Stuff on EXMSS

Stuff reports:

Members of Massey University’s Extramural Students’ Society have investigated taking a case to the High Court to oust their president.

But they say they do not have the money to force out president Jeannette “JV” Chapman.

Emotions boiled over at the society’s annual meeting when it was called short yesterday after a lack of members meant a quorum could not be formed – 25 were required and only 12 turned up.

M  I  C  K  E  Y    M   O   U   S    E   …..

But, under the advice of society-contracted business adviser Alan Millar, she disbanded the meeting after seven minutes and faced a barrage of questions about her recent actions – which include allegations she earns more than $50,000 part-time thanks to an executive that was self-appointed.

Outrage was also aimed at Mr Millar’s pay, after members heard he was on a $100-per-hour rate for his advice, a bill also footed by the student-funded society.

After the meeting, Ms Chapman told the Manawatu Standard a lack of student engagement and failure to form a quorum raised no concerns for her.

“Why should it? I’ve been here many years and there’s often been a lack of quorum.”

Quorum, voting – who needs it!

After the meeting, society members asked Ms Chapman for a list of the society’s executive panel, co-opted and elected, to be made publicly available. They also queried why a raft of requests for a special general meeting had been ignored and why an open-floor discussion was not held in place of the canned annual meeting.

“I think you’re being deliberately obtuse . . . your representation of the extramural students is so unbelievably poor; you’re the president and you owe us an explanation,” society member Hannah Pratt said.

Ms Chapman left the room, responding to Ms Pratt: “You’ve got a hostile attitude and I don’t want to speak to you . . . I’m not willing to have an argument with you; I will speak with intelligent people [only].”

A true servant of the people!

January: Jeannette “JV” Chapman was elected unopposed.

April: Ms Chapman dismissed vice-president Dave Crampton.

May: Ms Chapman dissolved the Extramural Students’ Society (EXMSS) executive.

June: She appointed three new members – Sophia Lu, Ruby Nguyen and Shane Field – to “pass budgets”.

August: Ms Chapman proposed a constitutional change to make her salary fortnightly, rather than quarterly, and to scrap four executive positions, which she said were overdue changes her predecessors had wanted.

Note that Massey University forces all extra mural students to fund EXMSS, through a contract they have signed with them. Shame.