New Regulation acts to snuff out students’ associations

Tuesday, 13 September 2011, 10:10 am
Press Release: NZUSA

Government acts to snuff out students’ associations with new regulation

Students are alarmed at the Government’s continuing efforts to cripple students’ associations and stifle student representation, as draft directions on Student Services Levies have been released for public consultation by the Minister of Tertiary Education.

“The Prime Minister has previously told student representatives that Student Services Levies would be able to fund the services associations currently provide, yet now his Government is attempting to regulate the complete opposite,” said Max Hardy, New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) Co-President.

The proposed changes add a fatal sting to the Government’s decision last week not to allow for a reasonable implementation period for the ACT Party’s student membership legislation. If the draft services levies directions are confirmed, students’ associations’ transition plans will be radically undermined, leaving associations and institutions with nowhere near enough time to plan for a voluntary membership environment.

NZUSA supports the Education Amendment Bill No 4 and the increased student oversight over Student Services Levies that the Bill provides. However, the new directions would make it impossible for Student Services Levies to fund most of the services that students’ associations provide.

“Of most concern is the complete omission of any reference to enabling representation on campuses. For decades student representation has played a critical role in improving the quality of education students receive and has ensured training and resources is provided to learner reps at all levels including class reps, faculty delegates and student members of tertiary Councils. Yet none of this will be possible under the new directions the Minister has created for levies from 2012,” said Hardy.

In addition, student support services such as food banks, pastoral care, events such as Orientation, sports and clubs, and representation for groups of students such as UniQ, law students’ societies and Pasifika student councils are not covered by the new direction for Student Services Levies, placing them all at risk.

“Worryingly, it appears that in conjunction with the ACT Party’s Bill, this Government is determined to deliberately extinguish and silence the student voice and representation at our public tertiary institutions by removing the very mechanisms for ensuring their survival,” said Hardy.

“The proposed changes released for consultation in the New Zealand Gazette are intended to make spending more transparent, yet the corresponding legislation imposing voluntary student membership will undermine effective student representation on decisions around the spending of such levies, something the Minister is apparently keen to encourage,” said Hardy.

“On top of this, he is expecting associations and institutions to adjust to a massively altered funding environment in just a few short months. They couldn’t have done much more to make this as difficult as possible for the sector to manage,” said Hardy.

“We encourage students, tertiary institutions, and student representatives to submit on the draft written direction from the Minister to ensure that a broad range of student services and representation have some chance of continuing in an otherwise bleak environment from 2012 onwards,” concluded Hardy.

ENDS

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NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations

We stand for opportunity, for all.

NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.

We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.

Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.

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