Extramural President's Blog » membership

EXMSS StudentCard and Membership Subscriptions

ralph — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:01:29 +0000

The members of EXMSS have agreed that the changes proposed in our SGM should go ahead. As well as being able to introduce a subscription fee of $15 for membership there will be a re-balancing of the executive roles so that the workload is spread and risks reduced.

The $15 subscription for full members and $10 sub for associate members will be introduced alongside an optional StudentCard. The StudentCard, normally $20 can be added to membership for $15, making the membership plus student card $30. We see this as excellent value with EXMSS providing advocacy, information, representation, scholarships, and discount travel and the StudentCard providing discounts all over NZ for anything from movies to pizza.

The problem is Massey University has not yet agreed to collect the subscriptions on our behalf. The Education Act requires them to do so if we request it, but also states that they may recover costs. With our subs being so low any fee may make the administration costs an unpleasant tax on students. EXMSS does not want students to waste their money paying for admin services.

We have been pushing to have this conversation with Massey since the beginning of the year but have struggled to reach a conclusion. I have been told by the Massey IT services that we have until the end of June to decide how subs will work. Until then EXMSS is not willing to start charging subs or release the StudentCard at a discount rate.

EXMSS will restructure its executive and make the StudentCard available at $20 for any student while it waits for Massey to make this key decision: a decision which the future shape of EXMSS depends on.

Membership Subs and Membership Benefits

ralph — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:50:31 +0000

Through our SGM we have recieved support for several important changes: introducing a subscription for membership, opening associate membership to the public, changing the structure of our executive to relflect the new and reduced size of EXMSS.

Following these changes some practical issues need to be resolved. We will arrange for membership subscriptions to be payable through our website, we will make the Student Card a benefit of membership, and we will organise for Massey to collect subs on our behalf through the enrolment process. Additionally EXMSS continues to work with other Massey student associations to develop a partnership in all-student service delivery.

EXMSS wishes to remain involved in delivering services to all students but would like to have that part of its business (which is funded through a service agreement with the University) to be financially separated from its society business. That way the mission of the Society, to advocate for distance, part time, and adult students, is not clouded by a service delivery operation aimed at all Massey students.

So discussions continue with Massey about subscription collection, and with Massey SA’s about shared delivery of services, and I continue to stress that these things must now progress quickly if we are to be ready for 2013. You can be assured that EXMSS continues on the path set out prior to the changes in membership rules but there are several parties involved and we must all reach agreement on subscription issues before we can move forward.

Free Membership: get benefits and support the student voice

ralph — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:29:13 +0000

For the first few months of 2012 membership of EXMSS will be free! If you are enrolled for 2012 I advise you to join EXMSS now. Membership is for the academic year.

EXMSS has been preparing for this transition and has funds to cover the shortfall in 2012. Membership benefits include a super-cheap shuttle service to and from the Manawatu campus, insider knowledge, through the e-zine Off Campus, about what’s going on in the tertiary sector and behind the screens at Massey, access to high-level advocacy support, and the EXMSS scholarships, plus other giveaways.

Become part of the EXMSS community

Members are also supporting a student voice that raises the concerns of distance, part-time and adult students at national level and within Massey. These students, particularly part-timers, are singled out as underachievers by the Government and that needs to stop. Massey is caught in the middle and has effectively been forced to reduce its distant student numbers or risk millions in government funding. All because the Government doesn’t get the role part time study has in our society.

Services delivered to all students will eventually be delivered independently of EXMSS, although during the 2012 transition period some may still be managed by EXMSS.

I am pleased to say that EXMSS has a clear strategic plan, clarity about the services it wishes to provide to its members and good strategies for providing an independent voice for distance and part time students. The first EXMSS media release is taking shape and the details of the great deal in shuttle services will soon emerge. Stay connected and stay strong!

What’s the Plan Now We Have VSM?

ralph — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:35:52 +0000

Now that voluntary membership of student associations is in for 2012, what happens? There have been many meetings between the Massey students associations and the University. As early as March students associations looked to define a good systems for representation within the University. The idea, having a method of keeping students in touch with each other and a system where their views and feedback can be heard, got a positive response from University Council. However, how this will look, and what funding can be used, are still unknown.

