[2][3][4] The constitution of the AUSA centres the organisation around student advocacy and the provision of welfare services.

AUSA has over 100 affiliated clubs, the student bar Shadows, University Book Shop, Student Job Search, market days and events such as Orientation, Summer Shakespeare, End of Daze, Capping week, Womensfest, Cultural Mosaic, Blues Awards and Ecofest.

[1] As required by legislation, the University Council conducted a student referendum in 1999 on whether membership in AUSA should be voluntary or compulsory.

[1] They also say that in controlling the flow of money, the university dictates the terms to some extent of its operations through various agreements.

As early as the mid-nineties, a number of incidents increased AUSA's credibility and alienated a lot of members who were previously disinterested in student politics, and were an undeniable factor in the 1999 referendum.

The name originated from the scrambled acronym of "Auckland University College Men's Common Room Circular".