VSU Emergency Rally - Tommorow (Wed 16th) (2 Viewers)

[Jonathan A]

lol did you read the sign?
"Come down, there will be a ceremonial honking of a horn and yelling at the vice-chancellor".
How lame

I saw it, the union at UWS thinks that they can somehow morse code a message accross to the vice chancellor using their horns.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Oh they're definately communicating a message. Just maybe not the one they want.

 

[Delta32]

A very belated reply to this discussion; I will attempt not to directly enter the argument. Below I have re-posted some more pertinent material that has been floating around. At the University of Sydney, this is more applicable to the services provided by the SRC.

All undergraduate students are eligible to run for election to the SRC. All undergraduate students are eligilbe to vote in SRC elections. $66 of your USU fees contribute to the SRC.

1. What rights, if any, do you have to question or appeal marks in courses?
2. What appeal rights do you have over decisions made about your enrolment by your Department, Faculty or University?
3. If you are harassed, sexually or otherwise at your university, what can you do about it?
4. If the course you are enrolled in is abolished, substantially changed or moved, without the consultation of the staff or students in the course, what can you do?
5. What does it mean when you are asked to ’show cause’ why you should stay enrolled in your course?
6. Can you get special consideration in your courses if you have had to work a lot, mind children, do jury duty, go to hospital, etc. during the semester? How do you apply for it?
7. Do you know exactly how many Commonwealth benefits you are entitled to as a student or as a young person?
8. If your supervisor is not interested in your work, is unhelpful, or is uncontactable, what can you do about it before it starts to affect your degree?
9. If you think you have been discriminated against by a University staff member, for instance, because of your political or religious beliefs, what can you do?
10. Do you know what to do if you think there has been a mistake in calculating your HECS or postgraduate fees?

A hint: many of the answers to these quesions are specific to each university and university Department. If you know the answers to all of these questions, and you’re confident you could deal with problems of any of these kinds, you don’t need a student organisation.

 

[Xayma]

So we pay the SRC for what centrelink should do for number 7? The information isn't that hard to find.

However, the SRC also runs the major political campaigns around campus. They ran "free" bbq's around campus during O-week had launching event's for collectives that included DJ's, food, Hip-Hop and Japanese belly-dancers.

If the SRC cleaned up their act, and limited themselves to the services above they would satisfy alot more of the student body.

 

[Phanatical]

The thing is that most of the services the SRC provides are also available outside of the university environment. But these are the ones that benefit the SRC councilmen the most - because it's those "queer collectives" or "global solidarity collectives" or "women's collectives" which allow them to spend student money pursuing their personal political agendas. If this weren't available to them, it'd be a helluva lot easier to be elected SRC President.

 

[Delta32]

So we pay the SRC for what centrelink should do for number 7? The information isn't that hard to find.

However, the SRC also runs the major political campaigns around campus. They ran "free" bbq's around campus during O-week had launching event's for collectives that included DJ's, food, Hip-Hop and Japanese belly-dancers.

If the SRC cleaned up their act, and limited themselves to the services above they would satisfy alot more of the student body.

One may suppose there is the issue of publicity and awareness of services. Just like many government agencies will support relevant events to encourage use of their services / make the public aware of them, the SRC does as well.

I am however interested in your point, I would question the ultimate significant fiscal value of the small events you listed above, to the overall SRC budget. Particuarly when looking at it from a marketing perspective, the events would probably have tallied up rather inexpensively.

As for the small point regarding centrelink, I think you will find that what centrelink should provide as part of their services, is very different to what they DO provide. The SRC can also provide assistance and advice for Centrelink applications, which, if you have experienced the scrutiny of centrelink, I'm sure you'd find particularly useful.

 

[Xayma]

No not really, I have been through centrelink and deal with them on a regular basis.

In any case, if the SRC see's that it is this minority of services which is harming them, they should stop the minority. Preferably before VSU comes in. People aren't going to think "I might need help with a show cause because I was sick" they will think "the SRC ran that chain yourself to an Iraqi tree to prevent it being bombed campaign".

 

[Delta32]

No not really, I have been through centrelink and deal with them on a regular basis.

In any case, if the SRC see's that it is this minority of services which is harming them, they should stop the minority. Preferably before VSU comes in. People aren't going to think "I might need help with a show cause because I was sick" they will think "the SRC ran that chain yourself to an Iraqi tree to prevent it being bombed campaign".

I too deal with centrelink often, and have never sought the services of the SRCs Research Officers; that being said, many DO have trouble and have.

I also really must point out that you seem to be using a great deal of hyperbole in your example. Infact, the SRC would seldom fund/run a campaign for such in our current climate (perhaps many years ago when there was a significant social movement for young people to be involved in world crisis), but lately, not as prevelant.

