Nominations have closed for the upcoming VUWSA by-election, and No Confidence is once again set to make a showing in the polls.

Three of the five positions to be decided in the election are to be contested by only one candidate.

Bridie Hood is the only nominee for the Vice-President (Education) position. Hood has filled the role in an acting capacity this year.

Only one nomination has been received in each of the International Officer and Publications Committee Representative positions, with the candidates being Paul Zhong and Timothy Parker respectively.

Three nominations have been received for Vice-President (Administration), including current Activities Officer Alan Young, as well as VUWSA newbies Thomas Horrobin and Richard Carr.

Tom Reed, Cruz Johnson and Kerry Brown have put themselves forward for Queer Officer.

In positions where there is only one candidate standing, there is the option of voting No Confidence.

No Confidence has made a strong showing in recent VUWSA elections. Although often close, No Confidence is yet to win a position on the VUWSA exec.

The inclusion of No Confidence in the 2009 by-election in some positions where multiple candidates stood was a cause for controversy, and resulted in the by-election being declared invalid.

There will be a candidate’s forum at the Mount Street Bar this Wednesday at 12.30pm. Salient hopes there might be free food there.

No Confidence was not available for comment before Salient went to print.

Polling begins this Thursday, and runs until 5 August. You can vote online or at polling stations across the Vic campuses.

You’ll be able to check out candidate profiles online from midday tomorrow. We’ll also be printing them in Salient next week, along with interviews with some of the candidates.

What? Who’s standing again?

Vice President (Education)

Bridie Hood

Vice President (Administration)

Thomas Horrobin
Richard Carr
Alan Young

Queer Officer

Tom Reed
Cruz Johnson
Kerry Brown

International Officer

Paul Zhong

Publications Committee Representative

Timothy Parker

Proposal to move SGMs online

Provisional results from Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) indicate that Student General Meetings (SGM) will soon be moved online, and VUWSA is considering following suit.

VUWSA President Max Hardy told Salient last week that VUWSA is currently investigating the possibility of shifting their SGMs online.

“OUSA has come up with an interesting idea and has made a good case for it, so we will be considering a similar proposal.” According to Hardy, moving SGMs online could improve the meeting process.

“We get a lot of criticism about the general meeting process and so we are very interested in looking at ways to improve it and make it more representative.”

Holding SGMs online could also increase the number of students who take part, which would increase the likelihood that quorum is met.

In 2009 motions of no confidence against President Jasmine Freemantle and exec member Robert Latimer were unable to be tabled when the required quorum of 100 students could not be met. Trouble with meeting quorum was also one of OUSA’s principle arguments in favour of online SGMs.

VUWSA is still in the preliminary stages of investigating the idea. Students will have the final say in any changes to the SGM process.

VUWSA Clubs Officer resigns

Clubs Officer Fraser Pearce resigned from the VUWSA exec early last week, just one week after nominations opened for the upcoming by-election, where VUWSA’s other vacant positions will be contested.

As the vacant Clubs Officer role is unable to be contested at the by-election, the VUWSA exec is now required to co-opt someone into the position.

President Max Hardy told Salient that VUWSA would decide on this process at the next exec meeting.

“We are now focused on finding a good replacement who can do the role well for the rest of the year. There are a lot of exciting things still to do in the role.”

According to Hardy, Pearce resigned to focus on his studies in trimester two.

Pearce won the position in the 2010 General Election with 955 votes against 463 votes of no confidence. He also unsuccessfully ran for University Council Representative.

Highlights of Pearce’s career include the upcoming VUWSA Dress Up Day and Faith Week. It remains unclear as to whether the latter will go ahead.

As reported in Salient’s Eye on Exec, Pearce recently took three weeks to correctly format his work report, even though exec members are provided with a template.

In May his salary was reduced for a fortnight when he failed to complete enough work.

Submissions on Sir Roger Douglas’ Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill are continuing to be heard in the Education and Science select committee.

Last week, former Labour Finance Minister, and former colleague of Sir Roger, David Caygill, along with his son James, presented a submission opposed to the bill.

David Caygill said that if people want to disassociate themselves from students’ associations when undertaking tertiary study, they should not be able to do so simply for financial advantage, NZPA reported.

Sir Roger was absent from the select committee hearings, which took place last Wednesday.

David Caygill said the so-called VSM bill would reduce the ability of students’ associations to serve and represent their members—the two things they were set up to do.

The select committee was questioned as to whether there is “some larger harm that needs to be addressed that justifies the disadvantages that this bill will clearly confer on students’ associations in the future”.

“We say no, that is in fact not the case,” Caygill said.

James Caygill said that nothing in the bill appeared to enhance the ability for people to freely associate or disassociate themselves from students’ associations.

He told the committee that if it was decided that legislation needed to be strengthened to enhance the ability to conscientiously object, it needed to be clear that would not confer financial advantage.

“If conscientious objection is something parliament feels it needs to enhance, by all means enhance it. But make sure it’s a neutral enhancement.”

Labour MP Trevor Mallard said that he suspected the government had realised there were “some dangers” in the bill, and that a compromise needed to be sought.

LADY GAGA STARTS BAD ROMANCE WITH EARL GREY

Lady Gaga will soon put her poker face to Twinings tea, after the company offered her a multi-million-pound deal and a tea named in her honour.

Gaga, who often drinks tea during interviews and has a pet cup and saucer, was reportedly approached by a number of tea companies with offers to face their campaigns.

According to one source, her choice of Twinings was largely associated with the offer of a namesake tea.

“Names like The Taste Of Gaga are being batted about.

“The tasters are coming up with a tea with an oriental flavour. They want to market tea to a new, younger generation—particularly in America, and Gaga is making drinking tea cool again.”

Fans can look forward to enjoying tea and scones with Lady Gaga and Princess Diana-hair jam.

Yummy.

FUGITIVE FOOLISHLY FUCKS UP ON FACEBOOK

Escaped Australian prisoner Justin Grant alerted police to his whereabouts via Facebook recently.

Grant, who escaped while being taken to a Queensland hospital, contacted a friend in Western Australia on Facebook shortly after his escape. She has since contacted Queensland police.

Before his most recent arrest, Grant had also included his location in a status update.

“On tha run again, gonna go to WA,” he wrote.

As well as documenting his plans on the social networking site, Grant is also wearing a dark green v-neck shirt with “Corrective Services” emblazoned on the back, making him a fairly easy target for police.

TWILIGHT STAR BITES BACK

Actor Robert Pattinson called Courtney Love a dick after she critiscised him on the basis of a rumour about his casting in a film about her late husband Kurt Cobain.

Pattinson took offense to Love’s claim that the casting was “stupid” and “wrong”, because Pattinson had never accepted the role.

“You see all these comments, like from Courtney Love, saying ‘What the f**k! He’s totally wrong for it,’ and I’m like, ‘I f**king said no, you dick!’ I didn’t get offered it.”

Good comeback, RPattz.

Environmental SRC meeting fails to meet quorum

The Environmental Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting last Thursday was abandoned after only six students attended, instead of the required 50 to meet quorum.

Five of these students were from the VUWSA exec. They “joked” about pretending quorum had been met and the meeting held until they realised Salient was actually present.

The meeting was planned as part of Environmental Week organised by VUWSA, which also included stalls in the quad, herb potting and an open mic night at Ramsey House.

Advertising for the meeting was minimal, with the only notice of the event included in the Salient Environment Week schedule and on a poster on the VUWSA noticeboard in the Student Union Building.

Topics for the meeting included preventing a BP disaster and the proposed motion from Environmental Officer Zachary Dorner for VUWSA to oppose all new offshore oil drilling in New Zealand.

After the meeting was cancelled, Dorner discussed student involvement in Environmental issues.

“There’s a good number of core people who do a lot of stuff, but in saying that, they do a lot. Others have good ideas but don’t do as much.”

Dorner did manage to see a positive side to the failed meeting.

“A good thing about these meetings, even if they don’t meet quorum, is that they’re a good opportunity just to talk about other issues.”

While waiting for the meeting to reach quorum, Bridie Hood (Acting Vice-President Education) also stated that despite the fact there is more contact with student representatives now, there is still minimal student interest in VUWSA meetings as a whole.

A referendum last week looks set to result in a significant change to the governing structure of the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA). Student General Meetings (SGMs) will also now be held online.

When Critic went to print last week the results were still provisional, due to then-unresolved complaints regarding possible breaches of constitutional procedure, however, there was a clear signal for change from those who voted.

1399 people voted on the motion to reduce the size of the exec, with 72 per cent voting for the change, 22 per cent against and five percent abstaining. 1391 people voted on the motion to “supersize your say” and move SGMs online, with 87 per cent for online SGMs, ten per cent against, and only two per cent abstaining.

Tension was rife in the OUSA office as the exec gathered late Thursday afternoon to hear the results. As the results were read, OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan looked ecstatic. “I’m happy all the work we have put in won’t go to waste.”

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the outcome. There have been formal complaints lodged regarding how the election was conducted, including the wording of the referendum question, the overall advertisement of the referendum, and the impartiality of OUSA during the referendum period. One formal complaint that was leaked to Critic stated that President Harriet Geoghegan did not remain impartial, and pushed her stance on her personal Facebook page.

The complaint also alleges that exec members on polling booths encouraged students to vote “yes” on the referendum. Another major complaint concerns the period of time students were warned of the referendum, which arguably did not comply with the requisite ten working days.

Some people have claimed that the whole process was incredibly rushed.

Despite the uproar, Geoghegan contends that the election was unbiased. “We talked to lawyers, and the claims about bias were unfounded,” she says.

