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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 27, No. 6. 1964.

Shopping Concessions Unbonded Bursaries says Robins

page 8

Shopping Concessions Unbonded Bursaries says Robins

The Presidency of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association should, ideally, be conducted under two major policy divisions:

Domestic

The President should conduct the overall supervision of student welfare and student activities within the University; he should be the link between the Association and the Student Union; he should be the initiator of measures designed to improve the position of the student on the Campus, especially in relation to facilities for study and recreation; and he should encourage student comment on matters relating to the University.

Public

The President is the representative of the Association in its dealings with both people and organisations off-campus; he is the initiator of measures designed to improve the position of the student with the public at large and to put the student view-point to Government when the occasion demands it; he should take the steps considered necessary to foster good student relations on the International level.

Over the past few years, there has been a tendency to centre more and more of the day-to-day activities of the Association in the Association's Executive. The result has been a decrease in the attention paid by Executive to broader policy matters relating to the various Association activities. Similarly, the President has become involved in matters of day-to-day machinery, rather than in general policy supervision. It becomes apparent in any large organisation dealing with widely differing subjects, that a greater delegation of authority is required if all interests are to receive the attention required. To this end, if elected, I would initiate a reorganisation of the Executive to ensure its greater efficiency. In particular Men's and Ladies' Vice Presidents would be given greater responsibility in the administration of Association Policy.

International Affairs:

Promote a V. U. W. student opinion on matters in which students have an interest, and have constructive ideas to put forward. To this end Clubs will be encouraged to promote their views, but always in a manner that does not cause a deterioration in the University's or Associations standing. Seminars on particular international topics will be encouraged to be organised by students, funds being made available, where necessary, to obtain speakers resident in New Zealand, and suitably qualified.

National Affairs:

As with International Affairs, the promotion of a V. U. W. student opinion will be encouraged. Clubs and sub-Committees wishing to organise seminars and meetings will receive my backing, if the ideas to be put forward are constructive. At a time when criticism and the opportunities to criticize are being gradually uppressed, any part the Association can play to thwart such trends in highly desirable.

Student Publications:

These will be encouraged, so long as they do not place an undue financial strain on the Association. "Salient" in particular, will be encouraged to continue its critical coverage of a wide field of subjects of interest to Students. As in the past the Executive will rely on the integrity of the "Salient" editors to ensure that a high standard of responsible journalism is maintained.

Bursaries:

Efforts will be made to remove the bonding clause under which one quarter to one third of all students holding bursaries are subject. In addition representations will be made for an increase in bursaries for the purchase of textbooks, the prices of which are rising, while the value of the bursaries remains static.

Halls of Residence:

The case for Halls of Residence will, as in the past, be brought strongly to the Government's notice at every available opportunity. In addition, efforts will be made to see whether flats can be made available by the public, more readily than at the present time. An investigation will be undertaken as to the feasibility of setting up a'Board of Trustees" to negotiate with Landlords on behalf of students, the Trustees in effect guaranteeing that the student will be a desirable tenant.

Shopping Concessions:

Efforts will be made to obtain discounts at selected Wellington stores for 'bona fide' V. U. W. students, on a similar basis as operates for members of the Public Service.

Student Health:

Representations will be made for a resident dentist to be employed, at reduced charges to students.

Union Building:

At present there are carefully defined limits to the authority of the Association's Executive and the Student Union Managing Secretary. Efforts will be made to maintain these limits, and where possible extend further the authority of the Association in the running of the Student Union Building.

Public Relations:

Over a period of years the standing of V. U. W. students in the Wellington community has gradually declined. It is my wish to see V. U. W. students accepted in this community, as students so obviously are in other New Zealand university centres. Besides the problem of accommodation-which in part has been caused by a poor public image-vacation employment, shopping concessions, and the general acceptance of the University as having an important and useful part to play in the community, will ail be tackled by an intensive public relations campaign. To this end the Public Relations Committee will be asked to prepare a comprehensive scheme, in conjunction with an Executive Committee, to achieve these aims.

Profile

A graduate in Commerce and qualified accountant, Tom is at present a research officer in a Bank. He received his secondary schooling at Christchurch Boys High, where he was active in swimming, tennis, soccer, fencing and skiing. He was the holder of a McKenzie ski scholarship, and a successful contestant in South Island Skiing.

He has a year's labouring experience, a spell in the army, and has worked in advertising. At University he lias been interested in skiing and is at present Treasurer of both the V. U. W. Students Association and NZUSA. lie has introduced streamlining methods into the running of VUWSA finances, and will be playing a big p.irt in the organisation of the coming International Student Conference.