My months been made up of a lot of handover work and getting started on the important work of getting things prepared for the board retreat and the 2024 board. It’s also been good to catch up with board representatives and discuss with them their priorities for the year and projects the USASA board are and can undertake.
t’s also been great to work on the campaign to extend concession fares to online and part-time students. There was an extremely positive reception to new stories around the issue and it will be good to catch up with other stakeholder’s around the issue.
Meetings & Commitments
27-29 Dec - Finalising handover with Isaac
3 Jan - Catch up with incoming Magill Undergraduate Student Rep
3 Jan - Catch up with incoming City West Student Rep
4 Jan - Meeting with General Manager
4 Jan - Catch up with incoming International Student Rep
8 Jan - Catch up with incoming Postgraduate Student Rep
8 Jan - Catch up with incoming Mawson Lakes Undergraduate rep
10 Jan - Introductory meeting with Vice Chancellor
10 Jan - Catch up with Magill Student Rep and City West Undergraduate Student Rep
11 Jan - catch up with City East Student Rep
16 Jan - Catch up with Student Ombudsman
It’s amazing to see University underway for the year and students back on campus for O Week. It’s been great to talk too and connect with students over the month and I’m looking forward to the continue to connect with students at events and at campus fair.
Transport Concessions Campaign
I’ve continued focusing on organising the campaign around transport concession reforms. The FUSA President and I have both sent a letter too the Transport Minister we’re pushing to get endorsements for the campaign at both universities and have gathered many signatures in support of the campaign during O Week at Flinders University.
Symposium
NUS Planning Day
It was really great to host the State NUS Planning Day at UniSA and be able to both do some training for student representatives around the state but also plan some the campaigns and strategies around tackling issues the board hopes to address over the year.
Meetings and Commitments
30-31 Jan - USASA Board Retreat
5 Feb - USASA Symposium
8 Feb - Interview for Governance Officer
9 Feb - Tour of UniSA Health Clinic
15 Feb - SAIBT Presentation about USASA
16 Feb - SA NUS Planning Day
19 Feb - City East Orientation
20 Feb - City West Orientation
20 Feb - Students Appeals Committee
20 Feb - Finance Committee
21 Feb - Flinders O Week NUS Stall
21 Feb - Student Appeals Committee
21 Feb - DEA Committee
22 Feb - Mawson Lakes Orientation
This report details the activities undertaken by and discusses the insights gained by the Postgraduate Student Representative.
This month has been an enlightening experience in engaging university stakeholders on potential and emerging issues. I was settling into the role while also setting sights on undertaking projects that will have an impact on students guided by the spirit of the USASA Constitution, specifically object 3.1 (b) ‘to promote the growth and development of the Students of the University with particular emphasis on the quality of the teaching and learning environment and the development of academic excellence’.
5 February 9am to 5pm: USASA and UniSA Symposium
The symposium presented an opportunity to identify university stakeholders that are key to the effectiveness of USASA and USASA Board members.
Reflecting on the presentations, two quotes stood out for me. Professor Joanne Cys, Provost and Chief Academic Officer said, “The university prizes itself in advancing equity and access to university education.” While discussing the university for the future, Tom Steer, Chief Academic Services Officer said that Adelaide University will, “consider regional students in all things that we do.” I believe that is an ideal that USASA should strive for, and it is commendable that two USASA Board Student Representatives participated in the Mount Gambier Orientation activities.
6 February 10:30am to 11:30am: UniSA Council Memebers Induction
The President and I attended an induction by the Chancellor, Ms. Pauline Carr. We are both passionate about providing student perspective at the highest level of decision-making at UniSA.
7 February 11am to 12pm: Meeting with HDR Student Representative, Hayley Caldwell
I met the Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Student Representative, Hayley Caldwell to discuss an issue raised by HDR students.
Hayley presented the case for the indexation of the HDR stipend which still stands at $32,500 annually. UniSA has always indexed the stipend to reflect inflation growth. It has not done so this year. The USASA President provided a background of the issue. The USASA Education Committee will discuss this issue further.
I encouraged Hayley and HDR Student representatives to actively participate in the USASA Education Committee to ensure that HDR students’ issues are not overlooked. Hayley promised an active role by HDR representatives in the Education Committee.
HDR Student representatives called for USASA engagement in the HDR space. Hayley noted that HDR students could benefit from USASA resources. The Education Committee will discuss this suggestion.
8 February 5:30pm to 7:30pm: Launch of MOD Exhibition BROKEN
I attended the BROKEN exhibition launch at MOD. The Chancellor, Ms Pauline Carr and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, Prof. Marnie Hughes Warrington AO were speakers at the event.
BROKEN is an ‘exploration of how the world could be different if we imagined new ways of being’.
https://mod.org.au/exhibitions/broken/
My takeaway from the exhibition is that we should summon our collective energy to build new systems rather than toil to repair broken systems.
19th February 10.15a.m to 11.00a.m: Meeting with Brendan Hughes, Director, Student Engagement Unit and Luis Gardeazabal, Manager, USASA Student Support and Retention on streamlining student representation.
The meeting discussed an upcoming Education Committee agenda item, ‘Academic Student Representatives (ASRs), Academic Unit Board Student Representatives (AUBs) and their role in Student Representation.’
Considering the upcoming Education Committee discussion, I reached out to Brendan Hughes to discuss the following:
These topics are underlined by these questions:
The goal of this exercise is to simplify and streamline student representation. It should not be taken to be usurping parallel projects within the realm of Student Voice.
The USASA Education Committee consisting of elected board members, AUBS and ASRs will discuss this item, offer student perspectives, and then propose further actions.
19-20 Feb 2:45pm to 5:30pm: International Welcome Reception
President Oliver Shephard-Bayly, International Student Representative, Naman Mathur and I attended the reception. We introduced students to USASA, handed out orientation packs and sampled chicken paella.
The event was a testament to the internationalization of higher education institutions and the need for USASA to realign its values to the expectations of the diverse student body.
International Student Representative Naman Mathur and I attended the reception on the second day. The event led to a realization that USASA Student reps should actively inform and educate students about the role of USASA.
An overview of meetings and activities
5 Feb - USASA and UniSA Symposium
6 Feb - UniSA Council Induction
7 Feb - HDR Student Representative Meeting
7 Feb - UniSA Council Briefing
8 Feb - Broken Exhibition MOD Launch
19 Feb - UniSA Council Meeting
19 Feb - Student Representation Chat
19 Feb - ASR Catch up
19 Feb - International Welcome Reception
20 Feb - International Welcome Reception
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to 2024! I hope you’ve all had a chance to recharge and are ready to dive into the new month, with classes starting just over the horizon.
anuary was yet another quiet month for me with regards to my USASA responsibilities as I have been focused on my internship which will be finishing up very soon.
I’m excited to meet with this years’ new board representatives. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend our annual induction retreat this year due to various circumstances so I’m eager to learn and meet with the new 2024 and see what we can accomplish!
-Rhys Peden
Throughout the past month, my experience has been great. I learn a lot of things about academic integrity, leadership and being proactive in my role.
I have been talking with Oliver regarding the paid student placements and students ‘mental health.
I have talked with few students regarding academic integrity and explained them the process.
For now, I am on student placements but will continue to catch up everything after March.
Hi everyone,
Since the Board Retreat (30-31st January) I have attended the USASA and UniSA Symposium (5th February) and the NUS State Branch Planning Day (16th February). I found both events/workshops very interesting and informative. As this is my first year as a Board Representative I have very little experience with the workings of USASA and the NUS. I am very grateful to have been involved in these events/workshops and am keen to learn more and have more involvement as the year progresses.
I also attended both City East Orientation Days (19th and 21st of February). As these papers were due on the 20th I am only able to share my experiences from the 19th of February.
As it has been a number of years since my own orientation, I was nicely surprised with the student turnout and enjoyed talking to new students about university life and USASA. It was great to meet some of the students involved in the volunteer program and chat with staff who were helping at the stalls. I hope this year is successful for all students and that they know they can turn to USASA at any point in their university life.
Thank you,
Jade
Hi Everyone,
Since the Board Retreat in January, I have attended the USASA and UniSA Symposium. I’m grateful to be on the USASA Board and advocate on behalf of students and help them in their overall University experience. The Symposium helped me network with all the different bodies of UniSA, and understand the opportunities that we as students have, as well as the amenities provided by this great institution.
Also, I was elected as the convenor of the Finance Committee of USASA and we had our first meeting this month. As the Chairperson of the Finance Committee, I understand how important it is for USASA finances to be in place, so that we can use this money for the betterment of students and for fun activities on campus. We have a lot to learn and plan as a committee, to support the USASA Board’s activities.