Finding consistent information about the continuation of Student Job Search (SJS) on campus seems to be as difficult as finding a decent part-time job in Wellington.

As reported in Salient’s Eye on Exec column two weeks ago, VUWSA President Max Hardy said at the 9 June exec meeting that SJS is planning to relocate its call centre to the Wairarapa. Hardy also said Victoria students could be left without an SJS office on campus.

At the exec meeting, Hardy said VUWSA would consider providing some space for SJS to continue operating a couple of computers and a staff member.

However, when Salient contacted SJS Marketing and Communications Manager Lorna McConnon, she contradicted Hardy’s statement at the June exec meeting.

“There has been no mention nor is there any truth to SJS offices moving to Wairarapa,” McConnon said on behalf of SJS CEO Paul Kennedy.

The SJS office, located at the bottom of Mount Street, provides a drop-in service for students to set up accounts and receive job information. It also houses the National Call Centre for the organisation.

McConnon says that if SJS does move from campus it will only be the call centre which does so—the face-to-face service will remain.

She admits that due to a decrease in government funding, SJS is looking at new ways to remain efficient.

“Operating from regional areas can be cheaper.”

McConnon is also unable to fully explain where the rumour of a Wairarapa office came from.

“Nothing has been decided… especially not on locations.”

McConnon says that any decision to move SJS from campus “will be discussed with the students’ association.”

SJS has recently discontinued some face-to-face services. Their office based at Massey University’s Albany campus has been closed in favour of a virtual office. This change was only made after research was conducted showing that very few students actually used the drop-in service.

A survey conducted by Salient showed that some Victoria students feel the same about the drop-in service.

“Doing everything online is so much easier,” says Laura, 19. “I don’t think I’ve ever been into the office.”

Hardy was unavailable for comment before Salient went to print.

Extending the 90-day trial period to all employers was one of many proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act announced by Prime Minister John Key at the recent National Party Conference.

The proposed changes, which have received both criticism and support since their introduction just over a week ago, also include limiting union access to workplaces and allowing the Employment Relations Authority to throw out “frivolous or vexatious” cases early in the process.

Critics of the proposals include a number of trade unions and the Labour Party, who say they will repeal any changes to the act if returned to power. The 90-day trial period previously only applied to businesses with under 20 employees. The National Government argue that by extending this to all workplaces, employers will be more likely to take on new employees.

However, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU) claims that young people have already, and will continue to suffer under the scheme.

In a recent press release, CTU pointed to Department of Labour statistics that reportedly confirmed that large numbers of young people were being fired without cause within the 90-day trial period.

“…The report appears to confirm the scheme is having severe impacts on working people.”

Others argue that young people are among those who will benefit most from the proposed changes.

In a statement to Salient, Student Job Search (SJS) said that the changes would increase the opportunities available for students.

“It reduces the perceived risk by employers of hiring staff that may not have a proven work experience track record (which is often the case for students who are relatively new to the world of work).

“It also provides an opportunity for students to get their foot in the door with large organisations who may offer internships or graduate positions,” says Lorna McConnon, SJS Marketing and Communications Manager.

In the past week, a Wellington-based group have held a protest and meeting opposing the proposed changes.

A bill amending the Employment Relations Act is being drafted for introduction later this year.

Growing tired of the culinary delights of Mount Street Cafe? Too cold to wait for Hare Krishna? Flat broke? Wagamama, in the Meridian Building on Customhouse Quay, has a healthy solution for your dining difficulties… and it’s FREE!

On Tuesday the 27 July, Wellington noodle house Wagamama is offering customers free lunch for ‘National Noodle Day’.

The deal, limited to one lunch meal per person, lasts from 12 noon until 2pm and bookings won’t be accepted, so getting in early to claim your seats is highly recommended.

Wagamama has attracted a vast following in Wellington and throughout New Zealand. Wellington Manager Kim Workman markets ‘National Noodle Day’ as a reward for those who have contributed to Wagamama’s success.

“Last year’s National Noodle Day was a massive success with 450 Wellingtonians eating free and 2500 people paying nothing for lunch nationwide.

“We’ve decided that National Noodle Day is a time to return the love to our loyal fans in the capital city.”

So round up some mates and beat the rush: it’s noodle time!

A new scholarship has been introduced to Victoria University, with the aim of helping students to better understand China.

The James Bertram scholarships have been funded by businessman Rodney Jones and his wife Sanjini Jesudason, who hope to improve the relationship between New Zealand and Chinese students.

“We want young New Zealanders to engage with China, to understand the culture and connect with the Chinese leaders of tomorrow.”

Jones, an investment banker who was previously a partner in the Soros Fund (Asia), understands first-hand the importance of having a knowledge of the country.

“A greater awareness of China is essential for New Zealand in the 21st century.”

There will be two James Bertram scholarships offered every year, with each worth up to $50,00.

These will provide two students with funding for a year’s study at Victoria, followed by six months’ language tuition in Beijing and then a year studying at Beijing’s Peking University.

After completing their studies, students will graduate with a double Masters in International Relations (Victoria University) and Public Policy (Peking University).

The scholarships are named after James Bertram, the late academic from Victoria University, who was fascinated with China after visiting the country.

As a journalist for The Times, Bertram also had the chance to interview Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong.

Victoria’s Vic-Chancellor Pat Walsh described the scholarships to Peking University as an exciting opportunity for students.

“I’m delighted students will be able to experience firsthand one of the most significant nations that New Zealand will interact with now and in the years ahead.”

International Relations students at Victoria are interested in the chance to apply for the scholarships.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for all Pols and International Relations students… I look forward to finding out more about it,” said one student.

Researchers and staff at Victoria University’s Law Faculty have recently completed two major works in the Legal Māori Project, just in time for Māori Language Week.

The Legal Māori Corpus and the Legal Māori Lexicon form an unprecedented collection of Māori texts and legal terms which will be available for researchers to use.

Project co-leader and Faculty lecturer Māmari Stephens was delighted with the finished product.

“When we started the project two years ago we had no idea the final size of our corpus would be so great, and to our knowledge, it is the largest structured corpus of Māori language texts ever compiled.”

The Lexicon will be further developed into a final dictionary, due for completion in 2012.

Stephens hopes that the end result of the Legal Māori Project will be used by a wide variety of people.

“It is our hope, as we celebrate another Māori Language Week, that within a few short years any person or group will be able to use te reo Māori to engage fully in the New Zealand legal system. The Corpus and the Lexicon are important tools to help us move in that direction.”

Both works can currently be accessed through the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre, and from the projects page of the Law website.

Prime Minister John Key visited Victoria University last Wednesday for the opening of the new Alan MacDiarmid Building. Salient was not among those invited to the event.

Hopes of attending the ceremony anyway were thwarted by Campus Care Security officers, who were stationed at every entrance to the area.

Salient News Editor Molly McCarthy pretended to read The Dominion Post while monitoring the situation inconspicuously from a nearby couch.

By around 5.30pm the hallway space in front of Wishbone was filled with a crowd of around 60 important-looking people, who mixed, mingled and ate delicious-smelling nibbles.

“I think I saw the back of John Key’s head, and also Kerry Prendergast, maybe,” said a student spoken to by Salient.

Members of Key’s security squad were also spotted amongst the well-dressed crowd.

Victoria University masters student Thomas Vink left for Japan last week to attend a regional invitation programme as an ambassador for New Zealand.

Selected as one of twenty graduate students from East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Vink will spend the next seven weeks participating in academic coursework, cultural activities and individual fieldwork. Vink will study at the International Research Centre for Japanese Studies in Kyoto and Sophia University.

At Victoria, Vink’s master’s thesis examines monuments and memorials and the role these sites play in representing various groups’ understanding of East Asian history.

“Ultimately, the significance of my research is to promote an increased understanding of the many different varieties of individuals and groups, in East Asia, that acquire meaning from the past.”

Much of Vink’s fieldwork will involve visiting these ‘sites of memory’, which will in turn form part of his thesis. Vink will also present these findings at a conference in Tokyo with the other scholars.

The programme is funded by the Japanese Government as part of the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange of Students and Youth Programme, which will see 6000 young people travel to Japan over the next five years.

A group of protesters gathered outside the National Party headquarters on Willis Street last Monday to oppose the government’s proposal to extend the 90-day trial period to all employers.

Organised via Facebook, by 5.30pm the picket protest was well underway, with protesters carrying signs baring slogans such as ‘Screwed if we don’t work, Screwed if we do!’

Former VUWSA President and protest organiser Joel Cosgrove described the policy as “anti-workers law”.

“It is a bill that could, in some way, affect everyone that is starting a new job.”

A ‘Toot for Support’ banner received a lot of attention from bus drivers.

However, not everyone present agreed with the protesters. Hundreds of people walked straight through the middle of the demonstration, with one passer-by yelling “Go home wankers!” into a protester’s microphone.

Plants new vege garden, mucks more shit up

After pledging to support a more sustainable community at Victoria University, VUWSA has recently re-planted their vegetable garden.

A recent addition to the VUWSA Constitution, the notion of a sustainability goal at Vic was generally welcomed by the student body at a recent IGM. While the VUWSA vege garden was developed many years ago by a former environmental officer, its recent changes were aimed at making students think about growing their own produce.

With winter weather hampering gardening efforts across Wellington, VUWSA Environmental Officer Zachary Dorner remained positive about their initiative despite concerns for the amount of produce the garden could deliver.

