- Otago University Students' Association
-
Otago University
Students' Association
Motto Your students' Association Institution University of Otago Location Dunedin, New Zealand Established 1890 President Logan Edgar Members c. 20,000 Affiliations New Zealand Union of Students' Associations Website Official Website The Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) is the Students' Association of the University of Otago, New Zealand.
OUSA provides "representation, welfare, advocacy, recreation, fun events and media"[1] for its members. Via its wholly owned subsidiary Planet Media Dunedin Limited, OUSA funds a student magazine, Critic, and a radio station, Radio One.
Contents
History
OUSA was founded in 1890, and its colourful history has been documented in the book Ritual Songs of Defiance by Sam Elworthy,[2] published for the 1990 centenary.
As well as providing facilities and student representation on university committees, the students' association began to provide services and facilities for its members. The first Student Union building, providing meeting rooms, men's and women's common rooms and a cafeteria, was established in 1904 in Allen Hall, which is today the university's theatre department. In the 1960s a much bigger Student Union was built, and in the 1980s an adjoining building was added to house the OUSA offices, Radio One, Critic and Student Job Search. The Clubs and Societies building provides a home to over 100 student clubs and a variety of activities, with fitness and recreation opportunities provided at Unipol, jointly owned with the Otago Polytechnic Students' Association. OUSA also owns the University Book Shop and Student Job Search.
Over the years the Students' Association has had its share of controversy, frequently around risqué activities during Capping (graduation) week. In 1990, student parties spilled over into the infamous "Dunedin Riot",[3] which badly damaged public opinion of students at a time when student politicians were actively lobbying and protesting against the introduction of tertiary tuition fees. The arguments against tuition fees included researched predictions of massive graduate debt and increased "brain drain" - graduates leaving the country for lucrative overseas positions. OUSA and students' associations around the country protested vigorously - up to 5,000 people marched in Dunedin alone - but were unable to stop the fees which were introduced in 1991.
The introduction of tuition fees has led to an increased focus on quality of education, with improvements to the student representative system and more student input on teaching and assessment. At the same time, the growing student population has meant that OUSA services from recreation facilities to student media have become businesses in their own right.
Membership
Under the Education Act 1989, membership in OUSA is compulsory for students enrolled at the University of Otago[4]. However, Section 5 of the Constitution and Rules of The Otago University Students' Association Incorporated provides further details of membership including granting the Secretary ex officio membership, bestowing membership rights in perpetuity on the President, and allowing the Executive to elect up to two other people annually[5].
Structure
The Association is headed by an eleven-member executive led by the OUSA President. Members are usually each August and serve from January to December the following year.[6] The Executive consists of: The President, Admininstrative Vice-President, Finance and Services Officer, Welfare Officer, Education Officer, Campaigns Officer, Recreation Officer, Colleges and Communications Officer, International Representative and Post-graduate Representative. Weekly Executive meetings are open to all members, and Student General Meetings (SGMs) are held periodically throughout the year to consult with and engage the wider student body.
The Current Executive is as follows (http://www.ousa.org.nz/your-executive/the-exec/) :
President: Logan Edgar
Admin VP: Brad Russell
Finance and Services Officer: Vacant
Welfare Officer: Shonelle Eastwood
Education Officer: Katie Reed
Campaigns Officer: Dan Beck
Recreations Officer: Saran Van Ballekom
Colleges and Communications Officer: Francisco Hernandez
International Representative: Art Kojarunchitt
Post-graduate Representative: Thomas Koentges
In September 2008, president-elect Jo Moore was disqualified from becoming the 2009 president after a complaint she came within 20 m of a polling facility during voting was upheld.[7]
In July 2010, the OUSA executive was controversially restructured. Initiated by President Harriet Geoghegan, the new executive would have ten members: President, Administrative Vice President, Finances and Services Officer, Education Officer, Welfare Officer, and five general representatives each holding a portfolio: Postgraduate Students, International Students, Campaigns, Recreation, and Colleges and Communications.[8] A referendum on the issue resulted in a 72.19% vote for the new structure caused a large amount of complaints, none of which were upheld, and divided the existing OUSA Executive.[9][10]
The OUSA main office is run by a General Manager (Stephen Alexander), Association Secretary (Donna Jones) and Reception and Services Manager (Fiona Bowker) along with an Accounts Administrator and three part-time receptionists.
