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NZUSA Elects National President For 2021
The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) has elected its National President for 2021. The election took place last Friday at an NZUSA Special General Meeting (SGM) in Wellington.
Andrew Lessells, 22, was elected to serve as the National President for 2021. He was President for the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) Students’ Association, Younited, from 2019 to 2020, and is only the second Polytechnic representative to be elected as National President in NZUSA’s almost 100-year history.
“It’s an immense privilege to have been elected and to be able to represent the 400,000 students learning across all of Aotearoa” says Lessells.
“Right now, students are struggling. They have lost jobs due to COVID-19 and are dropping out of study because they cannot afford to live. As National President, I will fight for a Universal Education Income so that ākonga don’t have to choose between a degree or food in their stomach”.
Prior to his appointment, Lessells was heavily involved in NZUSA, chairing the Finance Risk and Audit Committee (FRAC), steering the 2020 Governance Review, and playing a pivotal role in the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) as NZUSA’s RoVE Project Lead in 2019.
Andrew Lessells commenced his role immediately after the SGM election on Friday 15th January, allowing National Vice President Liam Davies to step down as Acting National President and resume his elected position.
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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