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Originally Posted by fixed_truth
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This is where your typical practice of posting articles in lieu of making actual arguments is so dangerous and stupid. Barton's overall argument is that VSM is economically costly for students. First piece of "evidence" or observation in support?
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Auckland took the voluntary path. It didn't go well. In 2000 numbers plummeted - just 3000 out of 28,092 students agreed to pay the $30 joining fee. By 2002 the numbers were still dismal - just 2700 out of 31,502 had joined.
Its mandate slashed, the Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA), with a proud legacy of serving students since 1891, was down, but not out.
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What "didn't go well", Mr "I am a fucking idiot" Barton? That students decided that they didn't want to join the AUSA? What's this got to do with anything? But wait, it gets worse.
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In the first year of voluntary membership there was a $92 rise in the University of Auckland's "student service levy" from $75 to $167 and it's been increasing ever since.
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Correlation does not equate to causation, motherfucker. And do notice that student service levy doesn't just pay for things formerly supplied by the union.
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AUSA objects to the notion that we are in some way an example of how students' associations can survive, even thrive, under a model of voluntary student membership," the association said in its submission to the select committee overseeing the bill.
AUSA's survival is thanks to its contract with the university and largely because it had built up and owns a number of profitable business assets - including cafeteria services, a bar, radio station, and bookshop. Unable to collect mandatory membership fees to fund its services, AUSA sold some assets, placed others in trust, and restructured some into commercial entities with the purpose of providing a dividend to the association.
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Oh how terrible. The UoA actually wants to pay to support the AUSA and have its services when the AUSA appears on the face of it to provide good value. Is the AUSA insecure about its ability to continue to convince the university that it remains worthwhile?
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AUSA points out the bill also creates unnecessary costs.
In the past unless students opted out, membership was a given. Under free voluntary membership AUSA has to spend thousands of dollars to get students to join. The 2010 bill was $60,000.
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Oh my god they actually have to proven themself useful before they might extract some $$ out of others. WHAT A FUCKING NOVEL CONCEPT!
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At the University of Auckland, there remain some perplexing questions. Why is it the only university to have voted by referendum for voluntary membership? Why, despite substantial membership drives each year do some 10,000 students not join the association? Odd, because those 10,000 are still paying for the association services - through the compulsory student levy.
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Welcome to the real world, Mr Barton. People don't have to do what pleases you.
Seriously, can someone actually spot anything useful out of that article?