I was also part of Orientation at City West, and I was a panellist to guide students starting off their University journey. I explained to them the importance of taking part in all activities on Campus, having a well-planned schedule and managing finances. In addition, I gave them a brief overview of USASA and how it would benefit them.
This is my first year on the USASA Board and I am excited to be a part of it and for what the future holds.
Thank you
Chris
Hi everyone
Since the first Board meeting on the 31st of January I have attended the Symposium, a joint event by USASA & UniSA on the 5th of February, the international reception for Saibt and CELUSA on the 15th of February, the NUS planning day on the 16th of February, and as of the writing of this report the Mt Gambier Orientation Day on the 20th of February. I also had to submit a letter of apology for the first Finance meeting due to attending the Mt Gambier orientation. As the current Governance Convener, I also completed the agenda and sent it to all committee members for the first committee meeting on the 27th of February.
I found the symposium a very important and beneficial event to attend as I was able to learn more about the USASA staff, systems, and procedures, as well as UniSA Staff, systems, and procedures. I was also able to meet and connect with students who attended, especially club executives with whom I will be working closely in future. I was also introduced to the Student Voice program and how I can get students involved.
The NUS planning day was very beneficial as it allowed me to interact with other universities and learn what and how they are advocating for students at their universities. Some of these ideas can also be used at UniSA. This also helped me understand the role that USASA plays in the State as a union as well as on the national stage.
International Reception for CELUSA & SAIBT
The international reception for CELUSA & Saibt was also very interesting as I was able to connect and talk with a student body which is usually less involved with USASA and speak with them about the different things USASA offers as well as what and how USASA can affect them.
Mt Gambier Orientation
As of the due date of this report, I am still attending the Mt Gambier orientation, but 60 students have attended, and I have given a presentation on what USASA is and how it affects them even at a regional campus. I have also been talking with some students about the open USASA Board position and why representing their campus is beneficial. Attending this orientation has allowed me to connect, interact and understand the student cohort and UniSA Mt Gambier and what their issues and needs are. As a student Representative, this will be beneficial in what kind of impact the board can bring to regional campuses, as well as how we can bring the benefits of USASA to regional campuses who do not have the same level of representation.
After Report Due Date
After the uploading of this report, I will be attending some other campus orientations as well as sitting at the stalls for those orientations. Unfortunately, this will occur after this report is due so I cannot write about how they have gone.
Hey all!
This month I was able to attend the NUS National Conference in Ballart to engage in conversations with other University representatives about the needs and demands of students for 2024. I was able to create new connections with other student leaders from all around Australia to begin having meaningful conversations around change for students.
Since coming back I have had a few meetings with new board members about what 2024 will look like and started to think/plan some events we would like to try and run in 2024.
I am looking forward to working with everyone on the board in 2024 and am always available for a chat about anything!
Lucy Fawcett
fawlc001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
This month has been an active month since the board retreat at the end of January. I have been able to attend the USASA and UniSA Symposium on the 5th of February as well as the networking/Student Voice video launch at the end of the day. At the Symposium I was able to learn more about what USASA does, what different areas within UniSA do and how we can work together to help get the best out for students.
On the 16th of February I was able to attend the NUS State Branch Planning day, hearing from different NUS members from Flinders and Adelaide University in the roles they have within the NUS and how we can work together for students throughout the year.
Later this month I will be chairing the first DEA meeting for the year to finalize different projects from last year as well as look at what we want to do for the rest of the year.
I am excited to meet as many of you as I can at the Magill USASA pop up during orientation week.
Hope everyone has a great month in March.
Always available for a chat – fawlc001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Since the Board Retreat (30-31st January) I briefly attended the State Branch Planning Day at Unisa.
Other than this I have been brainstorming ways to bring more community at the Magill Campus and trying to introduce myself to those that attend Unisa.
As this is my first year on the board, I’m just trying to get my head around everything and learn how things get done and what USASA has done previously.
Looking forward to starting Uni back on campus!
Kindly,
Zoe Hughes
Since the last meeting, I have attended many different meetings and events to connect with the university staff and students. The events were:
USASA & UniSA Symposium – 05/02/2024
NUS State Branch Planning Day – 16/02/2024
Mount Gambier Campus Orientation – 20/02/2024
Along with these, I also attended a formal enquiry for a STEM student on 06/02/2024.
USASA & UniSA Symposium
At the Symposium, I connected with the USASA staff, got an in-depth knowledge about the different working systems and procedures, some of which we will be working closely with. Also got introduced to the student voice video for the first time at the networking event which helped us know more about this new program and help in making it successful.
NUS State Branch Planning Day
Met the NUS delegates from different universities in South Australia to discuss the future that us as a state branch want to execute for the welfare of students. Also got some insights in how USASA can work in co-relation to NUS to make student life better.
Mount Gambier Campus Orientation
Went to one of the regional campuses, Mt. Gambier with Yeshaiah to represent USASA. We talked to a lot of current and new students about their experience and what are their expectations from USASA. Promoted the upcoming by-elections as well to encourage students to stand up for the elections. Hoping to see a positive response.
Other than this, I also went through the previous governance committee papers to come up with a committee charter and pass it as an agenda item in the upcoming committee meeting on the 27/02/2024. I had to become an apology for the first finance committee meeting on the 20/02/2024 due to our returning flight from Mount Gambier overlapping with the timing of the meeting.
Hi all,
n the first month of being Uni SA Online Student Representative I have attended the USASA Board Retreat, on the 30-31st of January. This retreat not only allowed me to develop professional relationships with my fellow representatives, but also the staff at USASA. The retreat also provided me with incredibly useful personal development, especially governance, finance, leadership and social media, which I will utilise throughout the year as Online Representative.
I also attended the Networking Event at the UniSA Symposium on the 5th of February in which I, along with my fellow Board Members networked and developed our professional relationships with UniSA staff members. At this event I specifically networked with Scott Copeland, Program Director of Undergraduate Accounting, and we discussed further developing our professional relationship in relation to support for Online Accounting students at UniSA. I also developed a professional relationship with Tina Li, UniSA’s Student Leadership Coordinator about ensuring accessibility and lived experience of Online Students and Students with a Disability are involved in the development of leadership programs at UniSA.
I am looking forward to further building networks between USASA and UniSA, as well as furthering my knowledge of USASA as a whole.
The year has gotten off to a flying start with the transition back in on-campus orientation and a range of activities being planned for the new Academic year. The last month has been a busy time of planning, training and many meetings.
Board Retreat
The USASA Board retreat was held on the 18th and 19th of January. At the board retreat USASA Student Representatives were given an overview of the organisation and their governance responsibilities. The sessions ranged from basic finance for a not-for-profit Board to creating a personal brand using social media and marketing. The Board Retreat was good fun and we learnt a lot. The survey of how the Board Retreat went was also conducted with Cristine taking the results into account for planning next year. At the Board Retreat the first USASA Board Meeting was held with 6 Sub-Committees of the Board being re-established. The six were Governance, Finance, Diversity, Equity & Access (DEA), Clubs, Education and Reconciliation Committees. Board Reps were subsequently appointed as Convenors of these Committees and other Board Reps showed expressed their interest in joining them. Appointments were also made to two external committees being Academic Board and the University’s Academic Enterprise Oversight Committee.
Administrative Matters
Subsequent to the Board Retreat I have been busy contacting the University about appointments to committees and ensuring that everyone is given the relevant licences and approvals to access papers which are relevant to external committees. I have also assisted Cristine as needed as it relates to committee trainings(acknowledgingthat the majority of the work in this area is done by Cristine).
A number of student enquiries have also come through during this period and I have been working to resolve them through a number of meetings, phone calls and via email correspondence.
Recruitment & Staffing
During the months of January and February I helped conduct interviews for a number of staffing roles including a Marketing Officer, Volunteer Program Coordinator and Events Officer. For more information on specific staffing matters please refer to the CEOs report.
Symposium Planning
Additional planning on the USASA symposium has happened after a rescheduling of the event which showcases the work of USASA staff and the departments across the University. A new date has been set and preparation for the event has begun.
Consultation Results
During the month of February I have started analysing the data from the RPNOW Survey and the Student Spaces Survey which made up part of the Ask Isaac pop-up which I trialled in late 2022.Iam currently following up on the results of the survey with staff within the Uni to verify information what the procedures are in specific academic units regarding Online Invigilation (RPNOW). The results will be presented via committees or directly to the board in due course.
Planning for Ask Isaac
Planning for the Ask Isaac pop-up which was trailed in 2022has begun again. This involves the President sitting at a table in a common area where students are able to come up and ask whatever they would like. Usually there is a theme and a survey to go with the chosen theme. When students submit a suggestion to the suggestion box or complete the survey they are entitled to chocolate coin (a penny for your thoughts) and sometimes a free drink.
