Salient

Eye on Exec

By Jenna Powell | 29 Sep, 2008

This week’s exec meeting was a quick one, which is fantastic, but although it was short it was not lacking in in-jokes and an abundance of what Environmental Officer Mark Newton rightly described as “stupid bullshit.”

Breaking news: President Joel Cosgrove has finally had a haircut and trimmed his beard.

Women’s Rights Officer Georgina Dickson’s work report was questioned by Queer Rights Officer Rachael Wright. Rachael believed Dickson took credit for something she did during the women’s fest and wanted it “noted.”

The Exec also discussed an extremely boring agreement between MAWSA (Massey University Wellington Students’ Association) and VUWSA. This agreement basically said that if a student is a part of the New Zealand School of Music and spends most of their time at Massey, they are MAWSA’s responsibility and therefore MAWSA gets their student levy money.

Common sense anyone?

Not according to the current and previous Execs. MAWSA and VUWSA are still in negotiations over the $25,000 that Victoria University erroneously gave to VUWSA. VUWSA has agreed in principle to pay MAWSA back over a two year period. The term “in principle” does not actually “mean anything,” much like most things said during these meetings.

An incredibly unsurprising resignation was put forward by general Exec member Fiona McDonald, who pretty much stopped doing anything for VUWSA like ages ago.

Cosgrove moved that the Exec thank and acknowledge the work McDonald had done for VUWSA, which prompted her to roll her eyes. The motion of thanks was accepted by the Exec and joker Seamus Brady indicated that he was against the Exec’s acceptance.

Seamus, the old trickster, tried to make out he was joking but was unconvincing as he did not smile once.

So, here we are back on Survivor Island for another week. Education Vice-President Paul Brown was not pleased that Dickson has replaced Cosgrove on the Change Proposal committee.

Brown believed Dickson was just as biased as Joel as she had “been seen postering” and publicly supporting Jasmine Freemantle’s campaign for the VUWSA presidency.

Brown wanted Dickson’s tribal torch to be extinguished. This complaint caused a resounding “Oh, god” from Newton. It was suggested that Wright would be a suitable alternative as she is “objective” and has no obvious “political leanings.”

I wish I could say as much for the rest of the Exec. Wright being “the picture of neutrality” was contested by Cosgrove who accused Wright of supporting snake lover and Campaigns Officer Sonny Thomas.

Cosgrove suggested Newton for the role, which provoked Welfare Vice-President Melissa Barnard to let Newton know how much the job would “suck the life out of him.”

After a little consideration on Newton’s part, he quickly turned down the position and informed the exec that they were being “finicky and stupid.” Newton also told them that “every time they get an appropriate person for the job, they do this stupid bullshit.”

Brady, the Young Labourite, also objected to Cosgrove’s use of the word “perceived” when describing Dickson’s political leanings. “They are not perceived!” he said. This was so pathetic it made me die a little on the inside. Much like all exec meetings.

Following the Exec meeting, Salient was contacted by Wright, who provided an explanation for her absence at previous meetings. “The Executive is constitutionally required to meet 12 times a year, not weekly, and I am still doing my job,” she firstly pointed out. She added that she had still carried out her job over the past few weeks, organising protests and assisting in plans for UniQ’s Pride Week.

“I feel that the work I have done outside of Executive meetings achieved more than a meeting of the VUWSA Executive could hope for,” Wright continued. “I was boycotting meetings in response to what I saw as a lack of effective leadership by our President, and a lack of unity within the entire Executive.”

Voicing the sentiments of at least one Salient writer, she said: “The last three years have left me thoroughly disillusioned with student politics and student politicians.”

However, she added: “I’m going back to meetings now, as I’ve been elected to the decision panel for the Change Proposal, and this role requires that I keep thoroughly informed about all developments.”