around Aotearoa already have Maori student representation on Council.

“We are asking Victoria University to go one step further in their commitment to Maori by allocating a Maori student representative seat on Council. The grounds of support have been laid, now the institution just needs to rubber stamp their approval”, concludes Miss Waiti.

For further information contact:

Danica Waiti
021 440 279

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