The Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (), also known as VUWSA, is the official student association at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. VUWSA was established in 1899 as the Victoria University College Students' Society.

Following the enactment of the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Act 2011, VUWSA moved from being a compulsory students' association to a voluntary one in 2012.

VUWSA funds the student magazine Salient. It also funded the student radio station Salient FM until its discontinuation.

Organisation The Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA) is a representative body for students enrolled at Victoria University.

VUWSA Executive The VUWSA Executive consists of eleven positions who govern the association: the President, Academic Vice President, Welfare Vice President, Engagement Vice President, Treasurer–Secretary, Campaigns Officer, Clubs and Activities Officer, Education Officer, Equity Officer, Sustainability Officer and Postgraduate Officer.

VUWSA Executive This is the VUWSA Executive for 2026.

Executive Position 2026 Officeholder PresidentAidan Donoghue Academic Vice-presidentEthan Rogacion Welfare Vice-presidentAspen Jackman Engagement Vice-presidentCharlotte Lawrence Treasurer-SecretarySanjukta Dey Campaigns OfficerLewis Collins Clubs and Activities OfficerCam Dickson Postgraduate OfficerGeorge Baker Education OfficerAría Lal Equity OfficerPyper-Alex Adams Sustainability OfficerSophie Guerin

Past Executives Year President Vice President (Academic) Vice President (Welfare) Vice President (Engagement) Treasurer-Secretary Education Officer Sustainability Officer Equity & Wellbeing Officer Campaigns Officer Clubs & Activities Officer2024Marcail ParkinsonPierson PalmerLiban AliHana Pilkinton-ChingAlyssa Fa'afuaAlison WinstanleyPatrick O'ConnorJosh RobinsonHugh Acton (acting)Lupeoaunuu Vaai2023Jessica YeWilla AitkenMarcail Parkinson Katherine BlowAlyssa Fa'afuaKayla AllenMika Hervel Leia Weeds KawaiHana Pilkinton-ChingLiban Ali 2022Ralph ZambranoJessica YeMonica LimKatherine BlowAmelia BlameyWilla AitkenSophia HoneyGwen Palmer SteedsHana Pilkinton-ChingAlyssa Fa'afua2021Michael TurnbullCherri-Lyn Lomax-MorrisRalph ZambranoGrace CarrAmelia BlameyJames DalySophie DixonMonica LimKatherine BlowZoë Simpson 2020 Taylah Shuker (acting) Angelo "Geo" Robrigado (resigned) Taylah Shuker (interim) Rinaldo Strydom (resigned) Michael Turnbull Joanna Li Ralph Zambrano Max Salmon (acting) Taylah Shuker (resigned to become interim Academic Vice President) Sophie Dixon Parminder Kaur Grace Carr Tara O'Connor 2019 Tamatha Paul Angelo "Geo" Robrigado Michael Turnbull (interim) Rhianna Morar (resigned) Puawai Waller (resigned) Josephine Dawson (resigned) Delia Fu Rinaldo Strydom Michael Turnbull (by-election),Kimberly Mcintyre (resigned) Komal Mahima Singh (resigned) Finn Carroll Amelia "Millie" Osborne 2018 Marlon Drake Simran Rughani (resigned) Bethany Paterson Tamatha Paul Jack Donovan Rhianna Morar (by-election), Isabella Lenihan-Ikin (interim), Sarah Yzendoorn (elected) Ella Hughes Paddy Miller Angelo "Geo" Robrigado Connor MacLeod 2017 Rory Lenihan-Ikin Isabella Lenihan-Ikin Anya Maule Nathaniel Manning Thomas Rackley Lauren Gregg Bethany Paterson Tamatha Paul Raven Maeder Marlon Drake 2016 Jonathan Gee Jacinta Gulasekharam Rory Lenihan-Ikin Nathaniel Manning George Grainger Annaliese Wilson Anya Maule Chrissy Brown (resigned),Tamatha Paul (co-opted in 2016 after election for 2017) Alice Lyall Tori-Claire Sellwood 2015 Rick Zwaan Jonathan Gee Madeleine Ashton-Martyn Toby Cooper Jacinta Gulasekharam Ellen Humphries Rory Lenihan-Ikin Chennoah Walford Nathaniel Manning Rory McNamara 2014 Sonya Clarke Rāwinia Thompson Rick Zwaan Declan Doherty-Ramsay Jordan Lipski Caroline Thirsk Stephanie Gregor Madeleine Ashton-Martyn Alisdair Keating Toby Cooper 2013 Rory McCourt Sonya Clark Simon Tapp Mica Moore Jordan McCluskey Gemma Swann (resigned),Rāwinia Thompson (by-election) Rick Zwaan Matthew Ellison Harry Chapman Ramon Quitales 2012 Bridie Hood Josh Wright Ta’ase Vaoga role non-existent William Guzzo Sam Vincent role non-existent role non-existent Adele Redmond Reed Fleming (Clubs),Andreas Triandafilidis (Activities)

