You have probably never heard of it. The magazine you're holding is drenched in it. Your hands are covered in ASPA.  

Don't worry, it isn't some nasty communicable disease, it is just your friendly neighbourhood Aotearoa Student Press Association. We're a network of student publications ranging from Victoria's―the one I edit―Salient, to Craccum at Auckland University, Chaff at Massey Palmy,Canta at Canturbury University, and about ten others in tertiary institutions.

We share stories, features, ideas, spit and content, as well as providing support and advice to the group as a whole. Each publication is fairly autonomous but we get together twice a year to wallow in our own hard work, awesomeness and superior abilities (when compared to student politicians). 

It's come a long way since the early 90s when ASPA was set up. There were only 7 members and clippings of important stories were sent via post. Now we email, and (when we're feeling really high-tech,) even FAX each other. Maybe one day we'll get a website so there is a focal point for all the student publications. 

ASPA is an important backbone to all the student mags and one which you should support. The power of ASPA isn't quite as strong as the power of Grayskull, but, nevertheless, it is strong. We routinely nab interviews (Anne Tolley, Bob McCoskrie, Bill and Ben) and stories (Tolleycopter, The Roel van Leeuwen scandal) that the mainstream media routinely pass over. Sometimes, in doing this, the mainstream media take notice and run with our own stories. And it’s all very well when they do, but ASPA remains committed to doing what it does best – covering student affairs, for students.

We have an awesome awards ceremony coming up next week where we gather to celebrate the best of the best in ASPAs. They're better than the Qantas Awards but not quite as distinguished as winning a Pulitzer. Winners of ASPAs have gone on to do great things like work at McDonalds or hanging around Uni doing a Masters thesis, or in at least one case, going to Columbia Journalism School, nabbing a job at the Listener, winning a Qantas award or two and generally moving on to bigger and better media-related things.

Student journalism is also an important part of everyday campus life. Strong and independent mags like Nexus and Salient help keep student organisations accountable and Universities honest.  

This year Nexus has criticised Waikato University over the Van Leeuwen thesis affair, having a frustratingly competent student organisation in the WSU (at least compared to other universities.) Likewise, Salient has found the VUWSA exec spent $20,000 refurbishing their van, lost confidential Foodbank information and more recently bought attention to a potentially invalid by-election that no one wants to take responsibility for.  

In the past Craccum has discovered more harrowing tales where AUSA spent $9000 on buying a boat for the AUSA yacht club comprised mostly of exec members friends. Facepalm, right.  Other student rags have done their jobs in similar ways, acting as the critic and conscience of University student associations – and, often, Universities themselves.

With cuts in tertiary education funding and the spectre of voluntary student association membership on the horizon we look to ASPA more and more to provide support and pick up on the main issues that run like shining threads through the tapestry of student life. But we can't do it without your help. How do you help, you ask? Why, by reading, of course! Keep reading, (and writing in, and volunteering for us, and so on) and we’ll keep writing. That’s the deal.