“Ideally the VUWSA vege garden will get people thinking about gardening. It’s a cheap, healthy and very local way for students to feed themselves.
Students are of course welcome to pick the rosemary and a few lettuce leaves. We may give it away with food bank packages or for free in the quad.”

The VUWSA garden is located outside their former offices in the Student Union Building. Suggestions for developments and ideas on distributing the food are welcomed.

While Joyce warns universities that their non-academic fees may soon come under fire, Vic students have the opportunity to have their say on the issue in the Student Services Levy Survey Consultation.

Run by the Student Services and Amenities Levy Advisory Committee (SSALAC) and VUWSA, the consultation gives students the chance to provide feedback on proposed changes to the levy before they are confirmed.

SSALAC was established last year following an agreement between VUWSA and the university to ensure students had a say in the levy and how it is spent.

VUWSA “vigorously opposed” the levy when it was introduced in 2010. Prior to this, services were funded through a combination of external sources, the university and students. The introduction of the levy saw the non-academic fee increase from $275 in 2009 to $510 for full-time students.

According to the committee’s draft proposal for 2011, the same level of services will be maintained, incurring a 1 to 3 per cent increase plus GST. Services covered by the levy include student health and the accommodation service, which are generally provided either for free or at a heavily subsidised rate.

VUWSA President Max Hardy encourages students to take part in the survey in order to have a greater impact on the outcome of 2011’s levy.

“VUWSA is able to give students a very powerful voice on this issue, but we need students to let us know what they think.”

Hardy has contacted the Vic student who told One News this month they were “bullied” into paying the levy.

The student said they were told they would be unable to continue their courses if the fee was not paid.

Hardy told Salient that he is “more than happy” to meet with students with similar concerns.

Students can complete the survey online at the VUWSA website until 23rd July.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has indicated he will be taking a closer look at the compulsory non-academic levies that students are being charged by universities and polytechs.

In a speech at Victoria University last week, Joyce expressed concern that a number of institutions have made significant increases to non-academic levies, which fund services like student health and careers services.

Joyce said he has seen instances where students have been charged for things such as a “building maintenance levy”, “library services” or “compulsory charges for internet access”.

Joyce will be writing to the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors Committee to formally raise the issue and express his concerns.

“I would urge universities and ITPs to tread carefully with these compulsory add-ons—I wouldn’t want to see big increases after big increases leading people to think you are avoiding fee regulation by charging in another way,” he said.

Joyce will question whether all the things that are being charged for should be compulsory for all students or not, and whether part-time students should be treated differently to full-time students.

Universities will be asked to justify the fees they are charging students.

A number of universities, including Victoria, increased student services levies for 2010. Vic’s compulsory student services levy almost doubled from $275 in 2009 to $510 for the 2010 academic year. Canterbury University increased their levy from $80 in 2009 to $600 in 2010.

Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh is confident that the university can justify the levy being charged to students.

“By paying the levy, students are able to access the wide range of services offered for a full calendar year, for free or for a heavily discounted rate,” he says.

“These services are necessary for students to be supported through their time at university. No one can predict when they may need to access services such as counselling, health, or learning and career support. To provide this support is fundamental to offering a learning and teaching environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”

VUWSA President Max Hardy says VUWSA “vigorously opposed” the increase to the levy.

“Students are the main funders, and the only users of the services, and they therefore have a right to a big say in the levy and how it is spent.”

He says he has been in touch with many students on the issue. “Some are supportive of the levy and some are not,” he says.

New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) Co-President David Do says universities need to be “upfront and transparent about how they spend students’ fees”.

He says the source of the levy increases is “government under-funding putting pressure on institution budgets”.

“Students are getting the raw end of the stick,” Do says.

Hardy says that Joyce has approached both NZUSA and VUWSA to begin dialogue on student services levies.

VUWSA has narrowly dodged a constitutional bullet by revising the date for the first polling day in the upcoming by-election.

Had VUWSA proceeded with the original date for the first day of polling, the by-election would have breached the rules prescribed for the conduct of elections outlined in the VUWSA Constitution.

The constitution states “not less than fourteen office days before the first polling day a notice calling for applications for any position or positions to be filled shall be posted on the Association noticeboard”.

VUWSA had originally scheduled the first day of polling to be 22 July. Nominations for the vacant positions opened 12 July. A notice was placed on the Association noticeboard on the ground floor of the Student Union Building late last Monday afternoon.

The notice was placed on the noticeboard only eight office days before the first day of polling. Had the date for the first day of polling not been changed, the by-election would have been unconstitutional.

Early last week, Salient asked VUWSA President Max Hardy if he was confident that the by-election met all the obligations outlined in the constitution.

The following day Hardy told Salient there the date for the first day of polling would be changed.

The dates for the by-election were set by the election committee. The election committee is appointed by the VUWSA exec, and consists of three past VUWSA exec members or returning officers.

This near-miss follows in the wake of the botched July 2009 by-election, which was deemed invalid by an independent panel following a complaint by a student.

It was found that the 2009 by-election had not been conducted in accordance with requirements set out in the VUWSA constitution. The panel determined that the inclusion of “No Confidence” in electronic ballots did affect the election outcomes in some positions.

The Returning Officer had not provided Salient with the revised polling dates before we went to print.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has signaled that the academic performance of universities and other tertiary education institutions, and how well they prepare students for life after study, will play a more important role in determining levels of funding.

Funding tied to employment outcomes and the online publication of high-level performance information were among the incentives for the tertiary education sector outlined by Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce in a speech at Victoria University last week.

Joyce signaled that over the next two years, tertiary providers will move to a system where funding is “based on how well they perform academically by preparing their students for life after study”.

Initially, a maximum of five per cent of funding will be performance-based.

“Ultimately, I want to see funding linked to employment outcomes, not just internal benchmarks,” Joyce told the audience, which included Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh, Otago University Vice-Chancellor David Skegg and other key stakeholders in the tertiary education sector.

“This will send a strong signal to students about which qualifications and which institutions offer the best career prospects—and that’s what tertiary education has got to be about.”

Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh said there is merit in considering funding being linked to employment outcomes.

“I feel very confident from the graduate outcome surveys we undertake that our students go on to be useful and productive members of society,” he said.

“There will need to be discussion to be had about exactly how we would do it, but the general principle is not an issue.”

VUWSA President Max Hardy cannot see how such a policy could work in practice.

“I think it shows a lack of understanding of the purpose of tertiary education. We are not just here to train to get a job. Getting a job is not he best indicator of success,” he said.

Joyce said the government is committed to “incentivising educational performance” and providing students with adequate information to inform their decisions surrounding tertiary study.

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is about to begin regularly publishing online performance information for tertiary education institutions.

“This information, along with what’s already out there, will empower students’ decisions with the best possible information about course quality, cost, academic requirements and the likely impact on future career prospects,” Joyce said.

“I am sure it will also be a big reputational incentive for tertiary education organisations.”

Walsh supports the publication of high-level performance information “as long as the information is accurate, the measures are relevant and the presentation is of value to current and future students”.

New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations Co-President David Do says the information needs to be relevant to students.

“It can’t just be targeted at what the ‘average student’ would want to know, otherwise it runs the risk of only catering to a certain group, and potentially only those who are already well represented in higher education,” he said.

“Information would also have to be simple enough so that students will actually use it, but complex enough so that it doesn’t create perverse outcomes.

“The educational performance measures—course and qualification completion, retention and progression, are relatively crude measures of what constitutes ‘quality teaching and learning’. They can only paint a basic picture of quality teaching and learning and don’t at all address the reasons behind why some students drop out of education.”

Joyce acknowledged in his speech that increased demand for tertiary education, in part caused by the economic recession, has prompted some universities, Victoria included, to restrict enrolments.

“While universities have always restricted enrolments in some courses to some degree, it would not be ideal to see too much of this at this time.”

However, extra funding for the tertiary education sector is not on the horizon.

“It is highly unlikely that there will be any significant cash injections in the foreseeable future,” Joyce said.

EELS ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING CONGESTION WHERE THEY CAN

One lane of Auckland’s Southern motorway was closed and traffic diverted on Tuesday after a spillage of eel juice caused the area to become slippery.

Eels were also found in the area, which stretched over 300 metres of the motorway.

It remains unclear where the eels and the eel juice came from.

IT’S FUN TO STAY AT THE Y…

Village People find a need to be down

1970s group the Village People expressed outrage last week at the Young Men’s Christian Association’s decision to change their name from YMCA to ‘The Y’.

“Some things remain iconic, and while we admire the organisation for the work they do, we still can’t help but wonder Y.”

However, chief marketing officer Kate Coleman defended the association’s decision.

“It’s a way of being warmer, more genuine, more welcoming, when you call yourself what everyone else calls you.”

The Village People claim that they will continue to perform the song in its original format, despite the change.

HOLY SHIT! FALL OUT BOY SINGER NOW THIN!

Fall Out Boy lead-singer Patrick Stump left fans stumped when he appeared at a US Climate Rally earlier this year looking remarkably thinner.

The famously chubby star is now almost unrecognisable, with MTV posting a blog on his make-over entitled ‘Upgrade or Unrecognizeable’.

“Call us crazy, but we kinda liked when the pop-rocker had a lil’ more meat on his bones.”

However a straw poll of Salient staffers indicated an overwhelming preference for svelte Stump.

Shame MTV.

PAUL TO MOVE HIS TENTACLES TO GREENER PASTURES
Octo-Oracle calls it a day

Now that the World Cup is over, Paul the octopus will retire from his role as resident oracle at Germany’s Sea Life aquarium, says spokeswoman Tanja Munzig.

