The Association of Students at UCOL (Written by Jo Hymers AS@U President)
Students told their voice means nothing
Universal College of Learning (UCOL) students are shocked at the Education and Science Select Committee’s report back on
the Education (Polytechnic Governance) Amendment which seeks to allow the removal of student representation on
Polytechnic Councils.
“Student representatives are an integral and important part of Polytechnic Governance. Considering the Government is
aiming to create a student centred tertiary system, the removal of student representation on Polytechnic Councils seems
completely contradictory with their policy and will mean the student voice will be lost from important decisions,” said
Jo Hymers, President of the Association of Students at UCOL.
“This Bill has gone from bad to worse – it was intended to remove community representation of our Polytechnic councils
and replace them with an army of old chartered accountant types. These changes will further undermine the representative
nature of Polytechnic Councils,” said Hymers.
ENDS
‘Students at UCOL have already held a protest and a rally to oppose the original Bill, and these changes will see
further action from students at the loss of a dedicated student representative on Polytechnic councils, “ said Hymers
“These changes will affect students across New Zealand. Students are the key stakeholders in tertiary education and
considering the cost of education in New Zealand, students have the right to have a say about the quality that they are
receiving. This will not be possible if students are not included at the top level of Polytechnics,” said Hymers.
“Students will be extremely disappointed and are calling on the Government to reject these amendments and publically
support the importance of student input into the educational aims and quality of their institutions, “concluded Hymers.
ENDS