Students at the University of the South Pacific’s Laucala Campus have expressed concerns about not being consulted in discussions regarding the ongoing disputes between university staff and administration. Dwayne Koroka, president of the Laucala Campus Student Association, raised doubts about the integrity and transparency of the federal USPSA, questioning, “Why weren’t we consulted?”
The issue surfaced after USPSA regional chair Christopher Siliva made a statement claiming that students supported the university’s administration during the staff strike. This claim contradicted the views of Laucala Campus students, who felt their perspective was overlooked.
Mr. Koroka confirmed that there had been no consultation with students about the position taken in the federal statement, highlighting that the statement was issued by the USPSA Federal Chair and not the Laucala Student Association.
Additionally, Kenneth Dauloloma, the educational officer for the Laucala USPSA, mentioned that legal advice was the reason for the delayed response to the federal association’s claims. “We were advised by our lawyers that we need legal counsel to review our statement before it’s released,” he stated. He acknowledged that organizing a response has been challenging due to busy class schedules.
Despite these hurdles, Mr. Dauloloma emphasized that the Laucala Student Association is attentive to student concerns and is actively working on a response. As tensions escalate, Laucala Campus students are seeking clarity and adequate representation in the disputes involving the university administration.
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