Meeting Minutes
MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN THE OUSA BULL-PEN OFFICE ON TUESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2025 AT 10:03AM
PRESENT
Liam White (Chair), Amy Martin, Daniel Leamy, Callum Hadlow, Deborah Huang, Jett Groshinski, Josh Stewart, Amy Whyman, Seluvaia Ratoul, and Ibuki Nishida
IN ATTENDANCE
Debbie Downs (Chief Executive Officer), Donna Jones (Minute Secretary), Irfaan Ariffin (Executive 2026 elect), Flynn Nisbett (Executive 2026 elect), Fergus Park (Executive 2026 elect), Troy Gibbons (Executive 2026 elect), Hanna Varrs (Critic Features Editor), Gryffin Blockley (Critic News Editor) and Nina Brown (Critic Editor).
Liam White and Ibuki Nishida arrived at 10.04am
APOLOGIES
Stella Lynch and Porourangi Templeton-Reedy
Moved from the Chair
441/25 THAT the above apologies be accepted.
CARRIED U
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE MEETING
Moved from the Chair
442/25 THAT the minutes of the executive meeting held on 16 September 2025 be accepted as a true and correct record.
CARRIED U
MATTERS ARISING
Albany Street Cycle Lane and safety – A decision by the DCC to abandon this project earlier was revoked by the DCC and will now go ahead. There will be a pedestrian crossing across Albany Street.
Resignation from Jett Groshinski – this is tabled until next week as come in after the agenda went out.
SPEAKING RIGHTS
Moved from the Chair
443/25 THAT Debbie Downs, Donna Jones, Nina Brown, Irfaan Ariffin, Flynn Nisbett, Fergus Park, Troy Gibbons, Hanna Varrs, and Gryffin Blockley be granted speaking rights for the duration of this meeting.
CARRIED U
TE RŌPŪ MĀORI UPDATE
Porourangi sent the updates via email to be read out in his absence.
- Successfully elected our Te Rito executive for next year. We will be running a by- election in the next couple of weeks to fill our Āpiha Hauora (Recreation and Welfare) role
- We have Te Hōkai on Saturday. Would love some OUSA peeps to come through, buy tickets from TRM insta page, they close tomorrow!
- Getting things sorted for AGM on Thursday 16 October
UOPISA UPDATE
The recently held Pacific Island Week was a great success, there were events held everyday.
A huge Pacifika event held at the Town Hall Saturday evening. A great success.
AGM scheduled for 18 October.
Critisism over the Te Ropu Maori and Otago Pacific Island Students Association celebrations being held at the same time. There was support from the Pacific Island Leadership.
OUSA UPDATE
Moved from the Chair
444/25 THAT the meeting move into confidential committee for reasons of commercial sensitivity at 10.09am.
CARRIED U
Ibuki left at 10.19am and returned at Ibuki 10.20am
Moved from the Chair
445/25 THAT the meeting move out of confidential committee at 10.22am.
CARRIED U
Moved from the Chair
446/25 THAT the Chief Executive Officers’ August report be received.
` CARRIED U
MEDIA/MARKETING UPDATES
Albany Street Cycleway and crossing safety – the DCC have reversed their decision made recently and will proceed with this project. A big thank you to Joshua Stewart for his fine submission in support of this proceeding.
EXECUTIVE 2026
Congratulations to the newly elected executive for 2026. Liam said it was a great team and you are all set up for a good year. Please don’t hesitate to come and chat if you desire. The results are still provisional pending complaints being heard but the Returning Officer didn’t think it would affect the results.
FINANCE, EXPENDITURE & STRATEGY MEETING MINUTES
Moved from the Chair
447/25 THAT the meeting move into confidential committee for reasons of commercial sensitivity at 10.26am
CARRIED U
Moved from the Chair
448/25 THAT the meeting move out of confidential committee at 10.28am.
