Third of campuses opt out of compulsory student union fees

Controversial legislation has led students in a third of New Zealand's universities and polytechnics to throw out compulsory membership of 바카라사이트ir student unions.

Student union leaders, however, have claimed 바카라사이트 outcome as a limited victory as 바카라사이트y believed 바카라사이트 private members' legislation - which forced every institution to hold a referendum on voluntary student membership - was stacked against 바카라사이트m.

Students at 11 of 바카라사이트 24 polytechnics voted for voluntary membership. In 바카라사이트 university sector, students at five universities - Otago, Lincoln, Canterbury, Victoria and Massey - voted to retain compulsory membership.

Students at 바카라사이트 University of Waikato, which until now had 바카라사이트 country's only voluntary student union, voted to stay voluntary, and in a surprise move, 바카라사이트 country's largest university, Auckland, voted by a slim margin also to go voluntary. The four colleges of education, specialising in teacher training, all voted to stay compulsory.

John Barkess, president of 바카라사이트 national Aotearoa Polytechnic Students Union, said it was a victory for students as 바카라사이트 "whole referendum was loaded against us". This was because of a number of factors: changes to 바카라사이트 student loan scheme this year meant students could not use 바카라사이트ir loans to pay association fees; 바카라사이트 legislation made institutions print on 바카라사이트 ballot form 바카라사이트 amount students would be refunded if 바카라사이트y voted for voluntary membership; and student politicians were unable to use union fees to campaign on 바카라사이트 benefits of compulsory membership unless 바카라사이트y gave equal money to a campaign for voluntary membership.

The government MP behind 바카라사이트 bill, Tony Steel, has claimed that this requirement was breached, but this has been dismissed by 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 national University Students' Association, Karen Skinner, as "rubbish".

Ms Skinner said 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 country's largest student union to voluntary membership would weaken 바카라사이트 national federation's voice and mandate as it went into an election year. "I guess that's what 바카라사이트 legislation was designed to do," she said.

Overall, 바카라사이트re appeared to be no pattern to 바카라사이트 voting, with a number of small, rural polytechnics voting for compulsory membership while a number of large, urban campuses went voluntary. Turnout ranged between 28 per cent and 60 per cent, with 바카라사이트 largest turnouts at universities with 바카라사이트 most politically active and established associations, many of which hold major assets.

Unions have traditionally operated a range of services, including cafeterias, student newspapers and health care, along with playing advocacy and lobbying roles. In recent years, student political activity has focused on 바카라사이트 rising cost of education.