Auckland University Students' Association

The Auckland University Students' Association (Māori: Te Rōpū Kahikatea), also known as AUSA, represents students at the University of Auckland.^[1] Founded in 1891, AUSA organises student events, publicises student issues, administers student facilities, and assists affiliated student clubs and societies. It also produces Craccum magazine and runs the bFM radio station.^[2][3][4]

The constitution of the AUSA centres the organisation around student advocacy and the provision of welfare services. AUSA has 27,000 members out of 42,000 equivalent full-time students enrolled at the University of Auckland.

This is the incumbent AUSA executive team for 2026.^[5] Note that the Māori and Pacific Island Student Officers are elected separately from the rest of the Executive by Ngā Tauira Māori and the Auckland University Pacific Island Students Association (AUPISA) respectively.

AUSA does not hold elections for the position of Association Secretary, but the Executive has the power to appoint an officer or member of staff to the role. This position is usually held by the Association General Manager or CEO by default.^[6]

• President
• Finance and Operations Vice-President (Formerly Treasurer-Secretary)
• Education Vice-President (Undergraduate)
• Education Vice-President (Postgraduate)
• Engagement Vice-President
• Wellbeing and Equity Vice-President^[7]

• International Students' Officer
• Women's Rights Officer
• Queer Rights Officer
• Postgraduate Students' Officer
• Disability Rights' Officer
• Pacific Island Students' Officer
• Māori Students' Officers
• after an Executive election, the President-Elect.

AUSA is headquartered at 4 Alfred Street, Auckland Central.^[8] The association own the property and as of 1995, the building is listed as a Historic Place Category 2 with Heritage New Zealand.^[9] An annual music festival is held outside AUSA called Alfred Street Festival.^[10]

AUSA also own a property portfolio and generate revenue from it.^[11]

AUSA membership is free to all current students of the University of Auckland.^[1] As required by legislation, the University Council conducted a student referendum in 1999 on whether membership in AUSA should be voluntary or compulsory. The majority of students supported voluntary membership and this was enacted. Referendums on the same issue were held in 2001 and 2003, and in each case, the majority of students voted for voluntary association.

Detractors of voluntary student membership (VSM) say that AUSA suffers drastically from it, and that VSM undermines AUSA's ability to advocate on behalf of students and provide welfare services.^[1] They also say that in controlling the flow of money, the university dictates the terms to some extent of its operations through various agreements. As early as the mid-nineties, a number of incidents decreased AUSA's credibility and alienated a lot of members who were previously disinterested in student politics, and were an undeniable factor in the 1999 referendum. Contentious issues like allocation of funds was the focus of many debates at the Quad.

Proponents of VSM, on the other hand, claim VSM means freedom of choice for students. They cite the United Nations declaration of freedom of association. They also paint AUSA executives under compulsory unionism as being wasteful, and believe that under voluntary AUSA executives are forced to be more accountable to members. They claim that the level of intervention is very limited (for example, the conditions are only that AUSA must run orientation and the like).

Craccum is a magazine produced by the AUSA since 1927. The name originated from the scrambled acronym of "Auckland University College Men's Common Room Circular".^[12]

As a student publication, the magazine has tackled controversial topics at times. Notable examples include instructions for making a nuclear bomb,^[13] and an article that discussed different methods to commit suicide.^[14][15]

Until 2020, the Editor-in-chief of Craccum was an elected position but is now appointed by the AUSA's Craccum Administrative Board.^[16] From 1970 to 2024, the magazine released weekly print issues but now releases monthly after budget cuts.^[17]

95bFM (or simply bFM) is a typical student radio station that plays alternative music. Like other student broadcasters, it supports local artists well before they become mainstream.

Originally started as Radio Bosom, a capping stunt, bFM has gone a long way. Today, with voluntary student union membership, bFM is pushed to make a profit for the Association, and exists more as a corporate entity than a student radio station.

Shadows Bar is a student bar owned and operated by AUSA. It is located in the University of Auckland's city campus.^[2]

UBIQ (previously UBS) was a bookshop owned and operated by AUSA from 1966.^[2] On August 31, 2025, UBIQ was permanently closed down following financial liquidation.^[18]

• AUSA
• List of AUSA clubs