Attendance at NUS Presidents Summit
From the 1stFeb to the 3rdFeb, I attended the NUS Presidents Summit at the University of Melbourne. This conference included a range of training on how to be President of a student organisation followed by sessions on the NUS’s goals for the year and ensuring they align with the goals of student organisations across the country. One of the biggest benefits of attending the summit is the connections which are made with Presidents and leaders from other campuses. A presentation on the event will be given by me and Riya, the postgraduate representative.
18 Jan–USASA Board Retreat
19 Jan –USASA Board Retreat
19 Jan–USASA Board Meeting
25Jan–Introductory Meeting with VC and Postgrad Rep
27Jan–Academic Integrity Workshop
30Jan–Volunteering Coordinator Interviews
1Feb–NUS Presidents Summit Day 0
2 Feb–NUS Presidents Summit Day 1
3 Feb–NUS Presidents Summit Day 2
6 Feb–Volunteer Coordinator Interviews
8 Feb–HDR Forum Planning Meeting
8Feb–Meeting with new Executive Dean of Nursing, Tracy Humphrey
8 Feb–Student Voice Initiative Meeting
8 Feb–Student Academic Unit Board Rep Training Meeting
10 Feb–Tour of Enterprise Hub
The Academic year is well and truly underway with O Week and the first week of campus fair now completed, there are many signs of a fantastic year ahead. In saying this the challenges and struggles facing many students are becoming more evident and as a student association we need to maintain our push for a fairer and more compassionate University to all who want an education.
HDR Stipends
A major issue which has emerged over the past few months has been whether UniSA will follow Flinders University and the University of Adelaide in raising stipends for Higher Degrees by Research(HDR)students. Myself and Postgraduate Representative, Riya Bhaizada have been talking to many HDR students and holding discussions with relevant University staff to negotiate a rise in the stipend. Current costs of living increases are seeing many HDR students unable to afford the bare minimum, basic requirements like a guarantee of food and accommodation are becoming less certain for these students and it is vital that the stipend is raised. The Federal Government has not increased the funding pool meaning the University would have to draw the funds from elsewhere. Discussions in this space are ongoing and a decision is imminent. I will continue to advocate that the rate be raised as no student should have to go without these things and certainly not because they choose to contribute to valuable research and undertake a PhD.
Growing Student Voice at UniSA
Over the past couple of years the Student Voice has increased significantly at UniSA with opportunities for students to have a say in the everyday functions of the University now becoming commonplace. Academic Integrity cases have also increased dramatically through covid-19 resulting in a higher rate of Formal Inquiry hearings. The Job Ready Graduates package introduced by the Morrison Liberal Government has also meant that the threshold for preclusion has been lowered resulting in an increase in the rate of preclusions. In order to ensure that appointment processes are fair, work has been undertaken to codify the processes of appointment into policy and outlined clear rules and expectations around involvement in formal inquiry and preclusion hearings.
University Accord
During Academic Board the Vice-Chancellor announced that his office would be receiving submissions from around the University to contribute to the University’s submission to the Albanese Labor Government’s University Accord. The final submission would seek approval from Academic Board and attempt to incorporate parts of submissions given to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office. The Accord discussion paper will be presented to the Education Committee for feedback from undergraduate and postgraduate Academic Reps from across all seven units. Further consultation with some University staff and other university students is happening on a meeting by meeting basis. The topic will also be brought to the USASA Board for discussion as any draft for submission to the Vice-Chancellor’s office will need to be approved by the board out of session to enable the submission to be made by the allotted date.
Campus Fair
Campus fair has officially kicked off this month with City West and Mawson Lakes campus fairs being held on the 8thand 9th respectively. Despite bad weather at the City West campus fair a large number of students turned out to see what our Clubs had to offer. At Mawson Lakes on Thursday, a huge number of students attended campus fair, trying out a variety of different activities, signing up for clubs and speaking with USASA Reps and staff.
Academic Issues
In the last month I have received a number of enquiries in relation to Academic issues which students have had. I have made great progress on a number of them, speaking to the units involved and finding resolutions. As expected some issues still remain ongoing. A couple of issues in relation to enrolment have also been received and I am awaiting responses from Campus Central to see how they have been resolved.
RPNow
During late February and early March I have received a high number of enquiries about the previously conducted RPNow survey. A number of students coming back have shared their concerns about the software. As a result I reopened the RPNow survey until 17 March to allow for the extra submissions to be made. The data will be collected and presented to the Education Committee at the next available opportunity after 17 March.
Ask Isaac Pop-Up
As part of a USASA Pop-up during O Week, I hosted an Ask Isaac stall. The stall consisted of the usual chocolate coins and suggestion box with the “Penny for your thoughts” campaign. The pop-up was also accompanied by a qualitative survey about O Week and the start of University to gauge student expectations for the year.
Committee Meetings
All internal USASA Committees will have met at least once at the time of the next Board Meeting. Currently all committees barring Education (which meets on Tuesday 14thMarch) have met for the first time and arrangement of permanent dates are underway.
International Student Welcome
During O Week I briefly attended the International Student Welcome speaking to students as they entered and handing out orientation bags. The International Student Welcome, held across two days is a fantastic event.
University Issues Register
During this month I met with Tania Kanellos, Acting Director of Student Academic Services to discuss the University Lecture and Exams Issues Registers. These came about as stage one of a consultation on Online Lecture and Exam delivery, identifying issues that students have had with these two changes to teaching and learning. While concerns were raised that the consultation would not allow comprehensive feedback on students feelings towards online lectures and exams, I took some comfort from the reassurance that this was separate and first establishing what issues were solvable prior to conducting further consultation(stage 2)around online teaching and learning arrangements which sparked much controversy in mid-2022. The subsequent meeting with Tania was to discuss the final outcomes of the consultation. An email request for the promised reports and an update on when stage two of the consultation would be designed/rolled out has been sent. An update will be presented in my next report.
University Council
The University Council met for the first time this year and had a tour of the UniSA Enterprise Hub. Upon taking the second tour, I was able to learn even more of the building’s fascinating history. During the months of February and March, I presented at both the South Australian Institute of Business and Technology(SAIBT) Orientation and the Research Degrees Committee (RDC) Meeting. Both were extremely beneficial with one being an induction for those entering UniSA through the SAIBT Business program and finding out how we can better engage HDR students with USASA.
14Feb–Finance Committee Meeting
15Feb–Campus Tours at Magill
15Feb–Adelaide Connected Networking Event (Committee for Adelaide)
16Feb–SAIBT Presentation
20Feb–Retail Meeting with Retail Manager
20Feb–Attendance at City West on-street O Week events with Postgraduate and International Reps
20 Feb–Attendance at International Student Welcome with Postgraduate and International Student Reps
20Feb –Reconciliation Committee Meeting
20Feb–Governance Committee Meeting
20Feb–USASA Board Meeting
21Feb–Student Appeals Committee Hearings
22 Feb–Campus Tours at Magill with International Student Rep
23Feb–Meeting with Reps from Flinders University Student Association
23Feb–Campus Tours at Mawson Lakes with International Student Rep
23Feb –Meeting with Acting CASO, Richard Irons
24 Feb –Academic Board Pre-Meeting
24 Feb –Academic Board Meeting
24 Feb –Attendance at UniVibe event with Mawson Lakes Rep, City West Rep, City East Undergraduate Rep and International Rep
27 Feb –City East Campus Tours with City East Rep
27 Feb –Student Voice Media Brainstorming Session with CMK Staff, USASA Coordinator Governance and Student Leadership and Student Representative Support Officer
28Feb –Meeting with DVC: Research and Enterprise and Dean of Graduate Studies with Postgraduate Representative
28 Feb–President and CEO Meeting
Mar 1 –Meeting with Manager: Student Support and Retention
Mar 1 –Policy Drafting Session with Governance Convenor and Mawson Lakes Rep
Mar 2 –Attendance at Authentic Assessment Project Steering Group Meeting
Mar 2 –Ask Isaac Pop-up
Mar 3 –Meeting with acting Director: SAS re Online Lectures and Exams Issues Registers
Mar 3 –Brief visit to Board Rep Training
Mar 6 –DEA Committee Meeting
Mar 7 –Enterprise Hub Tour and Council Photos
Mar 7 -UniSA Council Meeting
Mar8 –Campus Fair (City West)with Postgraduate Rep
Mar 9 –Presentation at RDC Committee Meeting
Mar 9 –Campus Fair (Mawson Lakes)with Mawson Lakes Reps
Mar 10 –Clubs Committee Meeting
Mar 10 –Attendance and University of South Australia Law Student Association(USALSA)Event
President's Report
Conversations with Staff Representatives
Conversations with staff representatives made up a very important part of my work during this month. A number of very productive meetings occurred talking on the subjects of student voice, teaching and learning arrangements, course specific clubs and the creation of a new university.