“He won’t give any more oracle predictions—either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy.

“Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh.”

Achieving worldwide fame after correctly predicting the outcome of all of Germany’s matches and the final, Paul was arguably the real winner of the tournament, with a perfect record and thousands of fans.

On Monday Paul was presented with a replica gold trophy covered in mussels.

Nom.

SCIENTISTS CRACK CHICKEN/EGG QUESTION

Researchers in Britain believe that they have finally answered the question that many have scrambled to answer—which came first, the chicken or the egg?

The answer came from the discovery of a protein that is necessary for the production of eggshells.

The protein is produced in the hen’s ovaries, so the chicken must have come first, says Dr Colin Freeman of Sheffield University.

“It had long been suspected that the egg came first, but now we have the scientific proof that shows that in fact the chicken came first.”

It remains unclear where the first chicken came from.

Campus Hub makeover makes progress

The Campus Hub project is heating up, with plans for the first stage to be completed in February 2013.

Operations will begin in November with the closing off of the quad to begin construction on the so-called Campus Hub.

The closing of the quad will see food kiosks moved to the area between Old Kirk and Hunter Building in August and September. The quad canopy will also be removed during these renovations. The development of alternative pathways and parking areas for scooters and motorbikes is already underway.

The University and VUWSA Trust will both fund the development, contributing $67 million and $12 million respectively.

The key aims of the project are to “improve the flow” and to “create a central heart to the campus”. The quad will be excavated down to the same level as the Student Union Building (SUB), simultaneously increasing connections between the SUB, Library and Kelburn Parade, and operating as a centre for students to study and socialise.

Lambton Quay shoppers were left in confusion recently when a portion of the CBD was cordoned off for several hours.

The street was closed to traffic after glass began falling from the 20th floor of a building at around 1.45pm.

Shop assistants and shoppers alike lined the streets at the sight of the fire engine, police and yellow tape blockading most of the street.

The glass fell from the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry building in central Lambton Quay. Inspecor Ken Climo said that the fixings holding the glass in place had failed. Police were concerned that if the area was left open the public could be at risk.

“Someone might get decapitated.”

According to MetService, winds were gusting up to 70kmh in the city around 2pm.

Lambton Quay was re-opened at around 4pm.

There were no reported injuries. Members of the public seemed disappointed at the anti-climax.

“Pretty concerning”, “intrusive”, “limiting” and “decreasing a degree of privacy” were just some student reactions to a new notification that parents could be their next Faceboook friend request.

Statistics show that older Kiwis are joining social networking websites more than any other age group in New Zealand.

New research reveals that more than half of New Zealanders aged over 55 have joined up to social networking websites such as Facebook in the past year, an increase from only 20 per cent in 2007. Specialist Facebook groups that cater to this audience are attracting numerous fans, with the group ‘Born in the 60s, any of us out there?’ boasting 24,084 members.

However, for those who can’t join ‘Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook Population, I was born in the 50s’, the trend means that more parents, and potentially even grandparents, may be signing up to create internet profiles.

Students spoken to by Salient who had a parent or relative on Facebook were often reluctant to share their pages with them.

Several first-year students voiced concerns about parents knowing what they were doing through the photos and content on their Facebook pages.

Other students felt secure in having their parents as friends on Facebook.

Some students even found Facebooking parents to be a positive thing, as it was a convenient way to stay up to date and in contact.

Whether students like the new status or not, parents and Facebook looks set to be combination that will continue to grow.

Seniornet executive officer Grant Sidaway says that with initiatives like workshops for older people, their attraction to the internet is a “natural phenomena”.

Retired 72-year-old Jo Fletcher is extremely positive about her experiences with online social networking.

“You feel like you’re in a little clubroom.”

Newtown and Mt Cook forced to sober up

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast may not have been able to implement her city-wide booze ban, but she has been successful in extending the liquor-free zone.

Currently there is a liquor ban in Wellington’s CBD area, Aro Valley and the Mt Victoria lookout.

A council committee recently voted to extend this area to include Mt Cook and Newtown, but not to cover the entire city.

The council had formerly proposed a city-wide ban that could have seen members of the public arrested for enjoying wine with a picnic.

The council received 604 written submissions in regards to the proposal, with 76 per cent in opposition to the city-wide ban.

Prendergast was a strong supporter of the city-wide ban.

“This is a gut call, and we have to show a bit of courage and do what’s right for the community.”

Victoria University student and Newtown resident Claudia Ducrot, who will be affected by the changes, had mixed feelings.

“It is a good idea in terms of curbing this drinking culture that has manifested in New Zealand over the recent years, but I’m a student and I want to enjoy it while I can.”

The Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) and the University of Otago hosted the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) Conference in the last week of the semester break.

Delegates from around the country descended on Otago to discuss issues pertinent to their mandate and listen to a number of speakers, including Tertiary Education Union secretary Sharn Riggs and Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce.

The most dramatic moment of the conference was a bizarre outburst from Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association (OPSA) President Meegan Cloughley, who appeared to pull the association out of NZUSA, believing they did not care about the issues she has raised. There were no tears, but her voice was wobbly.

Despite this, NZUSA Co-President David Do said the conference had some very clear goals, and was happy with the way the conference went.

“Our conferences aim to help reps understand current issues in the tertiary education sector, provide information and training to help reps do the best job they can as a student representative, and give reps the skills to take on the current challenges affecting their students.”

2010 has been a particularly tough year for NZUSA, with the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill hanging over the heads of the association and its members.

“We are midway through what has already been a challenging year for the student movement.”

Despite the difficult times, Do remains resolute.

“National student representation has had a long proud history of over 80 years, and we are committed to keep working hard for students into the future,” Do says.

“NZUSA and student associations have worked hard since the end of January conference, with fantastic success of the Save Our Services campaign in getting over 4500 submissions against the VSM bill, being a strong voice for students in government policy and in the public arena, and continuing to do what local associations do best—supporting and advocating for students at a local campus level.”

Highlights of the conference included a speech from Tertiary Education Union secretary Sharn Riggs, who outlined the importance of staff and national representation in the tertiary sector.

Tertiary Minister Steven Joyce lost his NZUSA conference virginity addressing the members and fronting up to some challenging questions about the direction the National Government is taking in tertiary education.

NZUSA lobbies the government on behalf of students’ associations. Recently OUSA has been vocal about its displeasure with the services NZUSA has been providing, and has been calling for a restructuring.

“If the organisation was receptive to change and responding to current demands it would be a lot better,” OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan says.

“If it wasn’t for VSM the decision would be a lot easier.”

Victoria University won the 2010 Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships (Australs) earlier this month, marking the university’s first win since 1998.

The team defeated Auckland University in the Grand Final by successfully arguing that ‘crimes against the earth are analogous to crimes against humanity’.

Australs is the second largest university debating tournament in the world. This year it was hosted by Auckland University and comprised of 100 teams from the Asia-Pacific region.

Victoria is the only New Zealand university to have ever won the tournament. 2010 marks the university’s fourth win since 1975, with a Victoria team debating in the Grand Finals for three out of the last four years.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley was extremely pleased with the outcome of the prestigious international debating competition.

“We are delighted with the news and congratulate the team on their success in this world-class competition.”

The winning team was comprised of students Stephen Whittington, Udayan Mukherjee and Ella Edginton.

Stephen Whittington (Captain) was named as the second best speaker in the tournament and won the Jock Fanselow Cup for Best Speaker in the Grand Final.

Victoria’s top team knocked out the university’s second team in the semi-finals. Captain Seb Templeton was named as the tournament’s seventh equal best speaker.

Students forced to fork out for further study

Some future doctors and those seeking a higher education will be forced to fund some of their own studies after changes made to the Student Loan Scheme earlier this year.

In an exclusive statement to Salient, Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce admitted that the changes made to the Loan Scheme in Budget 2010 will mean that some students will not have access to student loans to cover their final years of study.

The loan scheme restructure means students who complete a double degree and honours will likely need to fund any Masters study out of their own pocket, but may then be able to access funding for Doctorate study.

The loan changes also mean students who complete a degree prior to entering medical school will have to fund their last years without a student loan.

A lifetime limit on access to the Student Loan Scheme was introduced in Budget 2010. The limit for undergraduate study is 7 EFTS (Equivalent Full Time Student), with a further 1 EFTS allowed for postgraduate study and 3 EFTS for doctoral study. A full-time student studies between 0.8 and 1.4 EFTS a year. The EFTS count includes all study a student had a Student Loan for from 1 January 2010.

Joyce says policy changes “could be” considered.

“There are currently no additional exemptions to the lifetime limit for specific programmes of study or multiple degrees.

“However, if some programmes of study (such as medicine) turn out to be disproportionately affected by this policy, consideration could be given as to whether additional EFTS should be allocated to those programmes.”

Joyce says the changes to the scheme are “intended to encourage students to make wise choices about their study” and “take the most direct route through their studies in order to ensure they have sufficient entitlement to a student loan”.

Medical students wanting to complete Masters study will have access to the additional allowances to fund further study.

Other Masters students will not be as fortunate. A student completing a double degree (for example Law and Arts) needs approximately 6 EFTS to complete their studies. If the student wants to do Honours and Masters, the current policy means that a student may not have any access to funding for their Masters.

Victoria University Law student Nick Chapman says the government needs to ensure their attempts to regulate student funding do not adversely affect students working towards higher learning.
“Obviously there is a real danger that you will push students away from academia by making it difficult for them to fund their postgraduate study,” he says.

