Tends to be it's an interesting and busy time, the last week on campus.

Exactly this time last year, apart from exams and assignments, I was flat-out with the election. We had David Garrett join us on UC campus. And Vanessa and I decided, at long last, that we kinda liked each other.

No national election this year, but it's the same story with course work causing me difficulty. We've got a film to watch on Sunday- Not Evil, Just Wrong. Canta wasn't dull. And, Vanessa is very very pregnant! This week our visitor at UC was Sir Roger Douglas. Unlike his trip last year he is now an MP again, of course...

Andy with Sir Roger pre-talk

Working on the board, over UCSA President Juke's shoulder. And here's Sir Roger with Brennan..

The most exciting idea to come out was the notion of universities as facilitators. A campus could be a marketplace for students to shop for lecturers and courses they like, and a place where lecturers and organisers compete in person, and even via new media from afar, for the student buck. Terms and semesters may have no meaning, block courses over weeks could occur. More visitors. More quality and competition, lower prices. Historically, in ancient times as well as in the C19th that's how it has worked.
The Sophists were on perpetual lecture tours of Ancient Grease. And I also remember how Hegal and Schopenhauer would deliver philosophy lectures at the same time in the same university, compeeting for student's coin. I think it was more down to Schopenhauer being a hot-headed git on that point though.

Much the better if a union would do the same. A marketplace does not advocate and does not hold elections, and it especially does not conscript participation. Juke's pro-CSM position doesn't make sense to me on those grounds. If UCSA is a "pastoral" service provider like janitorial and security services are then why does it speak for us, why does it hold elections? If it is an advocator and elective body then how can it press-gang its constituency?

Good session. Crap time of year. Did learn some good facts from Jukes but knowledge of UCSA history wasn't a big part of that surprisingly. I liked how he wasn't afraid to ask when he didn't understand part of Sir Roger's fiscal table.