Clubs Carnival this Wednesday 26th March

The Education Officers of the SRC have organised a Clubs Carnival as part of the various activities planned for the National Day of Action this Wednesday 26th March.


The event will feature Clubs & Societies, SRC collectives and students from all different corners of the university community coming together to defend our education, student life and the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).


The Union Board of Directors are constitutionally bound to support Universal Student Unionism and while this is no longer in place post-Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) being introduced, we actively engage with discussions and campaigns that involve the SSAF. The Union is one of the many student organisations at the University of Sydney that receives money from the SSAF, which has assisted us in extending the events and programs we offer to students. Which includes events like Interfaith Week, also happening this week. This year the Union has produced a booklet detailing what the SSAF is and where it goes, you can find a digital copy by clicking here.

The SSAF is misunderstood, just as Compulsory Student Unionism was before it. This form of government funding allows student organisations to engage with all students, not just a select few. Many student organisations have faced difficult times since 2006 when the Federal Government introduced VSU legislation, with many making cuts to their programs and in some cases dissolving. Student organisations at the University of Sydney have been lucky, but if the SSAF is repealed, our luck might just run out.

For more information about the Clubs Carnival or if you wish to get involved, contact either myself, Eleanor Morley or Ridah Hassan for further information.

Robby Magyar
Board Director

Contact details:

Robby – r.magyar@usu.usyd.edu.au
Eleanor and Ridah - education.officers@src.usyd.edu.au

Transparency Review + Upcoming Members Forum

The USU Board of Directors is compiling a comprehensive review of its level of transparency and accountability mechanisms in response to member concerns. 

We will be holding a members forum on Wednesday 26th of March in the MacCallum Cullen Room, Holme Building from 5 - 7pm to canvass members opinions on a variety of processes related to transparency. 

If you have an opinion on: 

• Tweeting #usuboard meetings
• Complaint’s processes and member consultation 
• Board and Honi: friend or foe?
• Whether anyone even reads this ancient blog?  

Then we want to hear from you! 

The forum will be loosely divided into two main areas: 

1. What information would you like communicated to members? 
2. How would you like the information to be communicated

The full agenda is linked here and below. In addition, we have prepared a discussion paper on current practice around transparency in the USU. The discussion paper is there to allow members to attend the forum having already thought about some of the issues at hand. However, the discussion paper is not meant to limit discussion or issues raised at the forum itself in any way. 

Hope to see you on the 26th. 

Bebe D’Souza and Tara Waniganayaka

Board Directors 

Discussion Paper - https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6ffd3TCXVhPUmN3alBrTlAwX0E/edit

Agenda- https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6ffd3TCXVhPNHloX2dOWTBlZ2c/edit?usp=sharing

Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments at: 

B.Dsouza@usu.usyd.edu.au

T.Waniganayaka@usu.usyd.edu.au 

USU Board Statement on Supreme Court Ruling in Raue v Morris and ors.

Today the Supreme Court of NSW issued its decision against the application of Vice President Tom Raue in the case of Raue v Morris and ors.

Read the court's judgement here: http://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/action/PJUDG?jgmtid=170125


A statement from USU Board Executive members Hannah Morris, Sophie Stanton and John Harding-Easson:

While we are disappointed that defending the court action brought by Tom Raue expended time, effort and resources of the USU that could have been spent enriching the student experience at the University of Sydney, we are satisfied with the conclusion of this matter.

As movers of the original motion to the Board we maintained we were acting in accordance with the powers provided to the Board within our Constitution and Regulations.  It has been upheld by the Supreme Court of New South Wales that such action is in accordance with the powers conferred on the Board pursuant to the Constitution and Regulations.

The Supreme Court has also issued a costs order against Tom Raue with respect to the litigation. The current USU Board is considering its options in this regard.

The USU Board will carefully consider the court's decision and will update USU members shortly on any new developments, if any and where applicable.

Please note that the above statement represents the comments and personal opinions of the USU Board Executive members only (excluding Tom Raue) and in no way reflects or represents the position, official or otherwise, of the other Board Directors nor the USU as an organisation.  In any future developments we stress that the Board will, at the relevant time, consider its options based on the evidence available and merits of the situation and that Board Directors will be entitled to have their say in accordance with due process and procedural fairness.


Yours sincerely,

Hannah Morris
Sophie Stanton
John Harding-Easson