“From a Law perspective in particular, this coupled with the disparity in pay which already exists between someone working in a commercial law firm and someone researching, publishing and teaching, it presents a real risk to the number and quality of academics our universities produce.

“In effect, people will be paying more to qualify for a profession where they will be paid less.”

New Zealand Medical Students’ Association President Liz Carr says the changes are disappointing and “don’t make any sense”.

“It seems like such a badly planned idea. This is a sure way to lose students. We are trying to train and retain young doctors in New Zealand, and the loan scheme was one of the ways to help this.

“If students have to fund their own studies, then graduate students might seriously consider looking at studying in Australian post-graduate medical schools.

“Completing a degree prior to entering medical school is a common and encouraged way of entering medical school.

“If the government is trying to discourage postgraduate students from moving into medicine, then this is the perfect way to do it.”


Joyce says if students use their additional postgraduate 1 EFTS for honours study, then “there is no additional entitlement for additional postgraduate borrowing other than doctoral study”.

When questioned how the 7 EFTS entitlement was decided, Joyce’s said the value is “similar to the Australian Student Learning Entitlement (ASLE) which allows an equivalent of 7 years of full-time study with Commonwealth support”.

Coffee or bus to uni—you decide!

Transport fares for the Wellington region are set to rise in October, despite public opposition.

The increase will force students to decide between the hike up the killer hill, or something to warm their insides.

The Greater Wellington regional council met in June to debate the increase, with councillors ruling in favour of a 2.5 per cent rise across the board. Inner-city bus services and the Wairarapa train line face a further increase.

Wellington inner-city bus fares will double, increasing to $2. The fare from the Railway Station to Vic will be $2.

Most fares will go up by 50 cents if paid in cash. Go Wellington has also decided to phase out many of their passes, such as the Bus King, Gold Pass and Day Tripper. NZ Bus Chief operating officer Jane Fulljames accepts that “a small number of customers may have an increase in the cost of their travel”.

The fare increase comes after a decision made by the council to increase bus fare revenue by 3 per cent. The government has also announced a GST increase, however, Wellington Regional Council transport spokesperson Philippa Lagan says that the October fare increases are inclusive of the GST rise. Lagan says that transport fares are reviewed annually, and if there is to be a further fare increase after the GST rise, it is “not at this stage”.

Members of the public opposed to the decision had the opportunity to address the council at the meeting. Some, such as a group of Wairarapa commuters, signed a petition against the increase.

Green Party transport spokesperson Gareth Hughes said that the fare increases were a “slap in the face” for commuters.

The fare increase will take effect from October 1.

The infamous Undie 500 will go ahead this year, after landowners in the Marlborough town of Seddon agreed to host the event. 


The annual student car rally was forced to find a new location after organisers, Caterbury University’s Engineering Society (Ensoc), were told they would no longer be welcome in Dunedin.

In recent years the traditional Christchurch to Dunedin route has repeatedly ended in violence, with a crowd of around 600 rioters and 60 arrests made last year. 


In March Ensoc president Michael Cook announced that Marlborough was being considered as a possible alternative. 


Seddon residents Trish and Chris Redwood offered their 194-hectare property after the Marlborough District Council, police and other residents publicly opposed the suggestion. 
Mrs Redwood said the couple offered their property partially out of sympathy for the students.
“It is a nice big space, the boys obviously needed somewhere to go, and we thought it would be a good solution.”


The couple are optimistic that their property won’t attract the controversy that has previously been associated with the event. 


“I don’t see how having a concert in a country venue would produce similar circumstances. The environment in Dunedin is unique—it’s a student ghetto. It’s very cold, and they need to light fires.”

Ensoc will have to pay a $10,000 bond, are expected to hire security and the event will be a “lock-in”, with no students allowed to leave and no gatecrashers allowed in. 


Despite proceeds from the 1000 tickets sold going to the local community, some residents have begun organising a petition against the event.


The Redwoods still support the rally, which will be held during September if things go as planned. 


“I don’t think it should be such a big deal… it’s really going to be a little Rhythm and Vines with far less people and more booze.”

Ministry of Education figures released last month show government spending on Student Allowances is the highest in almost 20 years.

The number of Student Allowance recipients jumped by 26 per cent between 2008 and 2009. More than 82,000 students used the Student Allowance scheme in 2009, pushing spending to $516 million.

The 2009 increase was a lot higher than expected, with the previous increases between 2006 and 2008 sitting around 5 per cent.

Students can receive up to $219.25 a week, which they do not have to repay.

Higher demand at tertiary institutions due to high unemployment is considered to be a major contributing factor.

The reduction of the parental income testing age to 24 and increases to parental income thresholds have also increased access to allowances.
NZUSA Co-President David Do says students and families have been hit hard by the economic climate.

“Lower parental incomes mean families are finding it more difficult to support students who may already be forced to live at home due to inadequate student support,” he says.

“The recession also meant that students have had difficulty finding summer work, which means they have fewer savings to offset academic and living costs for the rest of the year. This is leading to increased student poverty­­—many of our associations have reported higher demand for their foodbanks and financial hardship schemes.”

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce told Morning Report that student numbers are likely to fall next year, due to changes to eligibility for student loans, new performance requirements for loans and the fact that New Zealand is emerging from the recession.

According to a 2008 Ministry of Education report, Educational achievements of student support recipients, those who only receive student allowances do better academically and are twice as likely to achieve successful completion of their studies than those with no financial support.

“The findings of this report come as no surprise. NZUSA has long advocated that adequate support in the form of student allowances is integral to academic success. Given this evidence, we would hope the government views increased eligibility to allowances as a tool to increase student achievement,” NZUSA Co-President Pene Delaney says.

Victoria University is launching a new postgraduate diploma designed to increase clinical research skills in New Zealand.

The new Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Research is part of a wider partnership between Victoria University and Capital & Coast District Health Board (C&C DHB) involving research, teaching and technology transfer.

Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh says the new Postgraduate Diploma will “enhance the future performance of the health sector in the areas of clinical research and health education”.

It is the only qualification of its kind in New Zealand.

The Victoria diploma is a distance course that will provide clinical researchers with the skills for undertaking drug development and clinical trials, among other areas.

It will be taught mostly online by Victoria University staff, clinicians from C&C DHB and the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ), with Victoria staff also providing academic leadership.

“The diploma delivers the high-level clinical research skills essential to the health and pharmaceutical sectors in New Zealand and the world.”

The course begins in July and draws on the research strengths of the university—which also offers courses in the health-related sciences of biomedicine, nursing and psychology—and the expertise of C&C DHB and MRINZ clinicians.

“There is a need within the health sector for a clinical research qualification, and this diploma takes the best of both the academic and clinical health worlds to strengthen clinical research,” says Walsh.

Victoria University and C&C DHB recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding which encompasses a wide range of projects designed to benefit both the Wellington region and New Zealand’s health profession.

“The new diploma is just one initiative which will strengthen the ties between the health sector and the research and teaching environments,” Walsh says.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne commended both Victoria University and Capital & Coast District Health Board for their collaboration.

“With constant media coverage of health research and the development of new treatments, medicines and technologies, New Zealanders expect a high-performing health system. Their collaborative work on this project takes us a substantial step forward in that direction,” Dunne says.

The dates for the by-election to fill the vacant positions on the VUWSA exec have finally been set.

Acting officers were appointed to fill the vacant positions at the start of the year. Several positions, including Vice-President (Administration) and Vice-President (Education) were uncontested in the general election for the 2010 exec held in September last year.

Nominations for the vacant positions are open from 12–16 July.

Campaigning will take place in the second week of the trimester, and students will be able to vote online and at polling booths from 22–29 July.

The vacant positions are: Vice-President (Administration), Vice-President (Education), Queer Officer, International Officer and the Publications Committee Representative.

Salient will be bringing you full election coverage over the next few weeks.

International Officer resigns

Alice Pan resigned from her position last week as VUWSA International Officer.

Her resignation was effective immediately.

Pan resigned so she could focus on her studies in trimester two.

The vacant position will be contested at the upcoming VUWSA by-election.

Massey University staff join their Canterbury counterparts in facing an uncertain future after being told jobs are to be cut.

About 200 Massey staff were sent letters saying their role would be disestablished or their position changed.

Under the plan, 53 support staff members would lose their jobs, with 120 staff set to compete for only 67 new positions across the three campuses.

At the Manawatu campus, about 80 jobs would go and 50 positions would be created.

Proposed changes will save the university $2.4 million annually.

The review comes as Massey deals with reduced government funding and growing enrolments.

Victoria University staff can expect some changes, but the university will not face widespread planned redundancies.

“Victoria is constantly reviewing its structure to ensure it is best placed to meet its strategic goals,” a University spokesperson says.

“While some changes are likely to occur, we do not have any major projects on the horizon similar to those affecting staff numbers at other universities.”

Massey University Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey told the Manawatu Standard the Massey changes are part of an initiative to make the university more efficient.

The announcement follows an earlier 30 redundancies and the disestablishment of three regional chief executives’ positions earlier this year.

Maharey says Massey could not rule out more redundancies, as universities face pressure to cut costs.

“Massey, like other universities, is moving to do what we do as efficiently and effectively as possible, to reduce our expenditure, enhance the quality of what we offer and to find new sources of revenue.”

Canterbury University staff have also been hit by funding shortages, with 95 people already made redundant and more redundancies to come.

Tertiary Education Union branch Vice-President Jennifer Middendorf says the redundancies at Canterbury have hurt staff morale and that some staff, programmes and students at the university now faced an uncertain future.