CEO Handover
CEO, Daniel Randell began his long service leave this month and Manager of Student Support and Retention, Luis Gardeazabel began acting in the role of CEO.
This month we interviewed candidates for the Retail Manager Role and a successful candidate is due to start in April.
USASA Symposium
The USASA Staff component of the Symposium took place this month and was a great success.
The last few Campus fair events happened during this month with a huge turnout at City East and a very different type of campus fair at Magill with the stalls moving indoors compared to last year’s outdoor campus fair.
General Meetings
Despite being sick this month it has been one of the busiest thus far with me attending 40 meetings and events.
HDR Issues and Education Committee
A lot of work went into advocacy issues this month with working being done by myself and the Postgraduate student representative to advocate for an increase stipend for HDR students. The education committee also saw a big contribution to USASA’s drafting of issues important for the University to raise in the University Accord discussions.
14March–SSAF Grant Funding Meeting with CEO
15 March–Campus Fair City East
15 March–HDR Rep Meeting
16 March –Magill Campus Fair
16 March–Academic Integrity Awareness Campaign Launch
17 March –Education Committee
20 March–Meeting with Vice Chancellor
20 March–Reconciliation Committee
20 March –Governance Committee
20 March –USASA Board Meeting
22 March –Student Appeals Committee Training
23 March –Student Complaints Meeting
23 March –Enterprise Hub Opening
24 March –Retail Manager Interviews
24 March –Academic Board Pre-Meeting
24 March –Academic Board
24 March –Ramadan Treats Event (City East)
27 March –Meeting with STEM Staff Reps
27 March –Meeting with ALG Staff Reps
27 March –Debrief on Academic Integrity Workshop Outcomes (TIU)
28 March –Meeting with Acting CEO Re Student Issues
28 March –Meeting with Acting CEO
28 March –Meeting with JUS Staff Reps
29 March –Vice Chancellor meeting with Student Reps re Creation of New University
29 March –Meeting with Provost & Chief Academic Officer (PCAO)
30 March –Staff Symposium
3 April –Hosted Creation of New University Student Forum with Vice-Chancellor
4 April –Meeting with Business Staff Reps
4 April –Academic Enterprise Oversight Committee
4 April –Meeting with Acting CEO
4 April –Meeting with Postgraduate Representative
4 April –Meeting to discuss student SASH Response Toolkit with UniSA Counselling, DEA Convenor and Acting CEO
4 April –Meeting with Mawson Lakes Undergraduate Rep
6 April –Meeting with Acting CEO
6 April –USASA Outer Space Pub Crawl
12 April –Governance and Nominations Committee
14 April –Productivity Ninja Training
14 April –Education Committee
14 April –UniSA Graduation Ceremony
Ongoing Student Issues
During this month there has been a number of ongoing student enquiries which have been resolved. These are largely around issues with assessment and teaching quality.
Teaching and Learning Arrangements
The conversation around teaching and learning arrangements has continued since the last board meeting. It is still no clearer what the University’s position on teaching and learning arrangements is though from further conversations it has been gleaned that consultation on the digital strategy took place in 2014 which is referenced broadly in the Enterprise Action Plan. I passed on student concerns that this was not sufficient. The student news organisation, On the Record has started conducting surveys and interviews including with myself, the NTEU’s Sam Whiting and Provost –Jo Cys.
Creation of a New University
The consultation on the creation of a new university concluded this month with a large number of students and staff having contributed. The work has not begun to sift through that information and conversations around whether the creation of a new university will go ahead and what next stages of the process look like are in full swing.
Playing Catchup
Due to being sick for a week there has been a huge backlog of emails, administrative work and policywork that needed to occur. This month has largely being trying to play catch-up as the pace picks up and things get busier.
Expanding the Student Voice
There have been a number of new opportunities presented to students at many levels of the university this month. Liaison with may different parties and discussion of opportunities with the Student Voice team has been a significant portion of work this month.
Events
USASA events are beginning to be held this month with a BBQ occurring at City East and one occurring at City West. There has been a great turnout from reps during this period.
It was announced this month that the HDR stipends would be raised from $29,000 to $32,000 a significant increase and a great win for HDR Students.
17 April –Attendance at Graduation Ceremony
17 April –Governance Committee Meeting
17 April –USASA AGM and Board Meeting
18 April –Reconciliation Committee Meeting
19 April –Meeting with Acting CEO
19 April –Meeting with Esther May at UniSA Clinic
19-21 April -Attendance at Graduation Ceremony
21 April –UniSA Council Meeting
21 April –Meeting with Education Futures Staff Reps
24 April –Meeting about Student Club
28 April –Meeting with Student Ombud
28 April –Meeting with Acting CEO
1 May –One on One with Director: SAS (Acting CASO)
1 May –Attendance at UniSA NTEU EBACelebration & Solidarity Event
2 May-Meeting with TIU & SAS re Issues Register
2 May –Meeting with High School Student re Climate Education Campaign
2 May –Committee for Adelaide: Room to Grow event with City West Undergraduate Rep
2 May –NUS National Executive Meeting
3 May –City East BBQ
5 May –Meeting with the Vice-Chancellor
Assessment based issues continue to arise with good outcomes form some Academic Units. Particular issues around the use of Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity have been clarified with the help of Director: TIU, Assoc. Professor, Sheridan Gentili.
This month an article was published by On The Record’s Jack Trehearne detailing the events on Teaching and Learning Arrangements which led up to the current circumstances. A good discussion around the existing issues around the change in teaching and learning arrangements was had in USASA’s education committee. This requires some follow-up work and Dean of Teaching and Learning, Esther May has committed to more regularly attending Education Committee Meetings if she is able to.
Conversations about the potential of the creation of a new university are ongoing. I am staying well informed on the matter and ensuring that a high-quality student experience is at the forefront of discussions with everyone from the Vice-Chancellor to the Chief Academic Services Officer.
A huge number of enquiries have come for students to be part of exciting new projects have been received by myself and the Student Voice team this month. This ranges from Academic Integrity Student Reference Group to attending conferences about AI. SASH Prevention and Response have been major areas where the improving the student voice is now becoming standard practice. Great conversations have been had with new Acting Deputy Director: SEU, Natasha Boots, Acting Manager: Counselling, Rowena Kidd and new Coordinator: SASH Response, Anna Fulwood about how students can play a more active role in this space and how policies and projects can be effectively co-created.
Ending Deadnaming/The Preferred Name Project
Considerable strides have been made in the preferred name project with myself and the President of the Rainbow Club sitting down with Matt Barton from ISTS to finalise the scoping for the project. A number of hurdles have been worked through with extremelypositive results. One example is the use of preferred names on student IDs which it was feared would affect metrocards. This was resolved and in the process has lead to some internal reviews of Adelaide Metro’s internal policies around metrocards to make the registration process more inclusive.
Positives Steps on SASH Resources
The drafting of the SASH Disclosure Toolkit for student leaders which was initiated by USASA’s SASH Prevention and Response Working Group in 2022 is now underway. This work like many of USASA’s projects was initiated by former rep Gagan “Gigi” Sandhu and is now finally coming together under the leadership of DEA Committee Convenor, Lucy Fawcett.
Upcoming Budget
As budget deliberations come to a close there notification has been sent to all board reps about what additional items they might want to see in next year’s budget. This will culminate in a draft budget in the coming two months.
CEO Moving on
On 7 June, I officially acknowledged the resignation of CEO, Daniel Randell. After almost 10 years at the organisation, Daniel has helped build the USASA we know and love today. Daniel moves on to a well-earned role at Flinders University in an area of student wellbeing which he is extremely passionate about. Though we are very happy for Daniel, we will miss him dearly.
The resignation of a CEO now means that planning for a recruitment process has initiated and direction from the USASA Board will be forthcoming. There is much to be considered in the recruitment process and it requires a high level of diligence.
