“The compulsory Waipapa Taumata Rau (WTR) paper has been an expensive mistake. Over 8,000 students have been compelled to take the course this year, paying up to $5,730 each. “I called for this course to be optional back in September 2024, before the first students were even enrolled. “One possible way forward would be for the University to provide a financial credit covering equivalent fees for another paper of the students’ choosing. “ACT has consistently argued that compelling students to take this paper was wrong in principle and harmful in practice.