University of Canterbury Students' Association

University of Canterbury
Students' Association
Institution University of Canterbury
Location Christchurch, New Zealand
Established 1894[1]
President James Addington[2]
Vice president Mikaela Ruegg[3]
Treasurer Jacob Bignell[4]
Executive officers Tom Tappin, Michael Brophy, Emily Barker, Stephanie Yee, Cheyenne Conroy-Mosdell, Christopher Lamb, Chanuka De Silva, Espoire Ibouanga, John Duncan[5]
Affiliations New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
Website www.ucsa.org.nz

The University of Canterbury Students' Association (UCSA) is a student organisation associated with the University of Canterbury[6] in New Zealand, established in 1894.[7]

Organisation

USCA is funded by students and is governed by a constitution through 12 elected representatives. Since its inception the Association has grown into a diverse organisation with an annual turnover of around $7.0 million, approximately half of which is catering-related, and approximately 15% of which is derived from student membership levies.

The UCSA office is currently situated in the James Hight Building following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, after which the UCSA Building was deemed unsafe.[8] The Undercroft was redeveloped as a student space, and work is currently being undertaken to replace the facilities and services that were on offer in the old UCSA building.

The association provides services ranging from an Early Learning Centre to a Chaplaincy team through to student bars and cafes; from Student Job Search to places to spend free time by way of the 120 clubs and societies.

The UCSA operates a number of other facilities spread around the campus including The Foundry Bar and Bentleys, cafes in the Law (Alibi), Engineering (Eng Cafe) and James Hight Library (Shilling Club, The Burg, The Wok, Cafe 1894, Chilton's, The Greek, Cut Lunch) buildings and in the temporary Kirkwood Village (The Shed) as well as Collective (a cafe and support centre for students based at the Dovedale Ave campus). A second Early Learning Centre is situated on the corner of Montana & Ilam Roads.[9]

Students can receive academic advice and support through the Education Team, and social comment and entertainment by way of UCSA's media: Canta magazine. The association also runs other events[10] like Orientation,[11] Winterlude[12] and the End of Lectures Tea Party.[13]

Clubs

One of the many roles of the UCSA is to coordinate with Canterbury University clubs such as ENSOC and the Canterbury University Tramping Club. The organization provides services such as advertising, facilities and grants to clubs.

RDU

RDU 98.5FM is a student radio station operating from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. It broadcasts on a frequency of 98.5 MHz and (since late 2006) through online streaming, but began on 23 February 1976 on 1413kHz, which is now occupied by Radio Ferrymead.[14] In the early 1980s it was known as "Radio U". in 1986 the station converted to FM and changed its name to Radio UFM. Long running shows include Girl School,[15] The Mixtape Sessions,[16] The Joint,[17] Guitar Media,[18] Dollar Mix, Hauswerk and Vintage Cuts.

Wammo and Spanky became an infamous duo on the RDU Mornings show, most notably coaxing Don Brash into answering inappropriate love letters live on-air, and upsetting listeners by playing distasteful games poking fun at cancer victims. Wammo was scouted by Kiwi FM and was replaced by Kate Gorgeous, who hosted the show for a year until the end of 2007. After a long search for a new host, Spanky has returned to host the show solo under the new show title Breakfast with Spanky.

In 2007, the University of Canterbury Students' Association controversially agreed to sub-licence the RDU frequency to a newly formed company, RDU98.5FM Ltd and students against the sale selectively leaked information to The Press stating the station was sold for the price of $1. Actually the stations assets including broadcast equipment and transmitters were sold at market (book) value, a market level rental agreed for the space occupied and an annual licence fee agreed. Various arrangements were debated over the preceding three years following the previous limited liability company (controlled by minority shareholders) trading insolvently which forced UCSA to inject funds and restructure the organisation. After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the radio station lost its base at the University of Canterbury and for the next three years, it broadcast from a modified horse truck.[14]

See also

References


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