May 2023
8 May - Student Experience Review Project Reference Group
8 May - Recruitment Panel Shortlisting for Coordinator: Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Prevention & Coordinator: Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Response (HEO7)
9 May - Clubs Officer Interview
10 May - Governance Committee Meeting
11 May - Clubs Committee Meeting
15 May - Interviews for Coordinator: Sexual Assault and Harassment Response (HEO7)
15 May - Finance Committee Meeting15 May - USASA Board Meeting
17 May - UniSA Safety and Wellbeing Committee Meeting
17 May - Preferred Name Project Scoping Discussion with Rainbow Club President and ISTS
18 May - Meeting with CEO
19 May - Meeting with Facilities Management
19 May - Education Committee Meeting
22 May - Interviews for Coordinator: Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention (HEO7)
22 May - Meeting with Acting CEO
22 May - Committee for Adelaide Emerging Leaders Lunch with Dr Grace
>24 May - Reconciliation Committee Meeting
24 May - Catch-up with USASA Volunteer Coordinator, Jess Zammit
25 May - Bi-monthly catch-up with CASO, Tom Steer
26 May - Tour of City West Facilities with Sam Payne
26 May - Tour of Enterprise Hub with Lindsay Pollock
29 May - Discussion with Acting CEO
29 May - Attendance at Lowitja O’Donoghue Oration bydelivered by Prime Minister Anthony Albaneseat UoA
30 May - SASH Steering Group Meeting
31 May - Meeting with MLK Undergrad Rep, Jeel Bhatt and Acting CEO on Mental Health Survey
31 May - Discussion on Social Media/Events/USASA’s Voice position with Manager: Marketing and Events, Jackson Polley
31 May - Follow-up meeting on Education Committee with Tania Kanellos and Esther May
1 June - Appearance on ABC Radio with Sonia Feldhoff on HECS Debt Indexation
1 June - President & Acting CEO Meeting
7 June - Telephone meeting with CEO, Daniel Randell
7 June - Diversity, Equity and Access Committee Meeting
7 June - Reconciliation Committee Meeting
7 June - Meeting with Leanne Cotter
9 June - UniSA Pride Fair
The decision by the Councils of both Universities was reached this month,to progress with the creation of a new institution, Adelaide University. This decision has been a lengthy and thorough process which I have been lucky enough to be involved with. This has meant a lot of reading, meetings and media in the past few weeks.
A significant amount of my time this month went into looking over the feasibility student and due diligence required to make a decision on whether the Councils should progress.
I released a media statement following the announcement that the two universities would be proceeding and this has been distributed via social media. I have had limited interaction with radio and print media. The major focus has been on awareness. I have been reaching out to students through a variety of modes to ensure they know where to get information and that their questions are adequately answered.
State Parliament has established a joint committee to oversee the review of legislation for the new university and active participation on behalf of USASA and students is integral.
General Manager Recruitment Process
Following last month’s announcement that Daniel Randell would be moving on from USASA after almost ten years in the role of General Manager, a recruitment process has started for a new General Manager.
Much of my work this month has been around investigating options for recruitment agencies, making contact and garnering proposals and quotes. This will help inform the deliberations of the Human Resources and Recruitment Committee in coming days/weeks.
Student representatives on Academic Board put their case as to why the Academic Board paper that provided for the continuation of current teaching and learning arrangements should not be approved. This effort was unsuccessful with a majority voting for the recommendations, two elected staff representatives bravely joining the five student reps in opposition and many others abstaining.
The Vice Chancellor committed to a separate discussion about online exams after one staff member reported that over 75% of one of her classes had been flagged for academic misconduct/academic integrity breaches using proctoring software. Another staff representative voiced they had similar numbers in their class. The two courses mentioned were consistent with the RPNow Survey data collected by USASA in 2022. Both were business courses with one being quantitative methods which showed the highest number of resultant issues in USASA’s RPNow Survey.
Student point of views were put forward. Speakers were limited with the Provost getting a right of reply to all points raised. Debate was cut short due to the small amount of time that had been allocated.
Conversations with the provost will continue.
Exam & Assessment Period
During this month it was the final assessment and exam period for the majority of students across UniSA. I too had exams and assessments during this time.
Budget Finalisation & Follow-Up
Since Daniel’s return from leave discussions on the finalisation of the budget have occurred. When Daniel first got back from leave, I produced a debrief document of things that had happened while he was away,and follow-up work begun. Final discussions on the budget also occurred and a draft budget is due to go to the finance committee soon. Daniel has also begun work on preparation for handover to the General Manager: Acting.
June 2023
13 June - UniSA Council Meeting
15 June - About USASA Presentation to South Australian Instituteof Business and Technology (SAIBT)Orientation
15 June - Meeting re Student Mental Health Data Collection
15 June - Finance Committee Meeting
19 June - Meeting with Director of SAS
19 June - Governance CommitteeMeeting
19 June - USASA Board Meeting
20 June - Meeting with Chancellor
21 June - President & CEO Catch-Up (Extended)
21 June - Academic Board Pre-Meeting
23 June - Additional Academic Board Pre-Meeting
23 June - Academic Board
27 June - Student and Academic Policy Advisory Group(SAPAG)
28 June - EXAM DAY
30 June - Meeting with UniSA International
30 June - Education Conference Debrief
The creation of the new Adelaide University has been the focus of this month with the Joint Committee for the Establishment of the Adelaide University hearings taking place in Parliament throughout from the week beginning Monday 7 August.
As President, I was summoned for a hearing which took place on Thursday 10 June along with Adelaide SRC President, Georgia Thomas.
For this hearing I created a short overview which was handed out to the committee detailing some proposed changes to the Act which would advance student interests in the new institution. This document includes overviews of:
- What USASA does
- The importance of Student Voice
- A 100% SSAF Funding Guarantee for the new student organisation
- A legislated Student Ombud
- A more representative Governing Body (Uni Council) composition
Further meetings on the subject of the legislation will take place in coming weeks with the Department and other parties within the two universities.
The application period for the USASA General Manager role concluded on Friday 11 August and the shortlisting and interview processes will begin shortly.
The potential of setting KPIs for an incoming General Manager and the method by which the board may manage this have been discussed.
All further details would not be in the interest of our members to disclose at this time.
Budget
The USASA Budget has been finalised and will be submitted to the USASA Board for approval.
Orientations and Campus Fair
Orientations for SP5 took place in this semester with many board reps taking part in campus tours. As President, I attended a number of USASA spaces to assist with campus tours and also spoke with students at the joint orientation events.
Campus fair at City West took place on Wednesday 9 August and I attended, reconnecting with a number of club executives and meeting new students.
July
11 July - Student Ombud & President Catch-up
11 July - Recruitment & HR Committee Meeting
13 July - Meeting with CASO
13 July - Meeting with Journalist
13 July - USASA Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee Meeting
17 July - GM & President Meeting
17 July - City West Campus Tours
17 July - USASA Governance Committee Meeting
17 July - USASA Board Meeting
18 July - Mawson Lakes Campus Tours
20 July - Australian Universities Learning and Teaching Leaders' Roundtable on Generative AI
20 July - Recruitment & HR Committee Meeting
21 July - Meeting with Vice Chancellor
25 July - Student Appeals Committee
26 July - Student Appeals Committee
27 July - Student Appeals Committee
28 July - USASA Election Promotion Podcast Recording
28 July - NUS Protest Planning Day
28 July - Academic Board
31 July - President & GM Meeting
31 July - USASA Education Committee Meeting
August
2 August - Visit to Flinders University
3 August - Meeting with Student
3 August - Academic Enterprise Oversight Committee Meeting
3 August - Meeting with Richard Irons
3 August - 7 August - On Leave
4 August - Budget Meeting
8 August - UniSA Council Meeting/Presentation to Council on USASA Annual Report
9 August - Meeting with Provost and Chief Academic Officer (PCAO)
10 August - Joint Committee for the Establishment of Adelaide University Hearing
The creation of the new Adelaide University has been the focus of this month with the Joint Committee for the Establishment of the Adelaide University hearings taking place in Parliament throughout from the week beginning Monday 7th August.
As President, I was summoned for a hearing which took place on Thursday 10th August along with Adelaide SRC President, Georgia Thomas.
What USASA does
The importance of Student Voice
A 100% SSAF Funded Guarantee for the new student organisation
A legislated Student Ombud
A more representative Governing Body (Uni Council) composition
The application period for the USASA General Manager role concluded on Friday 11th August and the shortlisting and interview processes will begin shortly.
Campus fair at City West took place on Wednesday 9th August and I attended, reconnecting with a number of club executives and meeting new students.
Summary
This month the new USASA General Manager commenced in her role. Inductions have begun and preliminary planning for the final 3 months of the year have taken place.
Student Experience Kick-Off Session
The first official “Kick-Off Session” to introduce the Workstreams and assist in establishing the co-design principles for the Student Experience Domain of the Creation of the New University began.
Presentation to SAS All Staff Meeting
The chance was taken to present to the SAS all staff meeting on what USASA does, the biggest issues facing students at the current time and what aspirations USASA has for the new Adelaide University.
NUS Ethnocultural Conference
The NUS Ethnocultural Conference was held this month at UniSA with discussions and seminars on a range of topics from experience working with International student organisations to how students can better contribute to the Yes Campaign.
YES Campaign and Voice to Parliament
This month a number of YES23 events occurred which I attended. I also encouraged a number of students in the student lounge to enrol to vote in the week leading up to the close of voter rolls for the referendum.
