NEXUS ISSUE 22 2014

nexus magazine
PHOTOGRAPH: LOUISE HUTT
PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT 2014
AARON LETCHER
—
The Waikato Students’ Union was a very different place when I was first
elected as a Director in 2012.
Membership was compulsory, funding was guaranteed and a seat at the
University Council table was given as of right. All of this changed with the
passing of Voluntary Student Membership. Although this has been a challenging
time for the students association we have worked hard, planned
strategically, and budgeted sensibly to enable our organization to both survive
and thrive in our new voluntary environment. While laws, contracts and
personalities have changed our objective remains the same: To deliver value
for our members.
In previous reports 2012 was described as a year of change and 2013 as a
year of consolidation. With that in mind I would describe 2014 as a year of
growth. Last year’s Board did an excellent job in setting the strategic direction
of the organization with a four year plan and our team has worked relentlessly
to deliver on the key objectives it contained.
Highlights for the year include:
• Increasing our revenue through Service Level Agreement negotiations;
• Expansion of our advocacy service to include a second advocate, an independent
budgeting service and a food bank for emergency hardship situations;
• Securing the funding for a technology overhaul for the organization to ensure
our team have the tools to deliver the standard of service that our members
expect;
• The purchase of a van for use by our service delivery team and clubs network;
• Successfully lobbied the University for free unlimited high-speed internet;
• Removal of fee’s for afterhours swipe access to labs;
• Successfully lobbied for extended library hours;
While the year is not yet over I am optimistic that we will have our books
“back in black” as opposed to the $59,600 deficit that we budgeted for.
While 2014 has been a difficult year with a unique set of challenges I am
proud of the work that we have completed as a team and I believe we have
left the organization a better place than when we found it. Changes made to
the constitution at our recent SGM to remove wording that remained from
the days of compulsory student unionism were as symbolic as they were
administratively necessary.
This was about accepting our new environment that we operate in and
embracing it. We are no longer looking back reminiscently but are looking
forward aspirationally and I hope that this is the mindset the organization
takes into 2015.
I wish Shannon, Roy, Taha and the rest of their Board all the best for the
year ahead of them. I am confident that the annual plan and budget we have
proposed here today will set a clear strategic vision and allows the finances
they will need to deliver. Serving as an elected representative is never an easy
job but I have every confidence that as a team you will continue the good work
that this organization has carried out since 1977.
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