A senate of up to 100 students, a smaller Students' Association Executive, and a full-time paid President are innovations suggested by Doug White, President of the Students' Association.

These proposals follow his criticisms last week of "those responsible for communication" in the Students' Association.

A committee set up by the Students' Association Annual General Meeting which includes Doug is investigating a student representation council along the lines of the senate he suggests.

Meetings

Doug says the senate would have formal regular meetings, unlike Forum or general meetings.

The senate would have power to decide all Association policy (subject only to general meetings), make recommendations to the Executive on all matters, appoint student representatives to such bodies as the University Council, fill vacancies on the Executive, and set up committees on any matters such as bursaries, drugs, or Rhodesia.

Membership of the student senate could either be on a faculty basis or on a yearly basis whereby first year students elected first years and so on.

Wider view

Membership should not total more than 100 and should include the Executive, representatives from Sports Council, Cultural Affairs' Council, Publications' Board, and the various student representatives on University committees.

Such a body would provide the opportunities for wider representation of student views, greater direct participation in the Association, a wider base of informed students and the possibility for interested students to learn about the activities of the Association.

There is an obvious need for the reduction in size of the present 15-member Executive.

The establishment of a student senate would make this feasible.

I suggest that portfolios such as National, International, Education and Accommodation could be dealt with by the student senate.

Efficient

Streamlining of the Executive would hopefully produce a more efficient administrative body leaving the policy debates to the larger student senate.

The establishment of a full-time paid Students' Association President has been mooted in the past.

I consider that this position should be set up for the 1969 President if possible.

Payment

The role of a student President is to represent the Association in the University and in the community, act as the official spokesman for the Association through the news media, initiate and co-ordinate policy, assist portfolio holders, be responsible for administration of the Association, be available to hear and act on student complaints, liaise with other universities and NZUSA, and chair Association and Executive meetings.

From my experience in the position, both as a full-time and now as a part-time student, I am convinced that the office of President is a full-time job.

To require that the President be a full-time student would mean that he would have to receive some sort of remuneration.

I suggest that he should be paid along the lines of the Editor of Salient.

Doug. White.