Clubs and Societies
OUSA Clubs and Societies Centre in 2009
Many of the student clubs and societies operated under the auspices of OUSA have long traditions within Otago University. The Otago University Debating Society predates the association and was in fact members of this society who initiated the students' association in 1890. Other long-standing groups include the Otago University Tramping Club, the Otago University Rowing Club and the Otago University Medical Students Association. Today there are more than 100 clubs and societies affiliated to OUSA, representing the huge range of ethnicities, religions, politics, sports and interests of Otago students, from Otago University NORML[11] to Roleplaying to the Young Nats.
References
- ^ Otago University Students' Assocation. "About OUSA". http://www.ousa.org.nz/home/about/. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ Sam Elworthy (1990). Ritual Songs of Defiance. Otago University Students' Association. ISBN 0473008998 9780473008994.
- ^ W.S. McCallum. "New Zealand Student Politics 1980s-1990s". http://www.venetic.com/studentpolitics.html. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
- ^ "Section 229A". Education Act 1989 No 80 (as at 01 February 2011). New Zealand Parliament. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM185170.html?search=ts_act_Education_resel&p=1#DLM185170. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ Jones, Donna (2010). The Constitution and Rules of Otago University Students' Incorporated. pp. 40. http://www.ousa.org.nz/home/about/.
- ^ "The OUSA Executive". Otago University Students' Association. Archived from the original on 2008-07-30. http://web.archive.org/web/20080730143229/http://www.ousa.org.nz/executive.php. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
- ^ "OUSA president-elect stunned at dumping". New Zealand Herald. 9 September 2008. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10531263. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
- ^ "Elections - OUSA Otago University Students Association". http://www.ousa.org.nz/your-executive/elections/. Retrieved 2010-08-09.
- ^ Hollingworth, Julia (26 July 2010). "OUSA Surviour contest turns nasty". Critic (2010/17): 8. ISSN 0111-0365. OCLC 173348156. http://issuu.com/critic_te_arohi/docs/issue17. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ Hollingworth, Julia (9 August 2010). "Referendum: Will. Not. Die.". Critic (2010/19): 9. ISSN 0111-0365. OCLC 173348156. http://issuu.com/critic_te_arohi/docs/issue19. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ "OUSA Clubs and Societies Wiki". OUSA. http://wiki.ousa.org.nz/index.php/OUSA_Societies. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
External links
- Otago University Students' Association website
- Critic – weekly newspaper
- Radio One – student radio station
- Planet Media
- University of Otago site
- OUSA Clubs and Societies
- UNIPOL Sports Centre
- Student Job Search
- University Book Shop
- NZUSA is the national student body, of which OUSA is a founding member.
University of Otago Schools and Faculties: Christchurch School of Medicine · College of Education · Dunedin School of Medicine · Faculty of Dentistry · Faculty of Law · Wellington School of Medicine
Student Organisation: Otago University Students' Association, Capping Show, Critic, Otago NORML, Otago University AFC, Otago University Debating Society, Otago University Rowing Club, New Zealand Medical Students' Association
Colleges: Selwyn College · Knox College · St Margaret's College · Studholme College · Arana College · Carrington College · Aquinas College · University College · Salmond College · Cumberland College · Hayward College · Toroa College · City College · Abbey College
Categories: University · Alumni · Faculty
Websites: University · Students’ Association
Categories:- Student Affairs task force articles
- University of Otago
- New Zealand students' associations
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