The truth is, the VSM Bill has arrived at a very difficult time. Student associations can’t ask at enrolment if a student would like to join – enrolment is already open for 2012 and Massey’s enrolment software does not have that functionality. Also, there is no time to discuss what services the students need and want before the summer break. Furthermore, the nature of the services that can be funded has not been clarified by the Government.

Fortunately, Massey has made it clear that it values its student associations. And the Government has made it clear that services should be agreed between students and the institution. So we have the opportunity to present a strategy about how we might offer services and representation in a voluntary environment. The result for EXMSS is a document that describes one way forward: The EXMSS Draft Strategy and Position Document. Now we must consider all of the factors described in this document and negotiate, in partnership with the other associations and Massey, the way forward.

EXMSS supporting Maori Students

ralph — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:23:28 +0000

The student associations EXMSS and Manawatahi have many common interests. Indeed, Manawatahi recognises distance students as members. A shared goal is to support and promote engagement with wider issues. To this end EXMSS sponsored the travel costs of Manawatahi to attent the Te Mana Akonga Te huinga tauira, held in Auckland early in September.

It is a pleasure to support an active and engaged group of students who seek to improve things going forward. It sounds like the hui was a success and the national voice of Maori students is clear and united under the direction of tumuaki Jacqueline Poutu and the TMA Kaiarahi.

Young Students Need to Grow

ralph — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:20:24 +0000

Where do we grow up?

The purpose of a University education is not only to gain a qualification, but to grow and mature as a person. For our young students this is especially true. The Freedom of Association Bill will change that permanently. Under Voluntary Student Membership (VSM) the student experience becomes the university experience; the same type of student engagement we see in our secondary schools.

For Massey the defining qualities of a graduate are connected, creative and capable*. It is through the ‘student experience’ that a student becomes these things. Students get involved, not only their study but in clubs and sports, local community, events, and, as they progress, the support networks and systems that deliver education to themselves and their peers. Having a voice in the system and being a part of the processes that create the student experience are important for students in order to develop and grow as a person.

Under VSM the services that students once controlled will become contracted services funded by the University and delivered by the Student Association. There are services like advocacy that cannot be for members only: they are too important to the achievement of funding related completion rates. The University will have to levy students for these universally available services.

The University will therefore hold the power to decide what the student experience will be and the resulting model becomes that of a secondary school. The students must obey the rules set out by the institution and accept that what is provided is what is provided. So when is it that we expect our young students to test their voice, their opinions, and practice their organisational skills? Is this our vision of a university education?

*Capable being included in the Vice Chancellors address to new students in 2011.

Massey’s New Disciplinary Regulations

ralph — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 03:13:00 +0000

EXMSS represents you in Massey meetings

I have been giving feedback on the proposed Disciplinary Regulations since 2008. Good on Massey for getting students involved right from the start. There have been times when I have had to be clear and strong in my assertion that the system must serve student first and foremost.

At the November Academic Board meeting the revised disciplinary regulations for student misconduct were tabled. The regulations themselves follow the procedures of past years however the scope has widened to now include academic misconduct such as plagiarism. Two issues have emerged from the final draft which was passed through the board for inclusion into the Massey regulations: the role of the Registrar in deciding on the level of misconduct and the placing of offences on student’s transcripts, the latter of which was brought up at the meeting.

In the past cheating through exams or by copying assignments or other students work has been controlled by the teaching staff and often dealt with in differing ways across the University. Under these new regulations academic misconduct will now be described as level one, level two or level three, with L3 being the worst offence. Instances of level two and three misconduct will be recorded on a database that is available to Academic Integrity Officers (not lecturers) so that repeat offences can be noted. Level one offending is seen as an opportunity to teach the student more about the issue.

In the meeting it was suggested that L2 and L3 offences should be placed on the student’s transcript. I was vocal in opposition to this, as this could easily generate a range of negative consequences that would have repercussions far in excess of the ‘crime’ committed. After further discussion the idea was dropped.

Students discussing the issues at the 2010 EXMSS AGM

The second point is about the role that Registrars take in deciding the level of the offence. In supporting documents the level is described but there is no one to assist the Registrar in getting it right. The Registrar makes that call alone. When pointed out to the Academic Board it was agreed that further discussion should take place around the support the Registrar gets in making this call. It was also noted that the key stakeholder (students) will need to be clearly informed about the changes and possible consequences now that the stakes are much higher for students if anything goes wrong.

