What: Charity Car Wash
What’s Up:
A collaborative effort by UCSSS, CMSA, Student Life, Buddhist Club, Muslim
Society and Amnesty International, people from different backgrounds and creed
will united by a common goal to wash as many cars as possible to raise funds
for charity. Drive down to have your car washed for just $5 or better still,
be a volunteer to wash cars. Email ywc22@student.canterbury.ac.nz if u r keen.
When: Sat, 29th September; 11am-4pm.
Where: College of Education Car Park
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Mayoral Candidates' Debate THIS Thursday
This Thursday the UCSA hosts the Mayoral Candidates' Debate between the candidates for the Christchurch mayoralty, including frontrunners Bob Parker and Megan Woods.
This is your chance to come along and ask questions about what the candidates see their potential mayoralty achieving. There is a round of set questions, but there will be time for questions from the floor at the end.
It's at 1 p.m on Thursday, on the C-Block lawn (opposite 360 cafe, outside Central Lecture Theatres), and is scheduled to run until 2 p.m.
The Mayoral Candidates' Debate has been organised by Andrew Riches from the Exec. If you have any questions about the debate, fell free to contact him at andrewnriches@gmail.com.
This is your chance to come along and ask questions about what the candidates see their potential mayoralty achieving. There is a round of set questions, but there will be time for questions from the floor at the end.
It's at 1 p.m on Thursday, on the C-Block lawn (opposite 360 cafe, outside Central Lecture Theatres), and is scheduled to run until 2 p.m.
The Mayoral Candidates' Debate has been organised by Andrew Riches from the Exec. If you have any questions about the debate, fell free to contact him at andrewnriches@gmail.com.
Friday, 14 September 2007
Thursday Night at the Common Room
How good was last night at the Common Room/Foundry?
Obviously bringing back jugs was something that everybody wanted!
Obviously bringing back jugs was something that everybody wanted!
Thursday, 13 September 2007
InterFaculty Soccer
BTW I, Amadeus have the Clubs & Society Portfolio. I'm also the student representative on the Faculty of Science (since 2006) and on the Facility Advisory Committee.
At the moment, I'm organising the annual inter-faculty soccer tournament. It's on Friday 21st Sept.
At the moment, I'm organising the annual inter-faculty soccer tournament. It's on Friday 21st Sept.
Hey everyone,
I'm James and I hold the Equity and International Portfolio on the Exec this year. I have just started my LAST University term... can't belive how quickly 5 years, and especially this year, have passed! For me, Term 4 will be focussed on finishing off some things I have had underway in my portfolio throughout the year, including some International Student related research, further follow up on a completed review of the new Student Services structure, and some more contact with students on the College of Education Campus. I aim to also put together a document about the portfolio, recent progress and related information to assist with the transition of the 2008 Equity and International portfolio holder into the role. On that note, I am looking forward to meeting the 2008 Exec members at tonights Exec meeting.
Thats all from me at this stage...
James
I'm James and I hold the Equity and International Portfolio on the Exec this year. I have just started my LAST University term... can't belive how quickly 5 years, and especially this year, have passed! For me, Term 4 will be focussed on finishing off some things I have had underway in my portfolio throughout the year, including some International Student related research, further follow up on a completed review of the new Student Services structure, and some more contact with students on the College of Education Campus. I aim to also put together a document about the portfolio, recent progress and related information to assist with the transition of the 2008 Equity and International portfolio holder into the role. On that note, I am looking forward to meeting the 2008 Exec members at tonights Exec meeting.
Thats all from me at this stage...
James
Wednesday, 12 September 2007
External Education
I'm Andrew Riches, as UCSA External Education officer I see it as my job to uphold democracy. At the moment I am putting together a debate between the Mayoral candidates in the upcoming local elections. So far there will be seven candidates attending and they will be debating issues facing students and the wider community.
They will be discussing transport, youth drinking, security in the Ilam area and the issues of sustainability and the environment that we need to grapple with in the Canterbury region. I urge you all to come along and get informed so you can participate in the elections with confidence in your candidate.
They will be discussing transport, youth drinking, security in the Ilam area and the issues of sustainability and the environment that we need to grapple with in the Canterbury region. I urge you all to come along and get informed so you can participate in the elections with confidence in your candidate.
Hurrah for jugs
Biggups for the return of the jug- lets make the most of dwindling twilight of the university...by getting absolutely smashed...Hurrah
Term 4 Activities
Hay, Top here.
Well it's term 4, summer is on the way, and the UCSA has got plenty of activities sussed to keep us entertained. Firstly I want to announce that 1L jugs are back at the common room bar and Tui and Export are going for a tiny $6.50 until 10.30pm each night for the rest of the term. The reinstatement of the jug came after extensive feedback from students and the exec. Also, each Thursday at the bar will be going off with theme nights and drink specials galore. Starting in week 3 we will have live performances in the ampitheatre on friday afternoons to get the summer drinking session vibe going!
