Salient

Eye on Exec

By Jenna Powell | 17 Mar, 2008

The VUWSA Exec is seemingly going down a slippery slope of trouble and do not want anyone to find out, going off the record four times in their two and a half hour meeting last week. President Joel Cosgrove went even further, insisting that the windows be closed in the tiny unventilated room – he was apparently convinced that there would be someone willing to take time out of their Wednesday night to lurk outside the VUWSA meeting room.

A steady decrease of students enrolling at Victoria University and “a right royal fuckup” that Salient is not allowed to mention means a decrease in the money VUWSA gets from their student levy fee income. This must have been on the minds of the Exec as a “re-budget” across the board was high on the agenda. Basically, this could mean budget cuts for Salient, as well as clubs and activities funds.

On other events that Salient can report, Welfare Vice-President Melissa Bernard was on top form. As the recent winner of the Domino’s Pizza Party competition, she shared her prize, drawing everyone to bitch about Cosgrove, who was incidentally absent.

The sugary Domino’s brownie must have put Barnard on a sugar high as she became extremely vocal after eating several. “I want a cattle prod,” she announced while Administration Vice-Preisdent Neilson was rambling. She also screamed: “That dude has a mullet!” at an unknown person walking past the VUWSA meeting room window.

The fact that VUWSA may owe Massey student’s association MAWSA $10,000 was also briefly mentioned but largely glossed over by the Exec members. The New Zealand School of Music is coordinated and owned by Victoria and Massey, which means the student levy fee from music students is to be shared. But turns out VUWSA took all the moolah and spent it anyway. “What’s done is done,” Administration Vice-President Alexander Neilson observed, as the Exec considered the matter settled and a solution formed.

Furthermore, hating on Victoria University’s café’ caterers Eurest is “so hot right now” as far as the Exec is concerned. Environmental Officer Mark Newton mentioned his campaign to stop Eurest using plastic plates and other environmentally harmful materials. Cosgrove noted how badly the staff are treated and said “it’s a pretty shit existence.” Women Officer Georgie Dickson complained that there is now meat in the No Meat Please café.

Among other issues that were discussed: the crèche at the Law School, the Karori campus students’ tragic deprivation of VUWSA, and perceived links between Cosgrove-affiliated Workers’ Party and VUWSA.

In summary: the Exec have inherited a difficult situation. Only time will tell if they deal with it like adults employed to serve student interests would.