VUWSA president Aidan Donoghue is the President for 2026.

2025 — Liban Ali 2024 — Marcail Parkinson 2023 — Jessica Ye 2022 — Ralph Zambrano 2021 — Michael Turnbull 2020 — Taylah Shuker (Acting) 2020 — Geo Robrigado (resigned) 2019 — Tamatha Paul 2018 — Marlon Drake 2017 — Rory Lenihan-Ikin 2016 — Jonathan Gee 2015 — Rick Zwaan 2014 — Sonya Clark 2013 — Rory McCourt 2012 — Bridie Hood 2011 — Seamus Brady 2010 — Max Hardy 2009 — Jasmine Freemantle 2008 — Joel Cosgrove 2007 — Geoff Hayward 2006 — Nick Kelly 2005 — Jeremy Greenbrook 2004 — Amanda Hill 2003 — Catherine Belfield-Haines 2002 — Fleur Fitzsimons 2001 — Chris Hipkins 2000 — Chris Hipkins 1999 — Hamish Hopkinson 1998 — Alastair Shaw 1997 — Alastair Shaw 1996 — Michael Gibbs 1995 — Paul Gibson 1994 — Juliet Gunby 1993 — David Guerin 1992 — Cushla Thomson 1991 — Jeremy Baker 1990 — Austen Sinclair 1989 — Leanne Hansen 1988 — Nigel Mander & Grant O'Neil 1987 — Andrew Little 1986 — Simon Johnson 1985 — Stephanie Haworth 1984 — Stephen Dawe 1983 — Leighton Duley 1982 — Paul Cochrane 1981 — Virginia Adams 1980 — Philip Sowman 1906 — Frederick Archibald de la Mare

Staff The association employs a number of staff who work for students and assist the executive in achieving its strategic and operational goals. They are led by the Chief Executive, who oversees the financial and operational functions of the association, and includes two student advocates who provides independent and trained representation in cases of misconduct within the university and grievances with bodies such as StudyLink, WINZ, landlords and the university, a student representation coordinator, who coordinates and trains the student representative system consisting of over 600 students ranging from class representatives and faculty delegates, along with conducting regular programme reviews and advising on university policy, an association secretary, an events manager, a communications manager, a designer, an advertising manager, receptionists, and an accounts administrator.

VUWSA Trust The association is supported both financially and strategically by the VUWSA Trust. The existence of the Trust is not well known by students.

The trust was established in 1975, and built up a significant reserve of assets when membership of student organisations was compulsory. While VUWSA was still collecting membership fees, about 15% of its fees were passed on to the Trust, which had built up around $8 million of assets by 2006. The Trust money was used to support students and clubs on campus, fund long-term investments such as the Student Union Building, and also serve as a backup fund in case VUWSA became a voluntary organisation.