CARRIED U
Moved from the Chair
449/25 THAT the minutes of the Finance, Expenditure and Strategy meeting held on 19 August 2025 be received.
CARRIED U
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PAC) MINUTES
Moved from the Chair
450/25 THAT the minutes of the Political Action Committee meeting held on 18 July 2025 be received.
CARRIED U
A reminder that there will be a Democracy Day BBQ and local body special voting tomorrow and Thursday in the Link area. OUSA managing the BBQ near the library entrance area.
AFFILIATION
Moved from the Chair
451/25 THAT the Gym and Fitness Club affiliated to OUSA.
CARRIED U
OUSA BUDGET 2026
As attached. Discussion and questions were held.
It was recommended the explanation section about the Service Level Agreement (SLA) be expanded.
A few grammatical errors to be fixed as discussed.
Moved from the Chair
452/25 THAT the OUSA Budget for 2026 be received and accepted with the minor amendments and be put to the student body in its entirety.
CARRIED U
Callum left at 10.40am
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
As attached. These amendments have gone through the Policy Committee prior.
Owing to the many changes required to the Incorporated Societies Act we need to make amendments to be compliant and re-register at an Annual General Meeting before it goes to the Companies Office for registering. We have been working through the check-list online to ensure the necessary changes are made. The final copy has been to our Lawyers. Thank you to Amy Martin for her hard work on this.
Remove clauses 17A ii and B
Remove 41 A (4)
Ibuki left at 10.54am
Moved from the Chair
453/25 THAT the OUSA Constitution and Rules be approved with the minor non substantive changes and submitted to the OUSA Lawyers for final approval.
CARRIED U
Seluvaia and Jett left at 11.02am
LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS VOTING MAGAZINE
It was noted how good the design was, thank you to Nina and Evie in Critic. A great job done!
Seluvaia returned at 11.06am
Remove the section with final rankings
Approval with the addition of Jett’s involvement.
Jett returned at 11.11am
Whyman/Stewart
454/25 THAT the Local Body Elections Magazine be accepted with the minor amendments and the printing proceed.
Groshinski Abstain
CARRIED
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING DATE
The date for this general meeting means we are holding it during examinations which is an inevitable breach of our constitution and rules. We hope to remedy this at our next Annual General Meeting.
Moved from the Chair
455/25 THAT the OUSA Annual General Meeting be held on 23 October 2025 at 12.45pm in the Main Common Room or outside if weather permits.
Groshinski Abstain
CARRIED
EXECUTIVE THIRD QUARTER REPORTS
Moved from the Chair
456/25 THAT Amy Martin assume the Chair from Liam White at 11.21am.
CARRIED U
Liam left at 11.25am
Liam returned at 11.35am
It was stated that Liam hasn’t been meeting his hours this quarter.
Moved from the Chair
457/25 THAT Liam White’s third quarter report be accepted and his honorarium continue to be paid being decreased by 10% and reviewed on 28 October 2025.
White: Abstain
CARRIED
Moved from the Chair
458/25 THAT Liam White assume the Chair at 11.36am.
CARRIED U
Amy Martin left at 11.38am
Amy Martin returned at 11.41am
Moved from the Chair
459/25 THAT Amy Martin’s third quarter report be accepted and she continue to be paid her honorarium.
CARRIED U
Amy Whyman left at 11.44am
Amy Whyman returned at 11.53am
It was stated Amy hasn’t been meeting her hours and requirements.
Moved from the Chair
460/25 THAT Amy Whyman’s third quarter report be accepted and her honorarium continue to be paid being decreased by 10% and reviewed on 28 October 2025.
CARRIED U
Seluvaia left at 11.54am
Amy Martin left at 11.56am
Moved from the Chair
461/25 THAT Joshua Stewart’s third quarter report be accepted and he continue to be paid his honorarium.
CARRIED U
GENERAL BUSINESS
Meeting closed at 11.59am
Signed: ___________________________________ Date: _________