“The University of Canterbury said disestablished staff will be able to apply for new positions, but many of the new positions being created are at lower salaries, or require different qualifications than the disestablished positions.

“Since the beginning of this restructuring the university has redeployed only a handful of staff—far short of the 95 who have so far lost their jobs,” says Middendorf.

“It’s a travesty that Canterbury’s poor example is being adopted by Massey University as well. Let’s hope other universities do not follow suit.”

Lincoln University has revoked an honorary degree awarded to a former Peruvian president who was last year jailed for ordering two massacres and committing other human rights crimes.

Lincoln Vice-Chancellor Roger Field says the decision to revoke Alberto Fujimori’s science doctorate was “not taken lightly” but there was a “universal view that this was the direction to take’’.

The decision was made during the public-excluded section of the university council meeting on this week.

Field said the university examined its core values of respect for human rights and condemned Fujimori’s involvement in “a gross violation of human rights in Peru”.

Fujimori ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000. He was awarded the honorary Doctor of Science degree at a Lincoln University ceremony while on a state visit to New Zealand in June 1998.

The 71-year-old, once considered a hero for stopping guerilla violence and restoring economic growth, was convicted of human rights crimes and sentenced to 25 years in prison in April 2009.

His convictions included ordering a military death squad to carry out two massacres in which 25 people died, and for the kidnappings of a businessman and journalist.

He was also sentenced over embezzlement after paying his spy chief NZ$21m (US$15 million) from state funds.

The Lincoln University council looked at overseas cases for background, including Edinburgh University’s revoking of an honorary degree awarded to Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe.

Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping was present at the official launch of Victoria University’s Confucius Institute at a ceremony at the InterContinental Hotel last month.

The ceremony had been scheduled to take place on campus, however, it was moved to the vice-president’s hotel after Green party co-leader Russel Norman’s run in with Chinese security outside parliament.

Confucius Institutes are not-for-profit centres within foreign universities designed to support the teaching of Chinese language and culture.

The vice-president said the launch of the Confucius Institute at Vic is “another milestone in education and cultural exchange and cooperation between China and New Zealand”.

The Institutes operate in partnership with a Chinese university. Victoria University’s Confucius Institute is a joint venture with Xiamen University.

The Institutes are financially supported by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), part of the Chinese Ministry of Education.

Vice-Chancellor Pat Walsh said Vic prides itself on being an internationally engaged university.

“Our graduates need to be prepared for a global job market and to make a strong contribution to a multicultural society that New Zealand has become.”

The New Zealand Research Centre of Xiamen University, another joint venture between the universities, was established in December last year.

The head honchos from students’ associations across the country gathered in Dunedin last week for the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) annual July Conference.

“Student delegates from all around New Zealand will be discussing many issues pertinent to the current tertiary environment,” NZUSA Co-President David Do said prior to the conference.

How the government’s 2010 Budget, and general direction in tertiary education policy will affect quality, access and equity in tertiary education will be a main talking point for the four-day conference.

The programme also includes addresses from Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce and Tertiary Education Union national secretary Sharn Riggs.

Salient understands that a change document, proposing a new structure for NZUSA, has been revised by Otago University Students’ Association President Harriet Geoghegan. The recommendations of the document and the future of NZUSA will be discussed by delegates.

Salient may have coverage from the conference in next week’s issue. It depends if Critic can be bothered going or not.

MAGGOTS ON A PLANE!

US Airways have had it with these motherfuckin’ maggots on their motherfuckin’ plane!

A US Airways plane was forced to return to the gate in Atlanta recently when maggots fell from an overhead bin.

The source was a container of rotten meat that had been brought on board by a passenger.

The plane was evacuated and cleaned after passengers noticed that maggots, rather than breathing masks, were dropping from the ceiling.

WORLD CUP FEVER CREATES RUSSIAN HALLUCINATIONS

According to an independent poll carried out late last month, 8 per cent of Russians believe that their team will win the FIFA World Cup, even though the nation never qualified to play in the tournament.

Other Russian favourites include Brazil, eliminated following a loss to the Netherlands, and Turkey, who, like Russia, also never qualified to play in South Africa.

Russia is currently bidding to hold the World Cup in 2018 or 2022; even if they are unsuccessful, polling will probably indicate otherwise.

TEDDY BEARS BARE ALL FOR SEX-ED

Clifford demonstrates the Big Red Doggy Style

A sex-ed class in Iowa faced complaints after the instructor used soft toys to demonstrate sex positions to the 13- and 14-year-old students.

Colleen Dostal, a mother of one of the students, claims that pornographic photographs were also shown.

“I think that’s horribly inappropriate.”

Dostal and other parents took their complaints to both the principal and superintendent of the school.

Planned Parenthood, who ran the class, has defended their decision, representative Jennifer Horner said.

“All information we use is medically accurate and science-based.”

MICK JAGGER BAD LUCK FOR FIFA TEAMS

Mick sees a world cup team and wants to paint them black

Fans following the World Cup have accused Rolling Stones’ front man Mick Jagger of cursing the teams that he supports.

Jagger, English-born and with a half-Brazilian son, has seen the demise of the US, England, Brazil and Argentina at matches where he has been supporting the teams.

After Brazil’s loss to the Netherlands thousands of fans, including Brazilian author Paulo Coehlo, accused him of being bad luck on Twitter.

“Remaining teams: forbid his presence in the stadium!”

In other World Cup superstition news, Paul the octopus oracle made his sixth consecutive correct match prediction when he indicated that Spain would beat Germany in the semi finals.

The octopus, housed at a German aquarium, predicts the outcome of Germany’s matches by choosing a mussel from one of two tanks marked with the teams’ flags.

PRINCESS’ HAIR USED TO MAKE JAM

Tea and Scones with Princess Di, anyone?

A jam made with the hair of the late Princess Diana is currently being sold at an art exhibition in London.

The preserve, which was produced with a single strand of the Princess’ hair, is said to taste like condensed milk.

The jam has been selling well at £5 per jar ($NZ11), with 500 sold in the first week.

The Court Report, which starts filming this week, is a new current affairs series that will see key players in New Zealand’s legal system discussing the latest justice issues and court cases, complete with audience input.

The show will be filmed at Vic’s Law School, and will be hosted by high profile defence lawyer Greg King.

Some of King’s more (in)famous clients have included convicted murderers Clayton Weatherston and John Barlow. He has taken cases to the Privy Council, and since the establishment of our own Supreme Court, he has presented the only two successful murder appeals.

So what attracted King to the legal profession in the first place?

“My father was a prison officer, right through my youth, in fact he’s only just finished this year. And I think from that bred a real interest in the dynamics of criminal law,” he says.

King studied at Otago and was admitted to the bar in 1993 and worked for Judith Ablett-Kerr. King regards his time with Ablett-Kerr as his “apprenticeship in criminal law”, and he says his three years working with her was a “baptism of fire”. He’s been in Wellington 14 years now, practising on his own account. Without doubt, King’s a legal high-flyer.

There are a couple of reasons why King is excited about hosting The Court Report. “It… really appeals to my kind of core values, and the reason why I’m in this industry in the first place. I think it’s a really timely opportunity to actually get into informed, detailed and accurate debate about legal issues,” he says.

“I guess my motivation was hearing the mind-numbingly stupid comments that people make who just don’t have any idea about how the justice system works, on talkback radio and so on. I just sit there in my car listening to it and just wanting to pull my hair out at some of… really, the ignorance.”

What King really wants to achieve out of The Court Report is “high-level informed debate that properly represents the competing issues”.

Why should you tune om at home, or head down to Law School and be part of the live audience? “We’re dealing with how the law impacts on people, so anybody living in our community has the law impact on them in some way,” King says.

“So hopefully greater insight and greater understanding of how it all works will be a benefit to everyone.”

The Court Report will be screening on Thursdays at 9.35pm and Tuesdays at 2.35pm on TVNZ 7 from the 15th July.

You can head down to Law School and see it live in the studio audience on Tuesdays in LT2.

VUWSA executive member James Sleep has been found guilty of misconduct by the VUWSA exec, following comments made in his Salient column earlier this month.

VUWSA received a formal complaint following the column’s publication in the 3 May issue of Salient.

Sleep made reference in the column to “the rich kids who you might find yourself sitting next to”, and “the one’s [sic] that seem to think it’s a status boost to say they live in Weir House”.

The exec found Sleep had breached the VUWSA Code of Conduct (CoC) by making negative and disrespectful comments about VUWSA members.

The CoC requires VUWSA exec members to “treat everyone fairly and with respect” and “Show respect to the person…”.

When asked to make a public apology for the comments made in the column, Sleep initially refused to do so.

“No, that is not something I will be doing. I am not prepared to make a public apology in Salient. I don’t see why I need to.”

Following the meeting, Sleep contacted Salient to say he had “had second thoughts” and would apologise in a later issue of Salient.

Sleep did acknowledge using the stereotypes “was unacceptable” and agreed to apologise to the complainant, but only after it was suggested by the exec.

Sleep’s column was discussed in a recent select committee hearing about Roger Douglas’s Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill, a bill which would introduce voluntary membership to all students’ associations.

VUWSA President Max Hardy told Salient he was disappointed that Sleep had made the comments.

“The accountability of executive members is ultimately to the students.

“VUWSA expects higher standards of ethical conduct of its executive members that we generally expect of the general public.”

Sleep told Hardy during the investigation that he did not believe the phrases were offensive, and said he was attempting to be “deliberately provocative”.

Hardy said in his report to the exec that Sleep “showed a general disrespect to the process” and “did not take the allegations seriously”.

