Auckland University Students' Association - Membership

Membership

AUSA membership is free to all current students of the University of Auckland.

As required by legislation, the University Council conducted a student referendum in 1999 on whether membership in AUSA should be voluntary or compulsory. The majority of students supported voluntary membership and this was enacted. Referendums on the same issue were held in 2001 and 2003 (the request for a referendum is in the form of a petition to the University Council, which any student may call, and thus must be conducted, provided no two referendums are less than two years apart), and in each case, the majority of students voted for voluntary association.

The current position has AUSA contracted by the University to provide student services. AUSA currently has free membership, but all students pay the University a student services levy, part of which is paid to AUSA to provide student services in the areas of clubs, events, advocacy and representation. The amount AUSA receives from the University is not related to its membership level.

Detractors of voluntary student membership (VSM) say that AUSA suffers drastically from it, and that VSM undermines AUSA's ability to advocate on behalf of students and provide welfare services. They also say that in controlling the flow of money, the University dictates the terms to some extent of its operations through a Student Services Agreement.

Proponents of VSM, on the other hand, claim VSM means freedom of choice for students. They cite the United Nations declaration of freedom of association. They also paint AUSA executives under compulsory unionism as being wasteful, and believe that under voluntary AUSA executives are forced to be more accountable to members. They claim that the level of intervention is very limited (for example, the conditions are only that AUSA must run orientation and the like).