It is that time of the year when students go through the process of electing their representatives for 2009.
Nominations are now out for the UCSA exec 2009. Get your nominations in to theRO by Aug 1. Forms are available from UCSA reception.
Being a UCSA rep is mainly about UC & greater Canterbury region and being an advocate for students here. Clearly representation at the University to keep quality of our courses high is a large part, as well as helping run the UCSA, the biggest Student Association in NZ, to keep rolling out services for members.
On a more national front - NZUSA will also go through the process of electing its Co-Presidents for 2009. As one of the bigger campuses the UCSA has a fairly loud voice in this process. Accordingly, if you are interested in politics and students generally, then consider running for NZUSA co-president. If this is you come and have a chat with me up in the UCSA building.
Regards
Michael
Friday, 18 July 2008
STUDENT ALLOWANCE FOR ALL?
A living allowance for all students? This looks like a possible policy for Labour in the upcoming election. Some 500,000 students around NZ will be stoked to hear of this news - a policy that will cost over 2billion over the next 4 years, but stop students from being the 'only group of society who has to borrow to live.'
The radio stations and newspapers have gone crazy debating this - as what appears to be a massive battle of ideals.
One thing that can't be forgotten is the generational cost in all this. Some ex-students will be paying off their own student debt whilst their tax dollar goes to funding others. Yet - on the other hand - the baby boomers generation had a free education and was well supported and did not have the hurdle of debt to overcome before they kickstarted their careers.
Thoughts??
The radio stations and newspapers have gone crazy debating this - as what appears to be a massive battle of ideals.
One thing that can't be forgotten is the generational cost in all this. Some ex-students will be paying off their own student debt whilst their tax dollar goes to funding others. Yet - on the other hand - the baby boomers generation had a free education and was well supported and did not have the hurdle of debt to overcome before they kickstarted their careers.
Thoughts??
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
A disjointed (and shortsighted) DCC
Have just had a few newspaper articles given to me from the Otago Daily Times. (unusually one of the few newspapers in NZ that you can't access online without a subscription...)
It seems the DCC do not all share the same views on whether their attitude to shut out communication from ENSOC and UCSA was a wise one. A number of councillors were quoted this week saying they do not agree with pushing the Undie 500 'underground'. It looks like the DCC is going to implement a blanket alcohol ban across north dunedin for the whole month of August. This will be combined with a massive police contingent from all around the SI over some weekends in August. (at considerable cost to the taxpayer??)
The liquor ban was greeted by a comment by one councillor in the paper that he was not happy about the nanny state being created and "telling cirtizens when and how to bruth their teeth".
There was a general regret (from some councillors) that the DCC has not engaged in a 'constructive' solution to the issues raised by the Undie 500 in 2007. It is crazy that they would prefer to let a random young person, accountable to no-one but themselves, run an underground event, particularly after the scope and effforts of proposals and solutions put on the table by ENSOC/UCSA. Now none of us know what is planned and what will happen - we can just hope that all students obey the law because by the sounds of it - half of the SI police will be coming down hard on anyone who doesn't.
It seems the DCC do not all share the same views on whether their attitude to shut out communication from ENSOC and UCSA was a wise one. A number of councillors were quoted this week saying they do not agree with pushing the Undie 500 'underground'. It looks like the DCC is going to implement a blanket alcohol ban across north dunedin for the whole month of August. This will be combined with a massive police contingent from all around the SI over some weekends in August. (at considerable cost to the taxpayer??)
The liquor ban was greeted by a comment by one councillor in the paper that he was not happy about the nanny state being created and "telling cirtizens when and how to bruth their teeth".
There was a general regret (from some councillors) that the DCC has not engaged in a 'constructive' solution to the issues raised by the Undie 500 in 2007. It is crazy that they would prefer to let a random young person, accountable to no-one but themselves, run an underground event, particularly after the scope and effforts of proposals and solutions put on the table by ENSOC/UCSA. Now none of us know what is planned and what will happen - we can just hope that all students obey the law because by the sounds of it - half of the SI police will be coming down hard on anyone who doesn't.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
AUSSIE Students & student loans (or lack thereof)
As much as we go on about student loans and allowances, many of you will be shocked that in Aussie these rarely exist. There is no student loan system to borrow your 150 a week, and only those whose parental income is under some bloody low figure (like 30,000) can apply for a hardship allowance.
Students are forced to work (quite a lot) to get by or scrimp from their parents. Accordingly many students opt for part time study so they can balance work and study.
Rudd is considering bringing in a student loan scheme - but they NUS (national union of students) is not sure whether this is a good or a bad thing. On one hand they can see them facing 10Billion of student debt like we currently have. On the other hand they can see students better supported to live whilst they study. Interesting..