Some additional signage was also put up around campus. It is an important time for USASA to reaffirm it’s commitment to the full realisation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in it’s entirety.
September 2023
11 Sep - Meeting with Director: SAS
12 Sep - University Council Meeting
12 Sep - Student Experience Domain: Kick-Off Session
13 Sep - Student Voice Video Filming
15 Sep - Presentation Preparation Meeting
15 Sep - Discussion re UniSA Business UN Project
15 Sep - UMC Marketing Club Barbie Pub Crawl
18 Sep - USASA Board Meeting
19 Sep - Coffee with Student
20 Sep - Healthia Residence Official Opening and UniSA Health Clinic Tour
25 Sep - Safety and Wellbeing Committee
26 Sep - Graduation Ceremony
27 Sep - Graduation Ceremony
27 Sep - Meeting with CASO
October 2023
6 Oct - Meeting with GM
6 Oct - Planning meeting with GM
6 Oct - Finance & Honorarium Policy Meeting
This month has been extremely busy despite a lack of meetings and events. The results of the USASA elections were declared in late October with current Magill Rep, Oliver Shephard-Bayly set to become the next President of USASA. I congratulate Oliver and all other candidates elected at the 2024 elections.
I note that there at are still vacancies for the position of City East Representative and Mt Gambier Representative and hope that these can be filled in the coming year.
This month also saw several governance improvements begin to occur after some review of existing structures and internal policies.
Planning for Handover
This month has mainly been about preparing for the handover to incoming President, Oliver Shephard-Bayly.
I have prepared a register of ongoing board projects and current policy positions, linking them to relevant board papers.
Throughout the year I have also been preparing information around certain issues which will be a useful reference point for the incoming President and board.
Ongoing conversations with the Universities and Members of Parliament have occurred this month with students making significant gains as a part of the new Adelaide University Legislation.
The Hon. Connie Bonaros MLC was prioritised students in consideration of the bill and in the amendments which she contributed to it in the Legislative Council. Both Connie Bonaros MLC (of SA Best) and the Australian Labor Party’s Reggie Martin MLC, made a significant effort to collaborate with student leaders throughout the process.
Legislated Minimum SSAF
In a letter from the Deputy Premier, the Hon. Susan Close MP, I was advised that the Government had advice that instituting a minimum SSAF amount in the act may be unconstitutional as per section 109 of the Constitution. Opinions differ on this matter with WA having had a very successful legislated minimum SSAF requirement at all Universities for some years now.
The Greens Party having interpreted the advice differently, had Robert Simms MLC introduced an amendment for the entirety of the SSAF to be given to student organisations. Three member of the Parliament voted for this amendment, with Frank Pangallo MLC splitting with his SA Best Colleague Connie Bonaros over the matter of whether or not to support the bill in it’s entirety.
Knowing an amendment of this nature would not pass, I appreciate the effort of Connie Bonaros MLC to reach a compromise position with both myself and UoA SRC President Georgia Thomas around student organisation funding. Ms Bonaros was able to table a signed letter from both Vice-Chancellors seeking to guarantee funding for the new university and provide transition costs funding to the existing student organisations. A drafting note was introduced by Ms Bonaros which protects both organisations and the democratic right of students in determining it’s structure and function. This drafting note sits within the final legislation.
Composition of New Council
The Government also refused to allow for a third student representative on the University Council with the Student Organisation President becoming an ex-officio member of the Council. This would bring the number of students in-line with the number of staff that currently sit on Council. The Alumni representative which the University of Adelaide currently have was also removed, reducing representation from those with lived-experience of being a student.
The rationale for not allowing the third member of the University Council was the pending final report of the University Accord. A review date for the legislation has been set up to allow for changes in the University Accord to occur.
Student Ombud
The Student Ombud position was deemed to not be required in the act and instead it was suggested to me that a statute of Council should be passed in the new institution to establish the independence of the Ombud’s office.
Some of the big wins for stud
Guidance around Governance matters and Operational matters will become clearer and a delegation of authority register is currently being drafted with the General Manager due to seek feedback from both the board and staff.
Funding for Rural and Low-SES Student Scholarships
As part of her advocacy, the Hon. Connie Bonaros MLC also guaranteed a significant amount of funding from the Government to grant scholarships to Rural and Low-SES students. A fund was also set up for Flinders University to allow them to offer similar scholarships to students who wish to go the Flinders University instead of the new Adelaide University.
I reiterated the importance of providing opportunity for students from with inherent barriers to gaining education because of geographical location or socio-economic status and was grateful for Ms Bonaros’ efforts in this space.
The bill has now passed both Houses of Parliament.
I also made a brief media appearance in the Advertiser talking about the potential that the New Adelaide University brings for students.
Strategic Planning
Due to the level of experience the board currently has and the short time period until the creation of a new institution, the opportunity has been undertaken to conduct some strategic planning early December. This allows for the General Manager to utilise the experience of the current board while relying on the enthusiasm, energy and ideas of the new board to finalise the plan and see it implemented across the next two years.
Improving Governance Structures
Improvements to internal governance structures and policies have begun with a number of new policies being discussed at Governance Committee and between the GM and President.
Guidance around Governance matters and Operational matters will become clearer, and a delegation of authority register is currently being drafted with the General Manager due to seek feedback from both the board and staff.
Appointment of New Board Member to Opportunity
This item has been included for transparency. USASA Board members were presented with the opportunity to attend the TEQSA conference. Due to the timing of the conference, other conferences occurring at the same time and financial constraints, no current board member was able to attend. I sought advice from the Director: SEU on whether the opportunity was intended for a USASA Board member or for a student leader. Given the nature of the conference and the content that will be discussed, it was an opportunity that should be for USASA Board members. After discussions with the incoming President and the General Manager, I opted to extend the invitation to the incoming board. An application process was outlined and two questions were asked:
Three responses were received. One from Yesh Varona (Incoing City West UG Rep), one from Agrani Kashyap (Incoming Mawson Lakes UG Rep) and one from Naman Mathur (Incoming International Student Rep).
While all candidates would have been suitable to attend the conference, Agrani was able to clearly articulate above and beyond the other candidates why it would be of benefit to the organisation and how she would benefit as a student leader from attending. She also tied the field in with her studies and showed a comfortable level of understanding of what the topics covered in the conference are and their relevance to being a USASA Board rep.
After this discussion on the applications between myself and the incoming President, Oliver Shephard-Bayly, the recommendation was made to recommend Agrani Kashyap for the opportunity to SEU.
16 Oct - USASA Board Meeting
25 Oct - Meeting with GM
26 Oct - Meeting with GM
27 Oct - Meeting with GM
31 Oct - University Council Strategic Planning Day
31 Oct - University Council Lunch
31 Oct - University Council Meeting
31 Oct - Meeting with UniSA General Counsel
1 Nov - Meeting with incoming YouX President
7 Nov - Governance Committee Meeting
8 Nov - Clubs Grants Assessment Meeting
9 Nov - Governance & Nominations Committee Meeting
14 Nov - Meeting with Student Ombud
14 Nov - Meeting with YouX
16 Nov - Meeting with Director: SAS
16 Nov - Finance Committee Meeting
This month is my final month at USASA. It has been dominated by handover and the finalising the administration around some Governance matters.
Handover
Handover with the incoming President, Oliver Shephard-Bayly is now well underway.
This has been a mixture of meetings, events and one on one sessions. Oliver has joined me for a number of tasks and has started to take on responsibilities as it relates to the planning for the new Adelaide University. SENCON was also a great opportunity to discuss some ideas for the coming year.
The handover also includes writing down some procedures and giving progress updates on relevant board projects and the President’s activities. This is a mammoth task.
Student Experience Network Conference (SENCON)
This month, I attended the Student Experience Network Conference along with the incoming President – Oliver Shephard-Bayly and four of USASA’s staff. The conference was a great experience to hear from the many students organisations and other groups who are a part of SEN. While the organisations vary in size and composition it was great to share ideas.
At the SENCON Awards night, USASA was lucky enough to win Most Successful Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative for 2023 for our 2023 Pride Fair. Congratulations to the Marketing and Events team for the fantastic achievement.
Future Report
Unfortunately, after SENCON I contracted gastro and so was out of action for a week. With last month’s meeting being late, this has made this a very short report. Given that a lot will happen in the latter part of December, the next report should be quite large.
21-23 Nov - Student Experience Network Conference
4 Dec - Strategic Planning Conversation
6 Dec - New University Meet and Greet
Hope everyone enjoyed their break and are ready to start the new academic year. Listed below are some of the activities I participated in past month and planning to do next month.
18/01/23 – USASA BOARD RETREAT
The event happened last month where all the board reps, various USASA staff members and representatives from UniSA gathered in Hahndorf to prepare us for the coming year. This board retreat was personally very helpful to understand about my role and responsibilities and connect with my fellow representatives.
