Meeting highlights
PRESENT
Harriet Geoghegan (Chair), Brad Russell, Katie Reid, Dan Stride, Shonelle Eastwood, Sarah Van Ballekom, Ariana Te Wake, Francisco Hernandez and Dan Beck
IN ATTENDANCE
Art Kojarunchitt (Interim International Student Representative), Stephanie Ruddock (Post Graduate Representative - resigned) Courtney Heke-McColgan (Te Roopu Maori Representative) Donna Jones (Minute Secretary) and Aimee Gulliver (Critic Reporter)
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Remaining Committee Appointments To Consider
Graduate research student liaison (Shonelle Eastwood) to be omitted
Eastwood/Te Wake
35/11 THAT the minutes of the Executive Meeting held on 8 March 2011 be accepted as a true and correct record with the above amendment.
CARRIED
MATTERS ARISING
Distance Learning Advisory Board vacancy – please recommend to WelCom to fill this vacancy.
Library Student Liaison Committee – it was pointed out there are 2 or 3 more positions to be filled as yet. This should be recommended to EduCom.
BY ELECTION FOR POST GRADUATE & INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OFFICER
As attached.
Eastwood/Russell
36/11 THAT nominations for the Post Graduate Representative and the International Student Office By Elections open at 9am on 24 March 2011 and close at 4pm 31 March 2011.
CARRIED
Eastwood/Russell
37/11 THAT voting for the Post Graduate Representative and International Student Officer By Election open at 9am on 4 April 2011 and close at 4pm on 7 April 2011.
CARRIED
Eastwood/Russell
38/11 THAT the By elections being held on 4 – 7 April 2011 be by Electronic Means only.
CARRIED
The Secretary advised the meeting Imogen Roth has agreed to be the Returning Officer for the By Election. The ReturningOfficer@ousa.org.nz will be set up for this purpose.
NZUSA
Travis Monk had asked for this to be revisited and it was agreed it would be. The chair suggested it be discussed again when we collate the Referendum questions. Also there is a meeting this weekend in Wellington with NZUSA and Harriet will report back to the executive how things are going.
OUSA MEMBERS FOR SEMESTER ONE
As attached for quorum purposes the Secretary must report how many OUSA members there are at the beginning of each semester.
Semester one: - 20,179
NZD Fee Paying Students No Amount
OUSA Building Levy 17,420 907,756.20
OUSA General Levy 16,012 2,090,114.80
OUSA Distance Levy 1,603 55,475.33
OUSA Thesis Levy 1,401 96,928.60
OUSA Christchurch Campus 457 19,038.62
OUSA Southland Campus 196 8,165.36
OUSA Wellington Campus 503 20,954.98
RESIGNATION OF POST GRADUATE REPRESENTATIVE
Kate left at 5.20pm to collect Stephanie
Kate and Stephanie arrived at 5.23pm
Eastwood/Te Wake
39/11 THAT Stephanie Ruddock be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.
CARRIED
Stephanie was invited to address the meeting and express her sadness at resigning from the Post Graduate position. She says she had been bombarded with abuse and persistent negative comments on social media sites from one person particularly and didn’t think this was acceptable nor was she prepared to sacrifice her university studies whilst being part of this unreasonable environment. She thanked OUSA for their support.
The Executive emphasised how grateful they were for the hard work and good ideas Stephanie had brought to OUSA and the Post Graduate portfolio. The Executive is disturbed she was leaving.
Eastwood/Stride
40/11 THAT Stephanie Ruddock be thanked for her hard work during her time on the OUSA Executive.
CARRIED
Stephanie left at 5.25pm
GRANTS PANEL APPOINTEE
It was agreed that an external person would be appointed to this panel; he is Des Smith of the Otago Rugby and Regional Sports Clubs.
AFFILIATION
The Lawn Bowls Club is tabled until the next meeting.
Stride/Van Ballekom
41/11 THAT the Shukokai Karate Club be affiliated to OUSA.
CARRIED
Sarah thanked Dan Stride for getting the paperwork in for this affiliation.
ROBERT BURNS & FRANCES HODGKINS FELLOWSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE
This is a preliminary notification for people who want to sit on one of these selection committees for 2011. The closing date is 1 June 2011 so please ideas to the next executive meeting.
ASPIRING LEADERS’ FORUM NOMINATION
They suggest the nominee be a young leader in their community who you think is outstanding in their field and shows long term leadership capacity and who exhibit some leadership potential in their sphere of influence.
Brad addressed the meeting wanting to nominate Harriet Geoghegan to attend this forum on 14-17 July.
Harriet said she would be very keen to attend.
There is funding in the Professional Development line that could perhaps cover the costs, however this will be finalized later.
Russell/Eastwood
42/11 THAT the OUSA Executive nominates Harriet Geoghegan to attend the 6th Annual Aspiring Leaders’ Forum on faith and values in Wellington on 14-17 April 2011.
