Student Council Corner (Vol. I)

Overview

This marks the first instalment of Student Council Corner — a column dedicated to recapping the most important (or least stereotypically bureaucratic) updates from the University’s Student Council, co-chaired by your 2026 AUSA President, Nimish Milan Singh and Education VP Officers, Matthew Lee and Eugene Lee. Chances are you’ve never heard of such a council, and honestly, you’re forgiven; most people (including this author) are new to the concept. TLDR the Student Council comprises presidents of various student clubs and faculty associations across the University.

Photo Source: About AUSA

The Student Groups Grants Hack

As I wandered in with my flimsy paper plate of Subway sandwiches (#notsponsored), I gratefully sat beside a familiar face — Disability Rights Officer, Ayolabi Martins — in an unfamiliar place (elusive Arts and Education room) and took in the rows of handmade placards, each bearing someone’s full name. Nice try, Model UN graduates.

First on the agenda was a guest presentation from the team behind Student Groups (SG). While they may not have the most stellar reputation among exec teams (the way banks attract a love-hate dynamic with their customers), they play a central role in delivering student engagement and campus life initiatives. Armed with colourful pie charts and discrete statistics-laden bullet points, the SG team shed light on key aspects of the grant application process. Roughly $400,000 worth of grants are awarded to student clubs each year, across two major application rounds spanning both semesters. While this may seem substantial at face value, it’s worth considering how much the University generates annually (spoiler alert: beyond millions). A typical semester attracts around $640,000 in grant applications, yet only about $250,000 is ultimately distributed. Money, it seems, does not grow on trees.

Student leaders had plenty of questions about how the selection process works. Why are applications for stickers and merchandise now routinely declined when they were previously accepted? How far can one stretch the infamous pizza cost rule — and does garlic bread make the cut? The people want answers. As something of an olive branch, the SG team offered practical advice for club execs: complete team handovers early, disclose leftover funds to avoid confusion, and mark calendars in advance, as required exec training opens in August.

The next agenda item was no walk in the park — though that would certainly have been cheaper. I’m referring to the ongoing fuel crisis and the University’s attempts to mitigate its financial impact on students. The discussion centred on the Student Emergency Fund (SEF), which students can access after exhausting other support options, including Studylink. Concerns were raised about the burden of proof required, with some noting that it may exacerbate the stigma around asking for help. However, anecdotal accounts from past recipients suggested that the threshold is not overly high, and that the administration is generally understanding of individual circumstances. Applications typically require bank statements, and already receiving the living costs loan does not automatically disqualify applicants.

There was also criticism of the University’s limited promotion of the SEF, with questions raised about whether this lack of visibility is intentional. Matthew Lee, Undergraduate Education Vice President, used this moment to highlight the upcoming consultative process in July, where at least $1 million in student funding will be allocated across various areas of campus life.

Is 2026 becoming Covid-esque? Online and Hybrid Learning: New Horizons

The following discussion proved even thornier, echoing debates from the pandemic era. Student feedback was gathered on potential hybrid learning options during the fuel crisis. One student quickly pointed out that online learning should, in theory, reduce tuition fees. More broadly, preferences for online versus in-person learning appear to vary year by year, with some faculties more receptive to hybrid formats than others. A STEM student, for instance, lamented the declining quality of labs, noting that practical components have changed significantly, compromising consistency in learning outcomes. Overall, there was general support for relaxing in-person attendance requirements during this period. Many departments already have hybrid plans in motion, and student leaders were encouraged to raise these concerns with academic staff wherever possible.

However, the conversation extended beyond the immediate context of the fuel crisis. Students advocated for greater flexibility in learning year-round, regardless of external circumstances. Familiar debates resurfaced around recording both tutorials and labs, with some raising privacy concerns. Temporary online streams were proposed as a compromise, accompanied by clear disclaimers about recording. Disabled students, particularly those with frequent yet inflexible medical appointments, are disproportionately affected by the lack of recorded content — especially when tutorial material is examinable.

Student Relief Package: Refusing to be a Political Afterthought

While much of the discussion focused on what the University can do, AUSA officers also introduced a new student led campaign: the “Student Relief Package Now!” aimed at demanding accountability at a national level. Students have largely been excluded from government relief measures, and the campaign seeks to mobilise University of Auckland and AUT students to advocate for targeted support. That’s over 70,000 of us altogether!

Key demands include:

• Free public transport

• Financial assistance in the form of:

• Extending the $50 fuel support package to students;

• Increasing the weekly living cost payments; and,

• Paying a stipend for students on unpaid placements.

Photo Source: @ausa.uoa

International examples were cited, including Victoria and Tasmania, where free public transport has been implemented to ease cost-of-living pressures. Notably, a 7% increase in bus ridership followed the reintroduction of student discounts by Auckland Transport — evidence proponents hope will support long-term policy change. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has also expressed support for free public transport during this period.

While ambitious and aspirational at heart, the campaign aims to spark broader conversations about sustainable, long-term student support — particularly in relation to public transport. As a student commuter of 6 years, who has frankly seen too many train cancellations and revised bus routes in her still relatively short lifetime, it is high time for our public transport infrastructure to stop profiting off unreliable services!

Gen Ed's, so confusing...

Finally, student councillors discussed a proposal to standardise the General Education (GenEd) schedule, with retained requirements to take courses outside one’s major. This comes as welcome news for students long frustrated by convoluted enrolment pathways — sometimes baffling even the most well-meaning Student Hubs staff. Planned changes include grouping GenEd courses into thematic modules such as critical thinking. God knows we’re in dire shortage of that nowadays…

Further logistical questions remain, including how online GenEd courses will be integrated, whether courses across different stages (I, II, III) will be included, and how prerequisites will shape future offerings. While not all details are finalised, one thing is clear: changes to your enrolment cart may be coming sooner than you think.

Photo Source: ‘Girl, So Confusing,’ Charli XCX featuring Lorde (2024) - Rolling Stone Australia

Closing Remarks

I can’t quite do justice to a three-hour meeting with the level of fervour these debates deserve. For instance, there’s simply not enough space to fully unpack the daily struggles of working-class students on unpaid placements — a system that continues to sideline some of the most vulnerable in our care industries. But if there’s one thing I took away from this meeting, it’s this: students care. They listen. And they consistently rally for what they deserve. We are not shiny political bargaining chips; we are living, breathing advocates, relentless in challenging a status quo that does not serve us.

So, consider this my call to action: sign the petition for student relief today: https://www.change.org/StudentReliefNow

Because knowing we’re all in this together? That’s a sigh of relief in itself.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and interviewee, and do not necessarily reflect the views or editorial standards of Craccum or the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA).

BY VIVIENE BUNQUIN

News Editor