The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) is outraged by recent revelations that a Vice-Chancellor
threatened to cut funding to a students’ association due to actions they disagreed with.
In emails released under the Official Information Act, Massey University Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas considered cutting
funding to the students’ association and clubs if they decided to proceed with an event involving Don Brash speaking on
campus.
‘We should be able to have robust debate on campus with people we disagree with, including our university leaders. But
to consider cutting funding to a group that disagrees with your actions is just foul play,’ says National President
Jonathan Gee.
‘While we do not agree with Don Brash’s views on race and many other issues, we support the right to free speech. As the
critic and conscience of society, universities should be the bastions of that, not undermine it,’ says Massey University
Students’ Association (MUSA) President Ngahuia Kirton.
Gee says that these tactics have stemmed from Voluntary Student Membership, where tertiary institutions’ management now
hold all the cards.
‘Students’ associations have for too long been silenced from criticising our institutions for fear of ‘biting the hand
that feeds us’. These emails from the Vice-Chancellor are the purest example of the silencing effect that Voluntary
Student Membership has had on student voice.’
Voluntary Student Membership (VSM) was passed by Parliament through the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment
Bill in 2011, despite strong opposition. Since VSM, students’ associations have had to negotiate their core funding with
their tertiary institutions, as opposed to receiving levies from students directly. The revenues of students’
associations have since reduced dramatically, some by over half since 2011.
‘Two wrongs do not make a right. Threatening cuts to funding key student services in order to get what you want is not
fair game. Everybody loses,’ says Jason Woodroofe, Albany Students’ Association President.
The Vice-Chancellor has also broken the trust of staff and students through assuring them that her main consideration in
preventing Don Brash from speaking was security, when this has clearly not been the case. She has misled the Chair of
Academic Board, who are in part the guardians of the university’s role of being society’s critic and conscience.
‘We join Massey’s students’ associations in their call for their University Council to clarify its stance on funding
independent students’ associations. The Vice-Chancellor has broken the trust we have with our institutions, and we want
to rebuild that.’
ENDS