Update me on VSU (2 Viewers)

[withoutaface]

http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17511840%5E12332,00.html

Thanks Barnaby

 

[walrusbear]

a very minor victory

 

[Jonathan A]

Oh goodie....

Now I can't wait to pay fees for summer school, even when my union ('my' because I pay for it's pointless services) is closed during the break. 6 months on, I still haven't heard from my union about establishing a club. That's after leaving email messages, phoning through and even having the university contact them on my behalf.

My hope: that the Government really drives unions that waste my time and money into the ground!

 

[walrusbear]

Oh goodie....

Now I can't wait to pay fees for summer school, even when my union ('my' because I pay for it's pointless services) is closed during the break. 6 months on, I still haven't heard from my union about establishing a club. That's after leaving email messages, phoning through and even having the university contact them on my behalf.

My hope: that the Government really drives unions that waste my time and money into the ground!

well i'm sure your personal experience is a very accurate account of the issue
god forbid you should have to pay for union fees and contribute to your university.

 

[withoutaface]

well i'm sure your personal experience is a very accurate account of the issue
god forbid you should have to pay for union fees and contribute to your university.

Why must you dismiss all who get nothing out of their compulsory subscription as whingers?

 

[erawamai]

Why must you dismiss all who get nothing out of their compulsory subscription as whingers?

...becaude obviously they havn't done enough to get something out of it It's your fault you don't enjoy the rewards of student unionism!

...it is also a matter of construction. To suit your argument you construe 'benefit' narrowly.

 

[walrusbear]

Why must you dismiss all who get nothing out of their compulsory subscription as whingers?

because to suggest that you 'get nothing' is indicative of a narrow perspective on things
i think if you view education like a product you get short sighted
i'm not suggesting that people are whingers, rather that there is more at stake than whether you think you've saved a lot of pennies from union fees.
for instance, maybe people could expand their political viewpoint to accomodate others, as well as the universities themselves as quality institutions.
taking this issue on as a market exercise loses sight of many the many valuable assets student unionism offers which aren't easily quantified. the universal agency provided by collective strength cannot be underestimated, not to mention the cultural infrastructure it gives to the university.
i know this is all ideological, but i just get frustrated with this idea that a political agenda is worthwhile as long as it serves shortterm economic gains. what's to be said of the universities of our country in the long term if it degrees become mere products?
take for an example a degree from Sydney University which carries with it historic connotations, as well as notions of 'prestige'. universities are cultural institutions. Contributing to the cultural heritage of universities in the form of union fees seems only fair.

 

[withoutaface]

i dont see why people have such a problem paying around $500 a year more when the government has already set prices of around $6k a year (and rising) for our hecs based courses



i also do not understand why young people would NOT get invovled in activities provided by uni, and live teh uni experience. life is about having fun, and i think uni is som of the best time of our lives. i dont see why people wouldnt wanna get invovled in the parties and everything else. i really dont know why people would PREFER to have uni as a lesson only thing with no fun when they're already paying so much why not pay a little extra to make it count?

Some people don't share your concept of fun, and regardless it's their business whether they get involved or not, and despite your arguments to the contrary, $500 is a lot of money for an average uni student.

People don't have a problem paying HECS because:
a) it's in the future and based on an income threshold.
b) everyone at uni goes there to get a degree, so they are paying for what they use.

I go to plenty of parties, and the majority of those are not union run, however I do see the importance of union run parties for members of the union and that's why I'm helping in their administration next year. To be clear even under VSU I would join the union, because I draw benefit, but others don't so they shouldn't have to.

 

[Generator]

Senate begins VSU debate

 

[Generator]

Senator Fielding... Thank you. VSU will soon be through, if not in its original form.

http://www.aph.gov.au/live/webcast2.asp

 

[withoutaface]

Omg I <3 You Family First!

 

[Generator]

This appears to be it (I'm watching the Senate proceedings). However, I was also listening to the radio a moment ago, so I may have misheard what was said.

 

[withoutaface]

Didn't they just pass the Labor amendments to the bill? Or am I confused?

 

[Generator]

They knocked back the Labor amendments, that I know for sure, and I think that they then agreed to move to the final vote.

Edit: Removed a now pointless comment.

 

[withoutaface]

VSU HAS BEEN PASSED!

 

[Generator]

Now we only have to be told what it is that Fielding was offered for his vote.

 

[Phanatical]

Omg Vsu! It Passed

 

[withoutaface]

Now we only have to be told what it is that Fielding was offered for his vote.

Hopefully it's not the assured passage some archaic hyperconservative bill :/

 

[Generator]

A transitional funding package to ease the introduction of VSU was the rumour at around 10 to 5.

 

[walrusbear]

goddamn

so was it amended at all?