19/01/23 – FIRST BOARD MEETING
In the first USASA Board Meeting of 2023, I was elected as the convenor for the Education Committee.
25/01/23– MEETING WITH VICE CHANCELLOR
Isaac and I met David Lloyd, Vice Chancellor of UniSA to discuss the upcoming events this year where student voice and representation could be incorporated. It was a great opportunity get his useful insights into my role.
31/01/23– 04/02/23 --NUS PRESIDENT SUMMMIT
Isaac and I had a wonderful opportunity to attend the President’s Summit by NUS in Melbourne.
08/02/2023 –HDR REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE (Continuous activity)
Isaac, Cristine, and I had a discussion regarding the mail I received from HDR Representative of Research Degrees Committee. This is to potentially form a group/committee of all the HDR Reps from different academic units to talk about common HDR issues.
Next month’s planned activities
Meeting with all the HDR Representatives from different Academic units on 2nd March 2023
Discussion about CAPA affiliation and some background Research about the organisation
First Formal Inquiry on 1st March 2023
International Student Welcome Reception, O week, Campus Tours and Campus Fair
Below is the list of activities I participated in February and March and some events planned for the coming months-
20/02/23 and 21/02/23- INTERNATIONAL STUDENT WELCOME RECEPTION
Alex and I had an amazing opportunity to promote USASA and its services to new international students. We welcomed the new students by giving out free USASA goodies. We got a good response and a lot of students showed interest in knowing more about the association.
24/02/23 –FIRST ACADEMIC BOARD MEETING
Sam, Hayate, Isaac, and I attended the first academic board meeting of the year.
28/02/23 – MEETING WITH DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR-Research and Enterprise
Isaac and I met with Marnie Hughes Warrington, the deputy vice chancellor to get some insights about the HDR students and their scholarships. This meeting was essential for gaining knowledge to host the meeting with HDR students to discuss their issues.
01/03/23 – FORMAL INQUIRY
It was my first formal inquiry and let’s just say it was stressful.
06/03/23– CAMPUS TOUR (PART OF INDUCTION TAINING)
As a part of my induction training with the university, I was given a tour of all four campuses and a brief history about each.
07/03/23- COUNCIL MEEETING
Isaac and I attended the first council meeting of the year.
08/03/2023 –CORPORATE INUCTION TRAINING
I was required to attend the corporate induction training as a part of my council member training. It was a brief introduction about the university, how it operates, and the people running different units within the university.
08/03/2023 – CAMPUS FAIR
I attended the city west campus Fair, gave out freebies at the USASA stall and interacted with a lot of new students.
10/03/2023 – CLUBS COMMITTEE
Alex did a wonderful job in chairing the first clubs committee.
15/03/2023 – HDR MEETING AND 17/03/2023 – EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING
I will update the board about these two events in the next board report, but these meetings are organised, and all planned out.
Going to Brisbane for taking the course, “Governance in University Sector” from 11th April to 14th April.
Discussion about CAPA affiliation and some background Research about the organisation. (Which was on hold last month.)
Formal Inquiry on 22nd March
As I had two major submissions in the month of march, I apologise for not being very active. I would like to give you some updates about the HDR meeting and Education Committee held last month.
HDR MEETING
I had a wonderful opportunity to chair this meeting with HDR representatives from different academic units. Hayley Caldwell, the HDR rep for Justice and Society gave a presentation on Increasing the RTP Scholarship. The meeting was quite productive as it was a chance for all the reps to discuss about long going issues among the HDRs. After the meeting, Hayley Caldwell recently updated everyone that UniSA will be successfully raising their stipend to match the University of Adelaide to $32,500.
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
I chaired my first Education Committee which was again a great success. We discussed the Accords paper. The second topic of discussion was about the online lectures and whether the university should go ahead with it.
I am working with Alex to promote Clubs Committee among the clubs by meeting all the club executives. This will be done to raise awareness among clubs about the committee and that they can raise the issues they might be facing with the committee.
Along with Jayce, Hayate and Alex, BBQ event is being planned at City West.
I am also planning an activation event exclusively for HDR students.
Last month I got an opportunity to go to Brisbane to attend the Governance in university sector course. I have three binders worth of notes on governance and finance, if anybody is interested to borrow them and have a look, please ask Cristine. Personally, it was a very useful course where I got to learn the basics of governance and how to read financial papers.
MAPPING OUT STUDENT REPRESENTATION
I am working with Cristine on mapping out student representation across the university. We also intend to formalise the roles and responsibilities of ASR from different academic units. As a part of this project, I emailed STEM ASRs and had a meeting with two of them at Mawson Lakes. This is an ongoing project, and I would be emailing other ASRs from other academic units in the coming weeks.
HIRING PANEL
I got an opportunity to be a part of shortlisting and interview panel for hiring Coordinator: Student Engagement Unit. It was a very new and learning experience.
GRADUATION AND COUNCIL MEETING
As a council member, I attended graduations and the council meeting.
USASA POP-UP AT CITY WEST
Alex, Jayce, Hayate, Kush, and I successfully held a USASA Pop-Up barbecue at City West where we gave out free food and USASA goodies. It was an amazing opportunity to promote USASA and meet fellow students.
I hope you all had a smooth and successful exam season. For those who still have exams remaining, I want to extend my best wishes to you.
The past month has proved to be quite challenging for me. Between the demands of exams and an unfortunate incident back home, I found it difficult to give my absolute best. Nevertheless, I managed to attend the academic board meeting and had the privilege of chairing the Education Committee.
During the Education Committee, we had the honour of hosting two distinguished guests from the University: Professor Esther May, Pro Vice Chancellor of Teaching & Learning and Tania Kanellos, the Academic Registrar of Student & Academic Services. Their presence provided us with a valuable opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions and exchange feedback regarding online lectures, examinations, and the emergent issues register.
I had an informal meeting with Alex, during which we invited club executives to engage in a discussion about clubs, with the aim of promoting the clubs committee and highlighting the importance of club spaces.
Additionally, I had the privilege of being selected as a member of the esteemed judging panel for UniSA's prestigious Image competition, which focused on showcasing excellence in research and teaching. As part of this esteemed panel, we meticulously evaluated numerous submissions, carefully scrutinizing each entry to identify the top three deserving winners. Furthermore, we handpicked a selection of entries for the highly anticipated People's Choice awards, providing an opportunity for the wider university community to participate and recognize exceptional talent.
Thank you for allowing me to share these updates with you. As the holiday season approaches, I extend my warmest wishes to you all. May you find joy and relaxation during this well-deserved break.
Thank you.
Hello Everyone,
I trust this message finds you well. In this report, I will provide an update on the matters for the previous board report as well.
Firstly, I am delighted to report the resounding success of the campus fair, which saw enthusiastic participation from every club. It was a commendable collective effort.
I am pleased to inform you that my proposal for an all-inclusive HDR networking event has received approval. I anticipate hosting this event in the near future.
During the recent Education Committee meeting, a survey was distributed to all student representatives, yielding valuable and impactful feedback. This well-researched data was subsequently presented to Prof. Esther May, Pro Vice Chancellor: Teaching and Learning. She recognised the necessity for improved training for Academic Unit Boards and has graciously entrusted the Student Voice team with this responsibility.
Furthermore, I, along with USASA President Isaac Solomon, had a productive meeting with Prof. Marnie Hughes-Warrington, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Training. I shared details about the upcoming exclusive HDR event and sought her insights. This meeting served as a valuable platform for both parties to exchange pertinent updates.
In addition, I had the opportunity to collaborate on a Student Voice video project with Prof. Joanne Cys, an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Looking ahead, the upcoming month promises to be a busy one as we focus on organizing and planning for the Ethnocon and the HDR event.
Thank you for your attention and support.
Hi eveyone!
It is a pleasure to once again be a member of the USASA student board for 2023. I hope everyone had a chance to reset over the holiday period and are ready to jump back into their studies!
January was relatively quiet regarding my USASA responsibilities as the year has only just begun, but I am expecting it to ramp up over the next few months.
USASA Board Retreat
This year marks the fourth board retreat I have attended since joining USASA. It's always exciting to see the energy that the new board comes in with and their different ideas and perspectives. This board seems very eager to get started and I am excited to see what they get up to this year.
