The OUSA’s political representative Jett Groshinski, who is also running as a Labour candidate for the Dunedin City Council, issued a statement yesterday afternoon saying an attempt was being made to silence him for standing up for the student voice.
The OUSA executive said they asked Mr Groshinski to resign on Thursday following an internal review of conduct and responsibilities that found conflicts of interest relating to his position as a Labour-endorsed council candidate had not been effectively managed.
The executive believed obligations on its members to act in the best interests of OUSA and its members, demonstrate transparency, honesty, and good faith, to uphold the highest professional standards and to disclose conflicts of interest, had not been met, a statement said.
Mr Groshinski was adamant he had done nothing wrong.
"I will not resign."
Earlier this year, following concerns from some students and members of the executive, he was allowed to continue his role in a reduced capacity.
Mr Groshinski acknowledged the executive’s written reasons for asking him to resign, but said he believed it was really because he called a student general meeting earlier this month to discuss a motion for OUSA to re-adopt the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement (BDS) — a movement that works to end international support for Israel — after the organisation had abandoned it.
The outcome of the meeting was a decision to readopt BDS.
"I called a student general meeting so students could debate and decide important matters in the open. That is what our constitution provides for. I acted in good faith and I will not apologise for giving students their say.
"An attempt is being made to silence me for standing up for student voice."
The agreement that he stand aside from certain responsibilities while the election was on could not be used as a reason to remove him, he said.
He was proud of calling the student meeting.
"If the price of defending student democracy is being asked to resign, the problem is not with me. The problem is with an executive that has forgotten who it serves."
In a statement attributed to "the OUSA exec" no reference was made to the student general meeting.
"This decision was not made lightly. Over the course of the year, several concerns have arisen that have impacted the trust, transparency, and effectiveness required of an executive officer. These include difficulties in fulfilling the general duties of the role, challenges in working collaboratively within the executive, and breaches of the executive code of conduct."
The conflict of interest with being a Labour-endorsed local body candidate had directly affected Mr Groshinski’s "ability within the role to oversee essential activities in his role".
OUSA president Liam White reiterated the general meeting was not a part of the decision to ask Mr Groshinski to resign.
Mr Groshinski had told Mr White he was intending to run for council in March but had not declared that to the rest of the executive until it was reported by the Otago Daily Times.
The executive formed a confidential committee that decided to request a resignation from Mr Groshinski.
It had to pass by a supermajority — two thirds of the executive — and it did.
Mr White said although it was ultimately still Mr Groshinski’s decision to resign, he encouraged him to "think grand scheme about this".