Sleep told the exec that he accepted the misconduct finding, but disputed that he had not taken the complaint seriously.

Sleep says turning up to the meeting and talking about the complaint was enough to be seen as taking it seriously.

Exec members were concerned by Sleep’s actions following the meeting with Hardy, when he was heard laughing about the issue.

The misconduct decision does not require the exec to take any disciplinary action against Sleep.

Three misconduct findings would result in serious misconduct and further action would be taken at that point.

An agreement between Salient and VUWSA means that all columns submitted by exec members are not edited by Salient, subject to libel laws, before being published.

Hiyoooooooooo

The Cleveland Motel has finally fronted up with the cash it was ordered to pay VUWSA, but only after VUWSA President Max Hardy sicced the heavies on them.

Rotorua’s Cleveland Motel charged VUWSA $6724 for what they said were necessary repairs for damage caused by drunk Vic students staying there during Uni Games 2008.

The students made national headlines for their drunken revelries, and subsequent eviction by the motel’s owners.

Following a decision in the Disputes Tribunal in late February 2009, the Cleveland Motel was ordered to refund VUWSA a sum of $4114 from the $6724 it charged the association for cleaning and the non-utilisation of the final night’s accommodation.

The Cleveland Motel argued it was entitled to charge VUWSA for the damage and cleanup work left in the wake of the drunken carnage. The motel’s owners did not feel obligated to refund the association for the last night’s accommodation.

VUWSA stated there was inadequate proof to substantiate some of the costs charged for cleaning and damage.

Despite being ordered to pay the money back to VUWSA, the Cleveland Motel owners stubbornly refused to do so.

In late 2009, then-VUWSA Vice-President (Administration) Hardy asked the District Court to enforce the Disputes Tribunal decision.

Over a year after the Disputes Tribunal decision, VUWSA finally received the cash.

When contacted by Salient last year, Cleveland Motel management were less than consolatory about the decision, or indeed students in general.

“You fucking students are the scum of the earth,” the man said.

“You fucks, you scum of the earth. Look what you little pricks did down in fucking Dunedin! Scum of the earth, go save the world! Go save the fucking whales!”

When questioned about what the money would be used for, Hardy joked “Maybe we can go help those whales now.”

Some things that happen do matter

Salient has a few questions about the changes made to the Student Loans scheme announced in Budget 2010.

These are swiped from the StudyLink website. So don’t blame us if you don’t like them!

Lifetime Limit for Student Loans
Introduced: 1 January 2011
• Lifetime limit of 7 EFTS (equivalent full-time student) for Student Loans, starting from study started in 2010.
• Full-time students have study loads of between 0.8 EFTS and 1.2 EFTS for a year. For a full-time student, 7 EFTS is equal to about 7 or 8 years of study.
• Once any part of the Student Loan is used, no matter what it is, such as living costs, fees, or course-related costs, that loan will count towards the 7 EFTS limit.

The 7 EFTS limit may be extended in these situations:
• If a student enrols in a course, which, in the one year of study, will take them over the 7 EFTS limit, they will be able to use a Student Loan to complete that year of study.
• An additional 1 EFTS is available for post graduate study.
• Up to an additional 3 EFTS are available for doctoral study.
• Generally, a student will not be able to receive more than 10 EFTS of Student Loan entitlement including these extensions.

Performance Requirement for Student Loans
Introduced: 1 January 2011
• To keep receiving a Student Loan a student will have to pass at least half of their course load EFTS.
• EFTS count starts once a student has used one or more parts of the Student Loan (living costs, course fees, or course-related costs).
• To give students time to adjust to tertiary study a student’s performance will be assessed once they have used 1.6 EFTS (about two years of full-time study).
• If a student does lose access to the Student Loan they can regain it by passing at least half of their EFTS without using a Student Loan or by providing evidence that there is sufficient reasons beyond their control for not passing at least half. They will also be able to regain eligibility after five years as a result of the five year rolling assessment period.

Fee Changes
Introduced: 2012
• Administration fee to be renamed the Establishment Fee
• Establishment Fee increases to $60
• $40 annual administration fee will be introduced for Student Loans that are transferred to Inland Revenue
• Will not be charged any year where a student also had a StudyLink establishment fee charged

Changes to Residency Requirements for Student Loans
Introduced: 1 January 2011
• Permanent residents and Australian citizens will be subject to a two year stand down before they can receive a Student Loan.

Blames Salient

Otago University, the Dunedin City Council and the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) have come under tough scrutiny after Otago student magazine Critic revealed they collectively spent $40,000 on a four-and-a-half-page report on student drinking.

It appears that no concrete guidelines, expectations or clear terms of reference were given at the start of the trip.

Following a damning report in the Herald on Sunday last week, all parties are in damage control, maintaining that their contributions to the project were worthwhile.

The University and the Dundedin City Council spent $20,000 and $17,000 respectively. OUSA contributed a further $3000 from its professional development line.

A spokeswoman for the Vice-Chancellor’s office said that the ongoing contribution of OUSA staffer Vanessa Reddy, who used the money for a year-long tour of American universities, will be more significant than simply a written report. An Alcohol Issues Task Force has already been established based on the report’s findings.

Speaking to the Herald, Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin seemed unaware of the funding input of the Dunedin City Council. “The… huh… I can’t recall the details of the funding, that was not something that I personally had anything…”

Chin explained to the Herald, “I’m not aware of the full details of… Clearly by if it was paid by us, I accept it was paid. In terms of the management of that, which budgets, that’s not something that I recall that I actually had anything to do with.”

OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan maintains that despite media criticism that the report was insufficient given the money put into it, she would prefer an easily “digestable” report than a “waffly 40-page report”.

Geoghegan does not mince words when discussing the Herald article.

“I am really disappointed that the journalist misquoted and got facts wrong,” she says. “I explained [it all] to him but still he made it look as though we sent her off and spent $40k—seemed to be a real jab, and wasn’t surprising to find out he used to work for Salient.”

“We’re screwed”

Victoria University’s recent decision to not accept any new domestic admissions for 2010 has eased financial pressures facing the institution, but it has also made life a lot more difficult for the students who have had their plans turned upside down.

Sarah*, 19, had planned to start a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics and International Relations in trimester two.

“I rang the enrolment people at Vic to talk about my courses before I applied, and they said I should have no troubles [getting in].”

VUWSA President Max Hardy says the decision has had a wider impact than the university allowed for.

“It is disappointing that the decision was pushed through so quickly, so close to the start of trimester two, with very little warning.

“Those students intending to enrol had a reasonable expectation that they would be able to study.”

Sarah agrees. “I thought I would be going to Vic, there was nothing to make me think I couldn’t.”

After applying online in late April, Sarah moved to Wellington in early May to set up her flat and find a job before uni started.

“They must have known before now, they must have been able to let us know sooner.”

Sarah says she is no longer sure where she will study now she is not able to apply to Vic until next year.

“It’s a really long way away. Most of a year really. It would be a bit different if I could go to summer school at Vic, but they have closed that to us too.”

A high-achieving student, Sarah says she is no longer sure that she will get the education she wants from Victoria.

“I know that I will make it into Vic next year, but it’s such a shambles that I don’t want to.

“I am starting to think that maybe it would be a better idea to go somewhere else.”

Losing high calibre students was a concern raised by some members of the University Council when making the decision to close admissions.

Victoria University Director of Student Academic Services Pam Thorburn says while the university cannot comment on individual students, “the university is always concerned about the potential loss of a student who is capable of completing degree study”.

“We appreciate that this decision may have a significant impact on study plans and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

Sarah says the issue is now trying to figure out what to do next.

“They really have left a lot of people without a direction. I know of other people in the same place as me.”

“A lot of us don’t have the experience we need to be able to get jobs to support ourselves and it’s just really tough, there aren’t many jobs for students at the moment.

“We’re kinda screwed.”

*Sarah requested that we change her name.

Salient plans to purchase it and install it in the atrium as a monument to The Muppets

The infamous window-tinted, mag-wheeled, black-painted VUWSA van remains in storage at a mechanic in Otaki, after it broke down in late January.

However, VUWSA has decided to cut its losses and sell the van, deeming it too old and unnecessarily accessorised to be worthy of repairs.

The van broke down just out of Otaki while it was being used by the VBC. The VBC was traveling to Bulls for the Campus A Low Hum music festival that was held over Wellington Anniversary weekend.

Salient understands that the cam belt broke, causing extensive damage to the van’s engine.

VUWSA President Max Hardy says that by selling the van, they will be trying to recoup as much of the $22,222.22 that was spent upgrading the van as possible.

“I think we can now put the shameful VUWSA van controversy behind us,” Hardy says.

The van upgrade involved numerous modifications, including fitting it out with a sound system, mag wheels and window tinting.

In 2009 the exec apologised to the student body on behalf of VUWSA for the actions of 2007 President Geoff Hayward and Education Vice-President Paul Brown. It was agreed by the exec that it was the actions of Hayward and Brown that led to the misuse of student funds associated with the van’s upgrade, and not the exec as a whole.

That exec also apologised for the subsequent suppression of the van expenditure document by the 2008 exec.

Since the van broke down, it has been stored at a mechanic in Otaki, which has come at a “small cost” to VUWSA, Hardy says.

VUWSA has negotiated for a van owned by the Joint Student Union Board to be available for use by VUWSA organisations such as Salient and the VBC. This van will also available for booking by student groups through VUWSA.

Hardy says VUWSA has negotiated this arrangement “as part of its plan to come up with the most cost-effective way of delivering the service to both students and VUWSA organisations”.

