Victoria law students called ‘assholes' by their student association

Controversy looms over an Instagram post about what your degree says about you, posted by the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) recently.

The post featured four statements on different degrees: bachelors of Arts, Commerce, Law, and Psychology.

Students called into question VUWSA's social-media strategy, with one saying: “It would be nice if the student union acted like a student union and not a meme content page.”

VUWSA had posted that parents of law students had told them to be lawyers because they argued too much, which was “a polite way of telling an 8-year-old they were an asshole”.

VUWSA’s Instagram post also mocked the level of debt faced by arts students, saying ChatGPT would take their jobs but it was okay because they could do a “postgrad diploma in teaching”.

Another student said: “Maybe try a long-term plan for better outcomes for students and workers instead of bullying/abandoning them.”

The Instagram post that students found objectionable. Image: screenshot

The backlash could also be seen in VUWSA’s comments section, with one student calling the post an “abomination".

“To call students studying law an asshole is an abomination, and you should be corrected for such an abomination of a statement - yes, it really is that deep - much Aroha xx”.

Another student said: “I’m doing a BA in sociology because I care about the state of the world and need to understand it to be able to change it."

Asked about the post, VUWSA president Liban Ali said the associaton never intended to "diminish anyone’s academic pursuits or future career".

"[VUWSA] understands that a few students found aspects of the post insensitive, and we take that feedback seriously.”

Ali said he wanted to reassure students that “VUWSA remains fully committed to advocating for student interest”.

He acknowledged the post had been a new strategy for the organisation.

“This is a shift from our previous approach, and as with any new strategy, we are open to feedback and reflection.”

The Victoria University of Wellington was also approached for comment, but did not respond.