You should not mix examples of what external organisations of the SRC do (such as various Broad Left organisations) and what the SRC itself does.



The SRC is elected by the student population, you all have your say in who is elected to the Council, and if you feel that other views are needed, why not run yourself?

This is a established as a democratic organisation, Phanatical (above) ran for President . He was not elected. Perhaps this is because his views were not shared by the majority of the student population. Majority rules in a democrazy.

 

[Xayma]

That is a common cry by USU advocates. However, have you considered that the government was elected democratically, they take the views of the majority into parliament so by extension VSU is wanted by the majority of voting Australia. Yet, the SRC want's to run campaigns against it, so by extension the SRC is running campaigns against what the majority want.

Walk out against war? They want to attack the issue of war when there is no reason to, if they wanted more funding for education they should've attacked the surplus!

Also the SRC seems to bellowing out what it does over and over and over, every student knows what it does, we've been told over and over, each and every student can make up their own mind.

 

[Xayma]

Just admit it. You hate women and you hate queers.

Lol if that was the case I hope he likes being single.

Phanatical: www.americanwomensuck.com you can rant there

 

[Delta32]

That is a common cry by USU advocates. However, have you considered that the government was elected democratically, they take the views of the majority into parliament so by extension VSU is wanted by the majority of voting Australia.

Walk out against war? They want to attack the issue of war when there is no reason to, if they wanted more funding for education they should've attacked the surplus!

Also the SRC seems to bellowing out what it does over and over and over, every student knows what it does, we've been told over and over, each and every student can make up their own mind.

Walkout Against War is a Students Against War (SAW) movement?

I wouldn't use the Federal Government as a good example, the majority of Australians didn't want more troops to be sent to Iraq. Did they listen then? (I'm not going to pursue this line as it will inevitably end in another pointless argument).

If you had to justify an organisations existence to all students, you would WANT to bellow out the same stuff over and over again to ensure that everyone gets the message. The "same stuff" because that is what the SRC does. We're not going to change the aims of the SRC to start a totally different organisation at the threat of VSU.

 

[Xayma]

The majority of Australian's know alot less about the war in Iraq, then what issues the SRC protests, well compared to the SRC.

Such as that HECS wasn't planned to be increased for those who enrolled pre 2005.

 

[Jonathan A]

The SRC can also provide assistance and advice for Centrelink applications, which, if you have experienced the scrutiny of centrelink, I'm sure you'd find particularly useful.

I think it is fair to say that not everyone finds this service useful. I don't nor do my peers. But we still need to pay our fees at ransom under the old sstem.

 

[Jonathan A]

Walkout Against War is a Students Against War (SAW) movement?

I wouldn't use the Federal Government as a good example, the majority of Australians didn't want more troops to be sent to Iraq. Did they listen then? (I'm not going to pursue this line as it will inevitably end in another pointless argument).

If you had to justify an organisations existence to all students, you would WANT to bellow out the same stuff over and over again to ensure that everyone gets the message. The "same stuff" because that is what the SRC does. We're not going to change the aims of the SRC to start a totally different organisation at the threat of VSU.

We can't use the idea of a Federal Government here, even though it is an example of democracy, the same system you spoke of before about popular election.

As for the Iraq issue, it is hard to say most Australians disagree, did you speak to every Australian and asked them?

And in your last point, another example how the SRC and its agendas always end up using student fees to fund pointless campaigns, aiding and abbetting protests which at times end up causing a disturbance to the peace and on top of that, tehey wont change. If you represent the views ofyour union, watch it fail! Watch it fall to the ground as those who don't use it but used to fuind it will not only have more money in their pockets in these times, but also have choice.

 

[Generator]

Let us watch the students lose any safety net that they may possess in the form of the SRC, too!

Life will be grand, people. I for one cannot wait till I am able to carry around an extra dollar or two in my pocket.

 

[jellybeenz]

I so can't wait to pay $2 for a can of coke!

 

[Not-That-Bright]

^you're a wanker.
If they start charging $2 for a can of coke they're being profit-hungry poofs.

 

[jellybeenz]

They do at broadway, so why wouldnt they at uni?

 

[Jonathan A]

Let us watch the students lose any safety net that they may possess in the form of the SRC, too!

Life will be grand, people. I for one cannot wait till I am able to carry around an extra dollar or two in my pocket.

Safety net????

How on earth do the unions have a safety net for students. If anything it is a misleading net. If the University or Government are determined to do something, they will do it. Who says so? The people who elected them and the laws enabling them. No student union can do anything more than complain or use the structures set by these bodies to review it.

Extra dollar or two??

If the fee was a dollar there would be less concern in paying the fees I would imagine, add at least an extra $150 and there is your common sum that students are forced to pay.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

If it bothers u that much, buy a 24 pack of cans from coles.