Lincoln University says student associations are vital to campus life and it is condemning an Act bill to make their membership voluntary.Act MP Heather Roy's Education (Freedom of Association) Bill is set to become law after it was approved by a select c
Lincoln University says student associations are vital to campus life and it is condemning an Act bill to make their membership voluntary.
Act MP Heather Roy's Education (Freedom of Association) Bill is set to become law after it was approved by a select committee.
National and Act used their majority on the education and science select committee to push the bill through against opposition from Labour and the Greens.
Mrs Roy said membership should be a matter of choice while Labour argued voluntary membership would destroy representation, advocacy and services students received from their associations.
Lincoln University and its student association issued a joint statement today, condemning the bill.
Association president Ivy Harper said it was shocking the MPs ignored the overwhelming number of submissions against the bill -- nearly 5000 when less than 100 were in support.
She said tertiary institutions were operating under tight budgets and would not be able to pay for the services associations provided.
"Institutions will be forced to choose between only providing a fraction of the services that student associations provide or charge high student service levies."
Lincoln University vice-chancellor Professor Roger Field said the association provided an invaluable role enhancing communication between students and the administration and by providing services.
The university did accept the argument around upholding students' rights to freedom of association by removing any compulsion to join a students' association.
"Students' associations are different in nature from compulsory unions and there are already adequate mechanisms for individual students to seek exemption from compulsory membership and for students collectively at any institution to seek a change to voluntary membership," Prof Field said.
The bill will have its second reading around mid-October.