There is a scheme called HECS which pays your student fees - so in this regard they have a similar system to us. You have to pay back your HECS once you start earning around 35k or more a year...... Interestingly their HECS is bloody expensive compared to ours as well - around 8k a year for a law student.
Yet in all this - the Times Higher Education Supplement - or THES - which ranks universities worldwide - ranks the Aussie universities pretty highly compared with ours... ANU is around 16 in the world - and Melbourne Uni, Sydney Uni, University of Queensland, NSW University and Monash are all inside the top 50 in the world. NZ boasts Auckland at number 50, Otago at 117 and Canterbury at 188 (the number 12 University in Australasia).
Students are forced to work (quite a lot) to get by or scrimp from their parents. Accordingly many students opt for part time study so they can balance work and study.
Rudd is considering bringing in a student loan scheme - but they NUS (national union of students) is not sure whether this is a good or a bad thing. On one hand they can see them facing 10Billion of student debt like we currently have. On the other hand they can see students better supported to live whilst they study. Interesting..
There is a scheme called HECS which pays your student fees - so in this regard they have a similar system to us. You have to pay back your HECS once you start earning around 35k or more a year...... Interestingly their HECS is bloody expensive compared to ours as well - around 8k a year for a law student.
Yet in all this - the Times Higher Education Supplement - or THES - which ranks universities worldwide - ranks the Aussie universities pretty highly compared with ours... ANU is around 16 in the world - and Melbourne Uni, Sydney Uni, University of Queensland, NSW University and Monash are all inside the top 50 in the world. NZ boasts Auckland at number 50, Otago at 117 and Canterbury at 188 (the number 12 University in Australasia).
Bus Discounts...
Students across the world get concession rates on public transport. This is normally around 50% off.... In CHCH there is no discount on the busses - and the fares are currently increasing almost as quickly as petrol costs!!
We need to get sustainable and embrace the public transport in CHCH. Metrobus service also need to recognise this and follow the lead of almost every other city in the world and offer discounted fares for students.
We have started a petition to get some student concession rates in CHCH, check it out at http://www.petitiononline.com/michamad/petition.html. We have had a chat with ECan and have got the ball rolling with some help from the crew who got this off the ground in Auckland. Will keep you posted on this - but feedback is always welcome
Chur,
Goldy
We need to get sustainable and embrace the public transport in CHCH. Metrobus service also need to recognise this and follow the lead of almost every other city in the world and offer discounted fares for students.
We have started a petition to get some student concession rates in CHCH, check it out at http://www.petitiononline.com/michamad/petition.html. We have had a chat with ECan and have got the ball rolling with some help from the crew who got this off the ground in Auckland. Will keep you posted on this - but feedback is always welcome
Chur,
Goldy
Monday, 14 July 2008
MMP - a genY party??
One politician continually in the news, for better or for worse is Winston Peters. Mr Peters has used his charismatic style of politics to particularly win over one section of NZ - the old people. His constant speeches to greypower, and often single minded policy focus has won him enough of the vote to keep NZ First in government for many years.
NZ first are not shy in rolling out policies that are for the benefit of old people. Their confidence and supply agreement with Labour begins with their agreement on policies that are for the benefit of senior citizens. They have developed a supergold card which gets massive benefits to old people across NZ and they have made constant gains on the level of superannuation available.
Why then has a party not started to focus and benefit on young people - the generation Y of NZ? There are some 500,000 students across NZ and if they all block voted for a genY party then either govt would need the support of young people to govern parliament. Such a party could focus on student issues, or issues that will stop the hoards of young people leaving our shores.
A genY party would keep parliament honest and embrace the benefits of the MMP system. Labour said they would have 50% of students entitled to the student allowance - it has not happened. National talk endlessly about ambition - what does that mean for genY'ers??
A genY party could produce results for young people to make life easier, like Winston has done for greypower.
NZ first are not shy in rolling out policies that are for the benefit of old people. Their confidence and supply agreement with Labour begins with their agreement on policies that are for the benefit of senior citizens. They have developed a supergold card which gets massive benefits to old people across NZ and they have made constant gains on the level of superannuation available.
Why then has a party not started to focus and benefit on young people - the generation Y of NZ? There are some 500,000 students across NZ and if they all block voted for a genY party then either govt would need the support of young people to govern parliament. Such a party could focus on student issues, or issues that will stop the hoards of young people leaving our shores.
A genY party would keep parliament honest and embrace the benefits of the MMP system. Labour said they would have 50% of students entitled to the student allowance - it has not happened. National talk endlessly about ambition - what does that mean for genY'ers??
A genY party could produce results for young people to make life easier, like Winston has done for greypower.
Don't Hit Girls
If you cripple/hit girls.....you get into shit.
And we are running self defense classes this term as well, so keep an eye out for it.
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