Currently the End of Lectures Party is in the planning stages and looks to be shaping into another epic one. Bands will be announced shortly! Any suggestions students have to make the party even better, please let me know and we'll look into it.
I am also currently investigating new opportunities for O'week next year with a main focus on setting up a huge stein-like day time event in amongst all the nights of DJ's and bands, making the most of the fine weather and lack of work in the first week of term 1!
Thats me for now,
Top
Activities
Well it's term 4, summer is on the way, and the UCSA has got plenty of activities sussed to keep us entertained. Firstly I want to announce that 1L jugs are back at the common room bar and Tui and Export are going for a tiny $6.50 until 10.30pm each night for the rest of the term. The reinstatement of the jug came after extensive feedback from students and the exec. Also, each Thursday at the bar will be going off with theme nights and drink specials galore. Starting in week 3 we will have live performances in the ampitheatre on friday afternoons to get the summer drinking session vibe going!
Currently the End of Lectures Party is in the planning stages and looks to be shaping into another epic one. Bands will be announced shortly! Any suggestions students have to make the party even better, please let me know and we'll look into it.
I am also currently investigating new opportunities for O'week next year with a main focus on setting up a huge stein-like day time event in amongst all the nights of DJ's and bands, making the most of the fine weather and lack of work in the first week of term 1!
Thats me for now,
Top
Activities
Monday, 10 September 2007
Fashion Swap
Hi im Hannah the welfare executive.
I held a fashion swap evening at the end of last term and it ended up being a real success. 15 girls came along and swaped their unwanted clothes and scored a few good items. 9 bags of unwanted clothes were donated to the Salvation Army which they were extremly happy about. As the fashion swap evening was such a success im starting to organise another night for this term. Will keep you posted on the date set for this event.
I held a fashion swap evening at the end of last term and it ended up being a real success. 15 girls came along and swaped their unwanted clothes and scored a few good items. 9 bags of unwanted clothes were donated to the Salvation Army which they were extremly happy about. As the fashion swap evening was such a success im starting to organise another night for this term. Will keep you posted on the date set for this event.
Sunday, 9 September 2007
Campus Smoking
After meeting with the deputy vice chancellor Ian Town last week it seems that progress toward a campus wide smoking ban is going ahead.
The stages toward this end involve much discussion with Facilities Management to seek out potential sites for smoking areas. A reality may be that this is simply not viable, meaning the entire campus could be smoke free!
The policy does not require the University Council's vote, simply it would seek its endorsement. Ian Town says he expects some dissent to arise from the policy but the benefits would far outweigh the negatives.
Such a ban would include the UCSA area of campus and the Common Room. When asked about the possible implications for the Common Room's already struggling business, Mr Town was upbeat suggesting that some new customers may come who at the moment are not because of smokers.
It will be reasonably slow going because it is such an all encompassing policy but Town says that we can expect some concrete policy being implemented in the early stages of next year.
The stages toward this end involve much discussion with Facilities Management to seek out potential sites for smoking areas. A reality may be that this is simply not viable, meaning the entire campus could be smoke free!
The policy does not require the University Council's vote, simply it would seek its endorsement. Ian Town says he expects some dissent to arise from the policy but the benefits would far outweigh the negatives.
Such a ban would include the UCSA area of campus and the Common Room. When asked about the possible implications for the Common Room's already struggling business, Mr Town was upbeat suggesting that some new customers may come who at the moment are not because of smokers.
It will be reasonably slow going because it is such an all encompassing policy but Town says that we can expect some concrete policy being implemented in the early stages of next year.
Saturday, 8 September 2007
What's in a Name
Hey, Amadeus here.
Actually, my full name is Florian Manuka Amadeus Rainbow.
Why Rainbow?
My dad lived with the Hopi Indians who have a prophecy about the Warriors of the Rainbow (see http://www.welcomehome.org/rainbow/prophecy/stone.html). When my parents got married, they asked the registrar if they could change their last name on the marriage certificate. He found no reason why not, so I’m a Rainbow
Next time I’ll tell you why I’m Amadeus:)P.S. thanks to all who voted me 4 Vice President. I believe I won the position with the largest margin in UCSA history!
Friday, 7 September 2007
Hi guys,
I'm Libby the Project Coordinator for the Student Exec this year. My job is to organise the forums and agms and any other UCSA events that may need help! Coming up this term this far is student forum number 4 with the topic yet to be announced on the 26th of September. We also have a debate between the Chch City Council mayoral candidates on the 20th of September. Look out for further events on here.
Libby.
