Meeting highlights
PRESENT
Hugh Baird (Chair), William Guy, Bryn Jenkins, Cody Kirby, Danielle Pope, James Heath, Eden Iati, Max Chan and Caitlin Barlow-Groome
IN ATTENDANCE
Debbie Downs (Chief Executive Officer), Esther Maihi (Minute Secretary), Joe Higham (Critic Editor), Roger Yan (Incoming Campaigns Officer), Kirio Birks (Incoming Postgraduate Officer), and Umi Asaka (Incoming International Officer)
APOLOGIES
Lucy Northwood and Eli Toeke
Moved from the Chair
447/17 THAT the above apologies be accepted.
CARRIED U
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Bryn was present at the previous meeting.
Guy/Jenkins
448/17 THAT the minutes of the Executive Meeting held on 10 October 2017 be accepted as a true and correct record with the above amendment.
CARRIED
SPEAKING RIGHTS
Moved from the Chair
449/17 THAT Debbie Downs, Esther Maihi, Joe Higham, Roger Yan, Kirio Birks and Umi Asaka be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.
CARRIED U
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Debbie attended a LegalSAFE conference in Wellington recently, which focuses on Health and Safety and employment law, and keeps attendees updated on legal developments on Health and Safety in workplaces. Debbie found it extremely interesting and proposed that it was worthwhile for OUSA to have an attendee every year to stay on top of Health and Safety law reforms.
FUNDING APPLICATION FROM FOSTERING KIDS
This application was declined.
REFERENDUM REPORT AND RESULTS
A discussion was held regarding the Executives overall reaction to the 9-11 October Referenda results. They visited each question individually to do a quick rundown of results, the most notable of which were the two questions regarding whether or not OUSA would take a stance on University Staff redundancies for Support Services and the School of Physical Education. It was concluded that the OUSA Executive were fundamentally against the redundancies and the topic would be revisited to discuss a course of action for Hugh to present to the University.
Moved from the Chair
450/17 THAT the report on Referenda 9-11 October be received.
CARRIED U
ELECTION RULES MEETING MINUTES
Guy/Barlow-Groome
451/17 THAT the minutes of the Election Rules Meeting held on 12 October be received.
CARRIED
TRAVEL EXPENSE POLICY
Guy/Barlow-Groome
452/17 THAT the Executive Travel Expense Policy be set.
CARRIED
REPORT ON STUDENT VOICE AND AQA CONFERENCES
James and Bryn attended both the Student Voice Conference and AQA Conference held in Wellington recently. Bryn and James delivered thorough positive feedback on both and reported methods on how OUSA could take several positive aspects of other Student Unions on board to implement here. Notable aspects included:
- Build off Scotland’s Student Partnership model to lobby the University to engage with students as partners in decision making processes
- Provide ways for students to better engage with University decision makers. Examples of this include University of Auckland’s Vice Chancellors Student Consultation Committee or by holding Vice Chancellor forums similar to VUWSA
- Work with NZUSA to create a pool of students to take part in audit panels.
- Explore the viability of National Working Group on Student Engagement with involvement of Universities, other student associations, and NZUSA.
- Recommend to the University that they engage in their responsibilities of offering development opportunities to student representatives on University Committees by funding future students to go to these conferences.
AFFILIATION
Barlow-Groome/Guy
453/17 THAT the Otago University Classical Society be affiliated to OUSA.
CARRIED
RSA FUNCTION INVITATION
The Executive were all made aware of the invitation and encouraged to attend if they wished.
FREE GRADUATION PHOTOS
Bryn will be leaving Dunedin on 19 November so will be unable to run logistics for the Free Graduation Photos initiative this round. He requests that an executive member please step in and to contact him well in advance so Bryn can go over what needs to be organised.
LATE NIGHT STUDY SPACES
The Late Night study spaces will not be running this exam period due to the spaces being underutilised during midyear exams. The costs of staff, security and power are unfortunately too great when too few students were using the spaces. The St David Library will still be continuing its 24 hour study hours however.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Moved from the Chair
454/17 THAT the meeting move into committee of the whole for reasons of commercial sensitivity at 5:08pm.
CARRIED U
Moved from the Chair
455/17 THAT the meeting move out of committee of the whole at 5.13pm.
CARRIED U
Executive Leaving Dates
- Bryn Jenkins – 19 November
- Danielle Pope – 10 December
- Cody Kirby – 12 November
- James Heath – 29 November
- Will Guy – 11 December and will also be away for 2 weeks between now and then.
- Caitlin Barlow-Groome – Mid December TBC
- Eden Iati – 21 November
- Max Chan – 15 December
- Lucy Northwood – 13 December
- Debbie advised she will be vacating 15 December when the office shuts down.
Hugh will be away for the next Executive meeting.
Moved from the Chair
456/17 THAT the powers of the Executive be delegated to the Standing Committee of the Executive hence forth sine die.
CARRIED U
Meeting closed at 5.18pm