The trust has invested in the fit-out of the Pipitea campus gym, and has also administered the student trust scholarships, fitted out houses for disabled student access and supported Student Job Search. Most recently, the trust made a significant financial contribution to the building of the recently completed Victoria University Hub on behalf of students.

Since the introduction of voluntary student membership, the financial assistance from the trust has enabled the association to reduce its deficit gradually without rapidly depleting its cash reserves.

The trust were the owners Vic Books, an on-campus cafe and book store that operated from 1975 until its closure in March 2023.

History

VUWSA was established in 1899 as the Victoria University College Students' Society.

Historically, VUWSA has had a reputation as a left-wing organisation. VUWSA has traditionally maintained a heavy involvement in New Zealand's social and political movements such as the Nuclear Free New Zealand Movement, the Vietnam War and the War in Iraq. In recent years, VUWSA has supported the campaign for the Prostitution Reform Bill, the Civil Union Bill, opposed initiatives to raise the legal drinking age to 20 years, and supported marriage equality.

Since 1937 VUWSA have funded student magazine Salient. Since 2007 it has funded a station radio station, currently known as Salient FM.

1990s

During the presidency of Alastair Shaw between 1997 and 1998, "VUWSA re-introduced the position of women's rights' officer, made moves towards a genuine partnership with Ngai Tauira, and organised a series of mass mobilisations that brought the government's privatisation for tertiary education plans to a halt."

2000s In 2007, President Geoff Hayward and Education Vice-president Paul Brown signed off on spending $22,222.22 on upgrading the organisation's van, with work including tinting the windows, fitting mag-wheels and painting the van black. Subsequently, the details of the expenditure on the van were suppressed by the 2008 Executive. In 2009, the Executive and President Max Hardy apologised to the student body for the misappropriation of funds on the van, and it was announced that the broken down van was to be sold in an attempt to regain some of the original expenditure. Hardy said: "I think we can now put the shameful VUWSA van controversy behind us".

Also in 2007, Salient revealed that acting Women's Rights Officer Clelia Opie had spent over $4,000 of VUWSA funds on psychic hotlines. She was subsequently dismissed from the role.

In 2008, President Joel Cosgrove courted controversy by wearing a T-shirt which said "I (heart) my penis" to a graduation ceremony in an official capacity. Cosgrove was attempting to promote sexual health for men, but his choice of clothing was widely criticised and labelled embarrassing.

In May 2009, President Jasmine Freemantle, who had run for president on a Workers' Party platform, was expelled from the Workers' Party. Furthermore, the Party called for her resignation as VUWSA President. The Party justified its actions by arguing that: "Her actions indicate outright rejection in practice of basic WP – and basic left-wing – principles." Freemantle wrote a long blog post in response, arguing that: "The reality is that my expulsion from the WP says more about the current direction the Party than it does about my politics, or the work I'm currently doing in my role as VUWSA President."

Campaign against voluntary student membership In October 2009, Act on Campus orchestrated a special general meeting, and successfully passed a motion "that VUWSA actively supports the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill" by 45 votes to 35. The bill's aim was to introduce voluntary student membership. However, President Jasmine Freemantle subsequently announced that the motion had been declared null and void by the association's lawyer.

VUWSA actively campaigned against the passing of voluntary student membership in 2010.

Initial stages of voluntary student membership: 2012–2013

Passing of VSM legislation and impacts

Following the passing of Heather Roy's Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill in 2011, membership of students' associations became voluntary from the beginning of 2012. In response to the passing of the legislation, VUWSA held a Special General Meeting on 13 October which approved a lowering of membership fees to $0. President Seamus Bradie said that "VUWSA wants to ensure that there are no financial barriers that may deter students from gaining independent representation and having a voice in issues that affect them". He also argued that despite the fact that the association would be funded in the future indirectly through the Student Services Levy which the university collects, the association would remain completely independent.