A bit of voting and a lot of awkwardness at special general meeting

Students voted to adopt a model with experts directly on the board and less reps overall at the SGM yesterday.  

The meeting comes as a working group has been working on new models for student representation at Massey since July, releasing two options earlier this month.

It was a revealing vote, with over 30% of student voters against both models.  

While experts will be on the board, students voted against them having voting rights.  

However, this vote is not a final decision, instead the working group will take the feedback on board and finalise a model to be presented early next year.  

With 24 students voting over Zoom, and some in person across campus lounges, there were a lot of awkward silences, yawns, and students scrolling on phones. And this was just in Wellington, which had the most voting turnout. Just five students voted in Palmy, and 16 in Auckland.  

But one not so boring confrontation wrapped up the two-hour meeting, with a student’s motion for a referendum rejected.  

Reps Alhanis Jacobsen and Eloise Fleming began by running everyone through two representation models, created by a working group since July. The complex models hope to improve the current structure that has seen tension, resignations, and complaints.  

But despite the thoroughness in explaining, there were a lot of confused faces. A presentation like this is a whole lot of vegetables and no lollies — so it’s not unsurprising that students got lost.  

While some came in for the food and left before voting, a few politically engaged students put in the effort to understand the models. 

Once the voting was all done, former rep Micah Geiringer tried to bring forward a motion for a referendum for elections vs appointments of representatives. 

Currently some reps, like the presidents, are appointed. The preferred model one would instead see presidents go through a pre-screening interview and then go to student elections.  

However, disability and rainbow reps would be appointed.  

Geiringer is part of Palmy’s politically vocal Civics Club, which has been campaigning for the association to elect all representatives. They’ve found the appointment process undemocratic. 

They pushed their campaign once more when the meeting moved onto ‘general business’. Micah felt as the association “haven’t had a good turnout for SGM”, there should be another opportunity for student voice to be heard on the issue.

When the motion was shot down by Manawhakahaere (Māori president) Ripeka Paapu, the student fired back. He believed it was not constitutional for the motion to be declined, saying it was ‘general business’ time.  

“As the chair you don’t have the power to overrule the constitution.”  

Paapu responded, “I’m not overruling the constitution, but the agenda was sent out, it was published and there will be no further motions.”  

Going for a different angle, Geiringer said, “Are you guys willing to commit to asking students very briefly or basically if they prefer elections or appointments?”  

Paapu said the topic had already been part of the conversation on the models, before passing the discussion over to rep Alhanis Jacobsen who agreed.  

Jacobsen said a motion would need 21 days written notice for an SGM, suggesting any further motions could be passed onto the next one early next year.  

The constitution states that SGM’s must be called 21 days prior, and any motions for consideration must also be put in writing 21 days prior.  

Some on video chat supported Paapu’s response in the comment section. However, those in person in Wellington were not pleased to see Geiringer’s point shut down – and not just those from his own club.  

Speaking to Geiringer after, he felt the meeting was “incredibly poorly run for something they’ve had over a year to prepare for”.  

During voting time there was some confusion over proxy votes — where an absent student could delegate their voting power to another.  

The club all voted against the models from the Wellington campus, unhappy with both options. 

“We should do what every student association in the country does and elect all reps,” Geiringer said.

Former rep and Civics Club president Keezia Broughton believed the models were practically the same as the current system just with different wording. 

She didn’t trust that the current board would take on the student feedback appropriately.  

“They’ll do whatever benefits them.” 

She was disappointed with the response to the club’s motion, “The board completely disregarded what we were trying to say.”  

“I find that to be really undemocratic.”  

She felt the meeting and voting was “100% unorganised”. 

Music student Benjamin Berry voted against everything, “I liked none of the models.”  

He found there were “too many cons to both”, saying a merging of the two would be best.  

Berry felt weird about the confrontation that occurred, saying “it’s a valid point”.  

His friend Jade Carr felt the same, “I didn’t like that they were shut down”.