What is OUSA doing about this?

It used to be that student associations looked out for the interests of the students. If the fun of being at University was under threat, the student union would do what they could to remedy the problem. Sit ins, protests to the clocktower... Of course now, student unions are geared towards a more political focus - and trying to keep their numerous "assets" above water surrounded by apathy and stuggling to be credible to their peers.

So where was OUSA when ICONIC student pubs The Bowler and Gardies were bought by the University and shut down? The Bowler (Bowling Green Hotel) was a legendary drinking hole while the Gardies was almost untouchable as the quintessential Otago student bar. I frequented both establishments while I was at Otago and can't believe that students, and their student union, did nothing substantial to try and save these bars. By saying that, I did salute these students for at least having a try.

This is the sort of issue that would bring some relevance back to the role of a student union. However, instead, OUSA has been spending students money on a campaign to force them to be members of the union.

OUSA have (again) dropped the ball and have let the University take away yet another icon of the Otago experience without a fight. No wonder students are getting out of control down there - nobody is standing up for their rights and OUSA seem only concerned with their fragile organisation that nobody cares about.

Story here