Student reps willing to shut student association down over one elected rep

In a leaked zoom recording, Massey's student reps express their frustration about one newly elected rep — suggesting the Māori board members could refuse to sign onto the oncoming board forcing the association to wind down.  

Massey's student governing board cannot exist without Māori representation. And while this option was ultimately not followed through with, the elected rep in question, Keezia Broughton, is appalled at the suggestion.  

The new Māori distance rep, Keezia Broughton, has been questioned for her age and hybrid courses. Photo / Te Tira Ahu Pae

Broughton told Massive, “The fact that multiple representatives felt it was appropriate to float the idea of shutting down the association because they disagree with the democratic outcome of my election is truly shocking.” 

“It makes me personally wonder if they are in their retrospective roles to represent students or to create drama.” 

Broughton's eligibility for the Māori distance role was questioned due to her being a hybrid student studying a mix of internal papers on the Manawatū campus, and distance courses. Being freshly 18 and new to university was also a concern.  

Te Tira Ahu Pae's constitution states that “only Student Representatives from each student community shall have the right and authority to represent the views of that student community”. However, it does not specifically define what makes a distance student. 

Broughton said the study body’s definition of a distance student is different from Te Tira Ahu Pae’s. "The rigid idea that distance representatives must only study fully distance is one that is incompatible with the reality of this university’s student body.”  

She said many distance students' study in a hybrid mode or study their papers by distance but come on to campus to study.  

“Any criticism raised by other student representatives is not reflective of the student body that showed their will through electing me to represent them.”  

In the meeting recording from last month, distance disability rep Alhanis Jacobsen suggested the Māori reps not sign on to the oncoming board, forcing the association to close.  

However, Jacobsen said this risked the association finding ways to fill those roles to continue operations.  

Noting that distance students tend to be 25 plus, Jacobsen said, “I know that the distance community will feel very shorted by that choice.” 

One of the reps present in the meeting was Chiavanni Le’Mon, the former Māori distance rep who lost the election to Broughton by 13 votes.  

Former rep Micah Geiringer said Le'Mons actions bullied the young rep and was a response to losing the election.  

Geiringer said, “Chiavanni lost the election against Keezia. Instead of conceding she went out to seek dirt on her opponent, held meetings with Massey staff members to figure out a way to remove Keezia, sued the association, and is still whining.”   

"We’ve set a very dangerous precedent with appointments because people like Chiavanni believe they can just overturn the democratic mandate when it doesn’t suit them." 

However, Le’Mon rejected Geiringer’s statements, saying her concerns and personal grievance were not about losing the election.  

“Micah Geiringer’s statements are not only misleading — they are defamatory ... I exercised my right — and responsibility — to hold TTAP accountable for procedural failures that harmed our community.”  

“Nobody is exempt from accountability. Raising constitutional and safety concerns through proper channels is not bullying — it is governance in action.” 

Late last year, the university refused to fund the association over concerns with its representation model. By Christmas, funding was restored on the condition that a new model be developed. 

In the leaked meeting, it was said that no progress had been made on restructuring student representation. 

In a statement from Te Tira Ahu Pae, they said a review of the representation model will take place this year and will be completed before September. They said some representation review meetings have taken place.    

Regarding the decision to ratify Broughton, the association said the board had two opposing interpretations of the constitution. One interpretation was that election results should not be interfered with, and the most democratic process was to ratify the election results.  

The other interpretation was related to Tino rangatiratanga and self-governance, arguing that a student who is studying less than 50% distance papers should not represent distance students. They believed the ratification decision should be made only by those of the Māori or distance cohorts.  

A split vote followed, and a motion was passed to ratify the election results.  

In attendance at the meeting was Massey's executive director of student experience, Amy Heise. She was wary of unduly influencing the reps, as the association is a separate entity.  

Heise suggested the option to shut down wasn't helpful. She said if the Māori cohort would like to not be affiliated with the association, “Then we'd be wanting to work closely with everyone involved to keep Te Tira Ahu Pae going in some form or another".  

“We spent a lot of energy last year on trying to have that outcome and so we'd do that if things went to custard again. We don't have an intention or hope to take over the association.” 

“Te Tira Ahu Pae's tied up in a really messy set of knots in regards to its constitution, policy documents, its practices, its culture.”