I'm Libby the Project Coordinator for the Student Exec this year. My job is to organise the forums and agms and any other UCSA events that may need help! Coming up this term this far is student forum number 4 with the topic yet to be announced on the 26th of September. We also have a debate between the Chch City Council mayoral candidates on the 20th of September. Look out for further events on here.
Libby.
Awesome stuff that you don't hear about because it's not bad news...
Last Wednesday the University of Canterbury Council voted to accept the proposal of the student reps to raise fees only by the rate of inflation, that being 3.3%, instead of the 4.5% recommended by the Budget Advisory Committee.
This is a very significant event; University Councils rarely if ever do anything other than put the fees up as much as they can. By Canterbury declining to do so, it sends a strong message to the government that students and institutions simply cannot afford to supplement the shortfalls of their lack of funding.
After years of protests and an 'us v them' relationship between students and university management, the professional way in which the student reps on the Council, Belinda Bundy and Dave Stevens, went about making the case for the limited fee rise is a watershed moment. It shows that students and management are empathetic about each other's situation and are willing to work together to make the point to government that the future integrity of tertiary education in New Zealand is suffering due to a lack of public investment.
Still not sure about that Blue Gene situation though...
This is a very significant event; University Councils rarely if ever do anything other than put the fees up as much as they can. By Canterbury declining to do so, it sends a strong message to the government that students and institutions simply cannot afford to supplement the shortfalls of their lack of funding.
After years of protests and an 'us v them' relationship between students and university management, the professional way in which the student reps on the Council, Belinda Bundy and Dave Stevens, went about making the case for the limited fee rise is a watershed moment. It shows that students and management are empathetic about each other's situation and are willing to work together to make the point to government that the future integrity of tertiary education in New Zealand is suffering due to a lack of public investment.
Still not sure about that Blue Gene situation though...
Undie 500 and Fee Rises
Well, following some extreme threats from Charlie, I am making my first blog post.
It's the last week of the third term holidays and things are mercifully quiet, unlike last week. With the Undie 500 riots and fee setting, last week was extremely busy. I spent most of it in my office under siege from the media, or out with Dave (Stevens, the other student rep on the UCSA Council) lobbying other Councillors to vote for our proposed amendment to the University's domestic fee-setting motion; that is, to increase fees only at the projected rate of inflation (3.3%, according to the BNZ), not at the 4.5% proposed by the University.
The good news is that we won, 9 - 8. Obviosuly we are really pleased for our students (particularly those returning next year), but let's be clear: this is not an issue of University management. It's an issue of Government underfunding. Every year the Government projects an inflationary figure that is far too low (strangely, they only seem to use this particular figure for the Universities), leaving the Universities in the lurch to make up the funding shortfall. It is manifestly dishonest, and at the UCSA we appreciate the difficult situation the University is left in. But it is NOT the role of the students to fill the gap. Tertiary education must be available to all - and when fees are increasing at a rate above inflation every year, we cannot pretend that the University Profile's commitment to educate students of all backgrounds is anything more than lip service.
The bad news is that following the Undie 500 riots, the Dunedin City Council doesn't want the Undie back. I'm gutted. ENSOC are gutted. They put so much work into the event (and did a bloody good job) and it went off without a hitch - only to have its reputation tarnished by the idiots that rioted on Saturday night. As for what happens now, we'll have to wait and see.
It's the last week of the third term holidays and things are mercifully quiet, unlike last week. With the Undie 500 riots and fee setting, last week was extremely busy. I spent most of it in my office under siege from the media, or out with Dave (Stevens, the other student rep on the UCSA Council) lobbying other Councillors to vote for our proposed amendment to the University's domestic fee-setting motion; that is, to increase fees only at the projected rate of inflation (3.3%, according to the BNZ), not at the 4.5% proposed by the University.
The good news is that we won, 9 - 8. Obviosuly we are really pleased for our students (particularly those returning next year), but let's be clear: this is not an issue of University management. It's an issue of Government underfunding. Every year the Government projects an inflationary figure that is far too low (strangely, they only seem to use this particular figure for the Universities), leaving the Universities in the lurch to make up the funding shortfall. It is manifestly dishonest, and at the UCSA we appreciate the difficult situation the University is left in. But it is NOT the role of the students to fill the gap. Tertiary education must be available to all - and when fees are increasing at a rate above inflation every year, we cannot pretend that the University Profile's commitment to educate students of all backgrounds is anything more than lip service.
The bad news is that following the Undie 500 riots, the Dunedin City Council doesn't want the Undie back. I'm gutted. ENSOC are gutted. They put so much work into the event (and did a bloody good job) and it went off without a hitch - only to have its reputation tarnished by the idiots that rioted on Saturday night. As for what happens now, we'll have to wait and see.
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