CARRIED
HEART CHILDREN NZ FUNDING REQUEST
As attached. It was explained we get numerous funding requests throughout the year so be mindful the Community Grants and Donations line of $2,500 becomes stretched by the end of the year.
An Executive member spoke of his personal reasons for supporting the Heart Children of New Zealand.
Hernandez/Van Bellekom
43/11 THAT OUSA donate $50.00 to the Heart Children New Zealand Inc’.
1 Against:
1 Abstain:
CARRIED
EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF NZ FUNDING REQUEST
It was decided with regret not to note to this request this year. The Secretary will advise them tomorrow.
VOLUNTEER SERVICES ABROAD LETTER
As attached for noting.
This letter is to inform supporters that VSA has decided to concentrate on their work in the Pacific. They have recently established relationships with Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati, taking the number of Pacific countries they work in to seven and then phase out programmes in five other countries they have worked long term in.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Hernandez/Stride
44/11 THAT the minutes of the Events Committee Meeting held on 17 March 2011be received.
CARRIED
Herandez/Stride
45/11 THAT the minutes of the Communications Committee Meeting held on 17 March 2011 be received.
CARRIED
GENERAL BUSINESS
Acting Secretary
Alasdair Johnston (AJ) deserves commendation for his commitment and hard work during Donna Jones’s absence. He also worked on many other tasks beyond his call of duty, especially earthquake appeals etc
Hernandez/Reid
46/11 THAT Alasdair Johnston (AJ) be thanked and appreciation shown for his hard work whilst the OUSA Secretary was on vacation recently.
CARRIED
University of South Pacific Students Association
A group of people from the University of South Pacific Students Association are visiting OUSA and Harriet would like to encourage the Executive to come and be part of a presentation at the SSC on 23 March, 9 – 12 and also they will tour OUSA after that.
University of Otago Gala Fundraiser
There is a Gala being planned on the Museum Reserve on 27 March and the University is inviting OUSA to get involved. It was suggested the Executive could have a ‘dunk the exec’ performance. Francisco volunteered to liaise with the University and Brad offered to help.
Executive Reporting dates
Eastwood/Russell
47/11 THAT the Executive First Quarter Reports be due to the Secretary by 1pm on Thursday 31 March 2011.
CARRIED
Eastwood/Russell
48/11 THAT the Executive Second Quarter Reports be due to the Secretary by 1pm on Thursday 30 June 2011.
CARRIED
Eastwood/Russell
49/11 THAT the Executive Third Quarter Reports be due to the Secretary by 1pm on Thursday 22 September 2011.
CARRIED
Eastwood/Russell
50/11 THAT the Executive Fourth Quarter Reports be due to the Secretary by 1pm on Thursday 24 November 2011.
CARRIED
For more information the executive reporting policy etc is on the shared drive. Harriet will email you some information as well.
Harriet emphasised that you must try and get your report into the Secretary on time.
Environment Committee (EnviroCom)
Stride/Russell
51/11 THAT Francisco Hernandez be the chairperson on the Environment Committee.
CARRIED
USNZ Invoice
They have continued to invoice OUSA despite the fact we have withdrawn our membership. Harriet will discuss this when she is in Wellington over the weekend and report back.
Flat - Spring Clean
Dan Beck has been busy purchasing the cleaning equipment for the buckets and would appreciate a hand filling bottles and buckets. He would also be grateful for help handing out the buckets from the caravan on Thursday. Please sign up on the roster.
VSM CONTINGENCY PLAN
Eastwood/Russell
52/11 THAT the meeting move into Strict Committee at 5.50pm for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
CARRIED
Kojarunchitt/Hernandez
53/11 THAT the meeting move out of Strict Committee at 6.02pm
CARRIED
At a previous meeting the Executive directed the General Manager to prepare some recommendations to the Executive on actions to be taken to protect our key assets and income.
These recommendations have been informally discussed and endorsed by the Finance and Expenditure Committee.
Stride/Van Ballekom
54/11 THAT OUSA transfer OUSA Clubs and Societies land/building, Student Support Centre land/building, University Book Shop (Otago) Ltd, cash reserves, plant and equipment into a Trust charged with the responsibility of safeguarding these assets and providing an ongoing income for OUSA.
CARRIED
Stride/Van Ballekom
55/11 THAT OUSA take legal advice regarding use of the existing Otago University Students’ Fund as the vehicle for this to happen.
CARRIED
Stride/Van Ballekom
56/11 THAT OUSA implement Constitutional changes allowing Building Levy reserves to be used for operational purposes.
CARRIED
Stride/Van Ballekom
57/11 THAT OUSA dissolve Electronic Voting System Limited (EVSL).
CARRIED
Stride/Van Ballekom
58/11 THAT OUSA maintain ownership of the University Book Shop (Otago) Limited.
CARRIED
Meeting closed at 6.03pm
Signed: _________________________________ Date: _____________