Following the breakdown, Hardy says alternative arrangements were made for student groups needing to use a van through Piggy Packer Rentals. VUWSA has made use of the university’s vans, as well as other forms of transport.

It is not known how much it would cost for the van to be fixed.

Salient will be holding a memorial service for the van next trimester, should its bid to purchase the van fall through.

Gap-year students performing better at university: myth or reality?

Students trying to convince their parents they really need an overseas holiday just got some ammunition in their war, with a new study claiming a break will help them achieve better grades.

Research undertaken by the Ministry of Education found that students who took a year off before going to university managed a greater improvement in their marks compared to high school.

This improvement in grades was accounted for by the researchers. “The improvement in university performance for students who took a gap year probably derives from the fact that only motivated or confident students enrol in tertiary studies after taking a break.”

Students who took a gap year in the form of the popular ‘Overseas Experience’ (OE) agree with the results of the study.

“It’s simple. If you’re cut out for academic learning then you come back, but if you’re not keen then you don’t,” says third-year Psychology major Blaine Abraham.

“I found that by the end of my gap year I was really hungry to continue my education.”

21-year-old Alexander Handley says after his OE in South England, he was ready to go back to study.

“In terms of motivating me more, to a certain extent it did in providing a dream at the end of the tunnel,” Handley says.

“It was good to have a break and while it took me a while to get back into academic work, it definitely gave me a greater desire to learn.”

The question of whether it had improved his marks was also positive for Handley.

“I do think it has given me better marks than I would have got straight from school, because in my gap year I learned to balance all aspects of my life better,” he says.

“The chance for personal development in this is very high, so you don’t waste time sorting that stuff out in first year.”

However, students who did not do an OE do not agree.

Third-year student Robert Fernando feels that if he had taken a year off from subjects such as mathematics, he would have lost valuable knowledge.

“It’s different for each individual,” says Fernando.

“You can’t just say go on a gap year and get better marks.”

Receiving A plusses and As in his Psychology papers, Fernando doesn’t think a gap year is a necessity.

Quite a nice idea actually

Victoria University is offering a lifeline to research projects devastated by the Chilean earthquake.

To ensure scientific research can continue following the earthquake in Chile, Victoria is offering six four-month fellowships to Chilean scientists.

“Scientists have lost samples they had been collecting for many years, and we understand that in some cases whole collections that are important to the ecosystem in Chile have been lost,” says Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Neil Quigley.

“Some facilities need to be entirely rebuilt, particularly those on the coast that were affected by the tsunami.”

Victoria has established research and exchange partnerships with Chilean universities.

Quigley says the fellowship recipients will be teamed up with Victoria scientists who are conducting similar work to enable them to continue their research.

“We have had strong links with Chilean universities for some time now, and this is our way of acknowledging that relationship and ensuring that important research in Chile continues.

“Being part of an international research community, it’s important to ensure that long-term gains aren’t jeopardised by unforeseen events such as this.”

The visiting fellowships are open to academic staff members of Chilean universities or research institutions whose laboratory facilities are unusable following the earthquake, and will provide funding to cover a round trip airfare and accommodation in Wellington for four months.

Universities most affected are in the central and southern part of the country, including the University of Concepcion, La Frontera University in Temuco, universities in the cities of Talca, Curico and a number of coastal marine field stations.

Non-traditional sports get traditional awards

Six students at Victoria University of Wellington are the latest recipients of the coveted New Zealand Universities Blues awards for sporting achievements.

Victoria University students Phillip Drew and Aiken Hakes received the NZU Blue for outstanding achievements in croquet, while Lizzie Ingham was recognised for her performances in orienteering. Ella Edginton, Polly Higbee, and Stephen Whittington were rewarded for debating.

Winners were revealed last week by University Sport New Zealand, acknowledging the triumphs of university athletes in 2009.

From the 60 students across New Zealand who will receive the awards, 16 represented the country at the Beijing Olympics, while a further 28 have been granted a Prime Minister Scholarship for 2010.

University Sport New Zealand Executive Director Louise Burns says receiving a New Zealand Universities Blue is one of the greatest honours a student athlete can achieve.

“Since 1919 just over 2500 NZU Blues have been awarded. Previous recipients include All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, Olympic gold medallist Danyon Loader and 2009 Halberg recipient, rower Hamish Bond, so this year’s recipients are certainly amongst good company.”

VUWSA Clubs and Events Manager Melissa Barnard was understandably pleased with Victoria’s performance.

With attentions turned to professionalising the realm of sport, Barnard admitted winning an NZU Blue is a demanding feat.

“The selection criteria for winning an award for sports such as rugby are difficult.

“While there is a strong focus on their athletic performances, students must meet academic requirements. Players must be at the top of their game, which is the case for Drew and Hakes who have represented New Zealand.”

New Zealand Debating Champion Stephen Whittington agreed the selection process was tough but felt Victoria provides the debating society with a great deal of support, including sponsorship for international competitions.

“Our speakers are internationally respected and certainly debating is a strong sport at Victoria University.

“I understand criteria for selecting debating award winners in the NZU Blues are being reviewed, but young people are often interested in the debating society when they start here.”

“De-liver me from this peg, friend.”

For Romeo, parting was such sweet sorrow. For a 25-year-old Wellington man and a single yellow clothes peg, parting is a joy unto itself.

Former Salient News Editor Michael Oliver has launched The De-Liver Me From Pegs Sale.

Inspired by the efforts of Canadian Kyle MacDonald, who traded up from a single red paperclip to a two-storey house, Oliver hopes to trade upwards from a single yellow clothes peg, all in the name of charity.

On May 17, Oliver launched the first of the De-Liver Me From Pegs auctions on TradeMe. He hopes that in a year’s time, what was once a yellow peg will soon be something “awesomely magnificent, and magnificently awesome”.

Oliver says on his auction, “My goal is tantalisingly simple: between May 2010 and May 2011, I plan to TRADE UP from a single yellow peg, to something else, and then something else, and something else and so on, and so on.

“In 12 months’ time, I will auction whatever I’ve traded up to and donate all funds raised to the Immune Deficiencies Foundation of New Zealand (IDFNZ).”

Oliver doesn’t have an ultimate goal in mind, but remains “delightfully optimistic”.

“Some kind of boat, maybe? Or a house? Perhaps some kind of combination of the two? A boat… house?” says Oliver.

“Yes, I think that’ll do,” he says.

Oliver explains the efforts of IDFNZ plucked a string within him, which until recently, had only a sad tune to offer.

He was diagnosed with a rare disease called Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) in 2007, and an even rarer illness called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) in 2009.

AIH is a rare autoimmune disease, caused by the body’s immune system attacking liver cells, causing chronic inflammation, while PSC is even rarer autoimmune disease, caused by the body’s immune system attacking the liver’s bile ducts.

Despite describing his illnesses as a “bit of a downer”, Oliver says the chance to give something back is a joy.

“Where my illnesses are caused by an overzealous immune system attacking my body, those with PIDs struggle with even the most common of colds.”

The choice of a yellow peg is one coloured in symbolism.

“I have far too many pegs lying about my flat hither and thither. They’re a little like the antibodies that way. It wouldn’t hurt to get rid of one,” Oliver says.

Oliver will keep tabs of his various acquisitions and trades at his blog, www.amanonstage.net.

Last week I walked in to the exec meeting to discover a surprise prepared for me by Max Hardy. Throwing aside my journalistic integrity I delightfully accepted my very own media table! It had a sign and everything, and took the president approximately five minutes to write and print, thus fulfilling 40 per cent of his KPI.

The meeting was in a new room this week. With the Student Union upgrades actually starting to move along, the Student Union has shifted to their new home over at 6 Wai-te-ata Road.

Like circling vultures, it only took the exec a couple of days before claiming squatters rights and moving their meetings upstairs.

The table in the new room is weird. It has this whole sticky out bit. It looks kinda like that space program thing where the captain sits on that chair thing with the pointy-eared guy lurking behind him. Spock? Something like that.

Yup. Sooooo. What else happened… ummm… they talked about the work reports? Did they? I honestly can’t remember, and I blame Jasmine Freemantle entirely for it. I’m sorry, what year is this again? I really don’t know.

Fraser was once again singled out as needing to sort out what on Earth he actually does in his role. Oh and they talked about the financial accounts. You know, your money, and everything. Look, I can’t tell how to care about how they spend your money, (by the way, there is $1.5 million sitting in their cheque account), and I’m not here to hold your hand and tell you to care.

But it has taken them over six months to implement a financial plan. Might explain why some of Salient’s invoices weren’t paid on time. More on this next semester in Salient’s award-winning A4 photocopied fun-time newsletter, with Rarah “So… am I getting paid this week? Oh, food stamps? Hey cool, thanks” Sobson.

Ummm what else. God, I have no idea. I wish I could elaborate more on this, but guess what, friends, there’s literally nothing else to say. Though Salient can confirm that, yes, Alan Young knows what an executive bonus is. Christ no longer weeps, and we’re glad.

There are a few things you can care about:

Warm My Flat

Two flats will win a professional energy audit. You should enter to find out where your warmth is escaping. Your toes could be saved.

Stress-Free Study Week

To help you get through your exams, VUWSA will be giving out breakfast, midnight feasts (only at Te Aro though, you miss out Kelburn) and neck rubs from June 7-11.
I have been reassured that the VUWSA exec will not be the ones doing the rubbing.

Student Union moving

Well, you can now go to VUWSA for lost property and club booking forms. And soon VUWSA will be where the Student Union was. Soooo really this isn’t a big deal. But now you know.