Students and Staff call for a Debt-Free and Democratic Uni

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Students and Staff call for a Debt-Free and Democratic University

Press Release: AUSA

Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) and Tertiary Education Union (TEU) are joining forces to send a strong message to government and the University of Auckland. The organisations, representing staff and students, condemn the continued underfunding of tertiary education and oppose the local erosion of academic freedom and student and staff involvement in governance over their own institution.

AUSA and the TEU are issuing an open call for all those who care about tertiary education to join students, staff and public figures at the rally. Confirmed speakers include new Labour Party leader David Cunliffe, University of Auckland Law Professor Jane Kelsey, Alistair Shaw from the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations and mayoral candidate John Minto from Mana Movement. Representatives from the Green Party and New Zealand First will also be present. The rally has been endorsed by the Public Services Association and the Service and Food Workers Union.

The host for the event is political commentator, Martyn Bradbury.

“We are calling for people to rally for a Debt-Free Future. This is AUSA and the TEU’s alternative vision for tertiary education, where graduates leaving the institution are not weighted down with an impossible debt-burden. We call upon the Government to immediately reverse the succession of cuts to student support and to rethink their attitude of education as a cost and instead see investing in students as enriching society,” says Daniel Haines, President of AUSA.

Issues the rally will bring to students’ and the public’s attention include the lockout of students at the upcoming fee-setting meeting.

“Fees at New Zealand Universities have increased at 4% each year since that became the maximum, or cumulatively 21.7% over the past five years. This has run ahead of the government contribution which has increased by only 16.5% and been essentially flat in terms of inflation-adjusted per-student funding. Students have been paying more for less.”

“For academics there has been a gradual undermining of their academic freedom, where impositions like the PBRF mean they are forced to teach and undertake research in an increasingly restrictive culture that undermines genuine intellectual enquiry,” continues Haines.

Staff and students are committed to “Reclaiming the University”, AUSA and TEU’s campaign to raise awareness of staff and students currently not being involved in making decisions that affect them.

Staff, students, the public and media are invited to the rally at 1.00pm on Wednesday 2nd of October (today) in the student quad, University of Auckland. Food will be provided.

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/424667737633320/

Full List of Speakers:

David Cunliffe (Leader of Labour Party), John Minto (Mana Movement), Vernon Tava (Green Party), Alistair Shaw (New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations), Joe McCrory (Public Services Association), Jane Kelsey (Law Faculty), Campbell Jones (Sociology Department), Cris Shore (Anthropology Department), Nigel Haworth (Business School), Daniel Haines (AUSA President), Curwen Rolinson (NZ First Youth President), Hannah Williams (Auckland University Pacific Island Students’ Association).

ENDS

© Scoop Media