Tuesday, 19 January 2021, 9:19 am Press Release: NZUSA
The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA)
has elected its National President for 2021. The election
took place last Friday at an NZUSA Special General Meeting
(SGM) in Wellington.
Andrew Lessells, 22, was elected
to serve as the National President for 2021. He was
President for the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT)
Students’ Association, Younited, from 2019 to 2020, and is
only the second Polytechnic representative to be elected as
National President in NZUSA’s almost 100-year
history.
“It’s an immense privilege to have been
elected and to be able to represent the 400,000 students
learning across all of Aotearoa” says
Lessells.
“Right now, students are struggling. They
have lost jobs due to COVID-19 and are dropping out of study
because they cannot afford to live. As National President, I
will fight for a Universal Education Income so that ākonga
don’t have to choose between a degree or food in their
stomach”.
Prior to his appointment, Lessells was
heavily involved in NZUSA, chairing the Finance Risk and
Audit Committee (FRAC), steering the 2020 Governance Review,
and playing a pivotal role in the Reform of Vocational
Education (RoVE) as NZUSA’s RoVE Project Lead in
2019.
Andrew Lessells commenced his role immediately
after the SGM election on Friday 15th January, allowing
National Vice President Liam Davies to step down as Acting
National President and resume his elected
position.
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.
Contact NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
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