Implications of new students attitude

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33779, 27 February 1975, Page 10

Implications of new students attitude

(By

PETER DUNNE,

President. University ot Canterbury Students Association)

The final move of the University of Canterbury to its new site at Ham has several important implications for the University of Canterbury Students’ Association, even though the Association is now completely autonomous from the University.

Overall, these implications are favourable and will not hinder the development of the association. Rather, they should enhance its future development and progress. The most obvious of these is that since the university is now together on one site, the Students' Association can now concentrate on improving and updating its facilities at Ilam without having to worry about the upkeep of an additional union in the town site. Associated with this, of course, is the fact that since we are now operating from the one base, we can now do so with a greater deal of efficiency than previously. Gone are the days when forums, meetings and other activities had to be arranged in

duplicate—one day for town and one day for Harn. This can only mean that the association will improve in its services provided for students. Because the association is now able to centralise its activities on the one campus, student life, in its most general sense, should improve. For example, in addition to standardise its social activities, the assocation will now be able to provide these students who have studied in town in previous years with catering of the same high standard that Ilam students have been enjoying for the last year, since the association took over its catering operation. Moreover, student politicians should now be in a

postion to serve their electors more personally, as the past set-up of their being split between both campi has now ended. I believe this also is a benefit to our student members. Although the Students' Association is an autonomous body from the university, it is still very much an integral part of the university community and with the reunification of the university at Ham. our role here should flourish. On one side, relationships between Students' Association and university officials can become more intimate and now that the differences between us as to who controls the Student Union Building have been amicably resolved, this new relationship should prosper.

Having complete contr*of our own affairs for first time together with th« relocation of the university as a whole at Ham ensuri that 1975 will be a mos w challenging and excitinj „ year for the association J have every confidence tha , the administrative ability o » the association’s officers an< * staff is of a sufficien • standard to enable us tcJ master the challenges tha • lie ahead. 1975 may there fore for the above reason: well become a vintage yeai for the entire community - of the University of Canter i bury. «