The student voice had an impact. Students will benefit from having a representative on Academic Board. Let’s just hope we can continue to keep students in the loop if we no longer have universal membership of the representational bodies that work this system.

Freedom of Association (voluntary membership)

ralph — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:53:56 +0000

I have been listening to submissions regarding the compulsory nature of student association membership. It is clear that a minority group of students are not keen to pay for services that they do not use. These students are independent learners with support systems in place and no financial hardship issues. Lucky them.

This group sees no reason to support students with financial issues or those who need advocacy support. They are not interested in attending events such as the EXMSS Graduation Dinner (18 cents from each student’s association fee is used for this event) or receiving any communication that brings all distance students together. They are offended by the requirement to contribute to and participate in these group activities.

EXMSS executive member Dave Crampton presents to the Select Committee on his graduation day

They see no need for a student representative to push for improved academic quality on their behalf, or to lobby the Tertiary Education Commission to consider the impact of their policies on distance students.

But a survey of over 1200 Massey extramurals shows us that 82% support having an on-campus representative that can engage with the University. 70% support the existing full membership system.

So what do we do? Democratically we can vote, but that will not satisfy the minority. Going voluntary will trash the ability of students to present a united voice to the University. Perhaps there is a solution in allowing the student organisations to manage their own membership rules through their constitutions? Is there a halfway house where those who want out can pay a lesser fee for representation only?

And for those who say I do not represent their views – let me know what your views are and I will take them to those you want to hear them. Check the priorities on this blog and you may find EXMSS views match well with your views: ongoing improvements in academic delivery, reasonable conditions for study, praise where it is due and an engaging environment.

Save our Services

ralph — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:48:55 +0000

No matter which side of the fence you sit it is irrefutable that EXMSS (and other students associations) delivers services that save students. Save them from hardship, from anguish and from an education system that at times seems less than friendly. Each year EXMSS saves hundreds of students from dropping out of their studies. Even more students are assisted through targeted services that help extramurals deal with smaller issues and every student benefits from good engagement with the university through their elected representatives.

The existing opt-out-of-student-associations system that makes all of this possible is now under threat from an ACT Bill, the Freedom of Association Amendment to the Education Act. From EXMSS’s initial survey we found that an overwhelming majority (70%) of extramural students want to keep the existing system. Students associations will not survive a voluntary membership system, maori ropu will dissolve and smaller associations close. Funding for the services considered important by the University will be provided through increases in the Student Services Levy.

EXMSS has written a draft submission that captures this view and now wishes to confirm that what we have said is a reasonable reflection of extramural opinion. Please read the draft submission and leave your comments. If you have a strong viewpoint you may wish to complete a submission yourself. This has been made easy at the Save Our Services website.

National Student Conference

ralph — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:27:45 +0000

Delegates break for a bite to eat and networking time

Representatives from Student Associations around the country met at the end of January to discuss issues that will affect all students. The conference is an opportunity to connect students from both polytechnics and universities in order to develop networks and build strategies to promote student support across the country. Four representatives from EXMSS attended the conference.

Much of this year’s discussion related to the government led restrictions being placed on the tertiary sector. High on the agenda were political issues such as the removal of the student positions on Polytechnic Councils, the bill to make Student Association membership opt-in and the reduction of access to tertiary education in the university sector.

Of major concern for the EXMSS team was the omission of life-long learning and the focus on youth and full-time students clearly evident in National’s Tertiary Education Strategy.

Students associations are effective at keeping these issues on the government’s agenda. Because students are described by the TEC as the most significant stakeholder in the tertiary sector it makes sense that students are in the position (funded and organized) to engage with both their institutions and with government. National student conferences are essential to ensure effective engagement at institution and national level.

Actions stemming from the conference include national strategy‘s relating to: the Freedom of Association Bill, lobbying Polytechnics to form Student Advisory Committees for their Councils, monitoring of the success of the Youth Guarantee scheme and maintaining pressure on the Government to provide continued access to education for Maori and minority groups.