A proposed reform of the University of Otago’s student body could see significant power handed over to non-students. The Otago University Students’ Association executive is to debate a “proposed hybrid governance model” which could see the running of functions split into the OUSA executive and OUSA committee. The OUSA executive will keep its 12 student members and have “usual roles in an operational sense”. It would “represent the student voice”. The committee, which is responsible for governance, will be made up of four student executive members, elected directly by students, and three appointed independent members. The independent members would not be required to be students. This committee will also oversee OUSA’s holdings company, which also oversees the University Book Shop (UBS). UBS is presently in the firing line, with a recent decision to shut down the main store and maintain it as a campus bookstore selling textbooks. Documents seen by the Otago Daily Times suggest the hybrid model was reached after considering establishing a new OUSA subsidiary to “hold OUSA’s assets and activities” governed by a combination of executives and independent directors. It is also proposed the independent members serve up to three years, but be staggered so that one independent member is up for reappointment every year. The executive has the power to terminate the appointment at any time and replace that independent member “to ensure the independent members retain the confidence of the executive”. It is understood that the matter will be discussed next week. OUSA president Daniel Leamy declined to comment.
