ANU students censure association president
By Natalie Zirngast and Martin Iltis
CANBERRA — A special general meeting of 80 students at the Australian National University on August 1 voted unanimously that the Students' Association should endorse and help fund the campaign against cuts to tertiary education.
Another motion directed the association's president, William Mackerras, to withdraw an options paper he presented to ANU Council advocating up-front fees for postgraduate students, and to issue a public apology.
Earlier, Mackerras had put motions to the Students' Representative Council to ban funding to the campaign organised by the joint ANU-University of Canberra Education Action Group, and only to endorse actions organised by the Students' Association. Mackerras had also apologised to PM John Howard for the actions of staff and students who protested at a June 27 public meeting addressed by Howard.