OUSA wants better deal for residential assistants

The Otago University Students' Association has disaffiliated with the Elohim Bible Academy. Photo...
Photo: ODT files
The Otago University Students' Association is pushing ahead with its plan to get a better deal for assistants in residential colleges (RAs), appealing to past, present and prospective RAs to get in touch with their experiences.

OUSA campaigns officer Roger Yan said the association would be compiling people's thoughts and experiences on the RA system until July 23, including whether or not the rate of pay was a deterrent for students to take on the role.

"Right now we've opened submissions for students who were, are, or want to be RAs," he said.

The move followed a referendum held in May, in which 85% of students said they would support OUSA lobbying the university for discounted rent for RAs, so their pay completely covered their accommodation costs.

OUSA administrative vice-president Cam Meads said last month RAs at university-run halls were paid on the premise they worked 34 hours a fortnight, but in reality providing support to students who were away from home for the first time was a 24/7 job.

It was "not uncommon" for RAs to end up sitting with students in the emergency department at Dunedin Hospital - and their presence there was often mental-health related.

The average cost to stay in University of Otago-run residential colleges in 2018 is $14,478 for the year, or $393 a week from February 17 until the end of second-semester exams on November 5.

Residential assistants at university-run colleges were paid at a starting rate of $16.50 per hour or $561 a fortnight. More experienced RAs earned $17 an hour, and senior RAs earned $19.50.

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