January Activities
18/01/23 - USASA Board Retreat (day 1)
18/01/23 - Stem Formal Inquiry (1)
18/01/23 - Stem Formal Inquiry (2)
19/01/23 - USASA Board Retreat (Day 2)
19/01/23 - USASA Board Meeting
27/01/23 - Academic Integrity Workshop
February Planned Activities
07/02/23 - ISSP Governance Group
13/02/23 - Enterprise Hub Tour
20/02/23 - USASA Reconciliation Committee Meeting
20/02/23 - USASA Governance Committee Meeting
20/02/23 - USASA Board Meeting
As always, if you want to have a chat or have any ideas or issues that you’d like me to follow up on, please don’t hesitate to get into contact with me
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all having a great start to the year and are jumping into your studies for a successful semester! I don’t really have much of an update for this month as I was wrapping up my summer internship. Now that my internship is over, I’m excited to jump back into my studies and to be back on campus.
If you’re ever around on City-West campus, you can probably find me near the USASA student space in the Student Lounge – come along and say hello!
February Activities
07/02/23 - ISSP Governance Group Meeting
March Planned Activities
16/03/23 - Academic Integrity Awareness Campaign Launch
20/03/23 - Reconciliation Committee
20/03/23 - Governance Committee Meeting
20/03/23 - USASA Board Meeting
30/03/23 - USASA Staff Symposium
As always, if you want to have a chat or have any ideas or issues that you’d like me to follow up on, please don’t hesitate to get into contact with me.
Hi! I haven’t been up to much this January as I was spending time with my family in Malaysia for the holidays. It’s been getting busy again this February as we’re preparing for O-Week! I’m excited to meet students from all over the world and welcoming them to the uni life. As for events, I’ve been thinking of planning a student BBQ. It sounds like so much fun (and free food… I mean). I’m also preparing for my first placement, it’s going to be hectic. That’s all for now, good luck for the semester ahead!
Hello hello,
February was a super busy month! I flew in to Adelaide on the 8th and had to move on the same day…
Moving on to other things, I volunteered for O Week and before that as well! If you saw me around, I was probably in a UniMentor, StudyAdelaide, or USASA shirt. It was so much fun talking to all the international students and informing them of what UniSA and Adelaide has to offer! The International Students Welcome Reception was entertaining as usual, and I’m glad things went smoothly.
Hayate, Jayce, Riya and I are making plans for a City West BBQ! Hopefully all goes well! Kush and I are also looking into planning an event for SP5 O Week, let’s see where that goes. :D
That’s all for Feb!
Hey!
I hope y’all have been well and taking care. Ramadan Mubarak to those who are celebrating! The weather’s getting colder, so please try and stay warm.
Furthermore, I had met up with Benjamin, an international student, on the morning of the 24th of March to catch up and discuss issues that are happening in the international student space. We agreed that the shift in working hours would affect a lot of students. Immediately after, I met up with some USASA staff to discuss the Risk Management Framework. This is because I am planning on creating a survey/focus group to ask clubs about their opinion regarding the new club space opening. Later that evening, I visited the City East campus to attend Zahra’s Ramadan Treats pop-up. I had a fun time trying new snacks and meeting students. Lastly, I visited the City West campus on the 31st of March to attend the second Ramadan Treats pop-up. I had fun as well!
Oh, and the City West BBQ is hopefully going ahead. The event proposal form is completed and submitted, super excited for it!
Anyway, that’s all for this month. Have a picture of when I attended the Ramadan Treats event at City East!
Hey there,
Winter is really coming now; I can feel it…
For the month of April, I attended a few activities! I had fun at the USASA and UniSA Staff Symposium Networking event. I met with a lot of staff and club executives, and it was lovely to get to know them.
Then, the 14th of April was my busiest day. I joined the “Ways of Productivity Ninja” workshop facilitated by Think Productive. It was helpful in changing my working habits and how to be more efficient. After lunch, I attended the Education Committee monthly meeting. I discussed mentoring programs and how that can be implemented better for future new students. Finally, I chaired my second Clubs Committee meeting. We had four things that were discussed. We came to a good conclusion for all items.
The monthly Board Meeting on the 17th was also great, with the student board catching up on what they have done in April. Furthermore, I met with Cristine to discuss my role as a convener. It was helpful to clarify what I am required to do.
I had a few activities outside of being a USASA representative as well! I met with Paula Geldens, the Executive Dean of Justice and Society, and other Academic Student Representatives to discuss developing the student voice and experience. I also attended a two-day Mental Health First Aid Training workshop held by UniSA. Lastly, my club, ChatBox, had its Annual General Meeting on the 28th. We had so much pizza…
Anyway, that is all from me this April! Take care and please feel free to email me at joeay001@mymail.unisa.edu.au for anything :D
Hello!
Happy Pride Month! (I’m writing this report in June haha).
The month of May was busy for me! I attended the 2nd DEA Committee meeting on the 2nd of May. We had a discussion regarding accessible club spaces at Mawson Lakes. We also had the City West BBQ on the 5th of May. Other Board members and I had to ask students to come and take extra sausages before the event ended (it was chaos!).
I also chaired my 3rd Clubs Committee meeting on the 12th of May. We discussed the promotional clubs meeting that was held by Riya and me on the 26th of May. Two clubs came and conversed with us! We would love to do it again at a better time frame next semester.
I attended and represented USASA under the UniSA booth for the Indonesian Festival on the 21st of May. It was so much fun meeting other Indonesians and introducing USASA/UniSA to potential students.
Lastly, I met up with Zorka Simic and Ella Renfrey from the Student Engagement Unit to discuss a potential O-Week activity. Hopefully, it will happen!
That is all from me this month! Good luck with your exams, assignments, and studies! Do take care, drink lots of water, eat, and get a good sleep. You got this!
You can always contact me via email: joeay001@mymail.unisa.edu.au if you want to talk, bring an issue up, or need any help with navigating university life :D
Alex
How are ya! I hope your break treated you well.
July was a quiet one for me. I visited Tasmania with a few friends during the break. It was beautiful!
I also volunteered for O-Week as part of the Campus Tours. As a board rep, I introduced new students to what USASA, and the Board has to offer. Orientation is one of my favourite times of the year.
The fifth Clubs Committee meeting was also held on the 26th of July
Other than that, you can contact me via email: joeay001@mymail.unisa.edu.au ! Good luck to the new students!
Hello :D
November had me stumped… I caught the flu, and had 5 assignments due…
I hope it has been better for you! Celebrate the end of the year with a good rest and maybe some partying!
That’s all from me, you can email me if you need to chat or have some questions: joeay001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Enjoy
Hi everyone, and hope you all did enjoy your holiday as much as I did and I am very excited to see you all again during O week  
I am the City Easy Student Representative and on my third year Bachelor of Physiotherapy.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Board Retreat in January as I was in Iran for holiday. It looks like we will have a busy month with O Week and Campus Tours throughout campuses. Now that I am done with my deferred exams, I will be doing O week with Kush the undergraduate representative for city east and we are planning to meet and discuss on important issues and tasks/goals we can set for improving the student Life here at UniSA.   
Me and a couple of other members who missed on Board Retreat will be having our training on 3rd March which I am really looking forward into and hoping to learn more about the USASA and what we can do as a team.  
I am looking forward to the upcoming year and all the wonderful things we can do together.  
Best regards,
Zahra Bayani
I hope you’re all enjoying the start of your semester and have had an amazing break.
I attended the first committee meeting which was the DEA committee meeting on 6th of March. We talked about the Student Poverty and Youth Allowance and how it would affect students' life if there would some changes to the currents law around the students' allowances.
Over the couple of weeks I have been planning an event for the Ramadan month to help students break their fast while they are at uni.
The event has so far been confirmed and I need your generous help to promote and spread the world around the campuses so many students are aware of it.
The Friday Ramadan Treats during the holy month of Ramadan will be on 24th of March at City East, 30th of March at City West and 14th of April at Mawson Lakes.
Here is the current version of the posters you might see around campuses soon! Thanks for the Reps who have been helping on promoting the event.
I also attended the Board Training on 3rd of March which was a whole day training. Board training was really eye opening, informative, and beneficial and now that when I finished the training, I knew more about my role and what was expected of me as a Student Rep here at City East.
I attended O Week along with my fellow City East Undergraduate Rep Kush on 20th, 23rd and 27th of February.
I also attended one of the Campus Fairs at Mawson Lakes and helped the Labor Club with their stall at the day and I am looking forward to the City East Campus Fair which is happening on 15th of March.
Over the past month I caught up with my fellow City East Rep to decide on future events and brainstormed what is needed for city East students and how we can enhance the students Uni life experiences and we are excited to share some of our ideas soon.
I am looking forward to my first Formal Inquiry which is happening on 21st of March and so excited for the Ramadan Treats.
And I cannot wait to see all the Student Reps in person next week at Board Meeting.
I hope you’re all enjoying your time as a student representative and keep doing the amazing work!
For my first Formal Inquiry that I attended I can say I felt a bit overwhelmed, but I realised what an important role and impact we have in student’s uni life.
During this period, I also ran the Ramadan Event which has 3 phases with 2 of them delivered already. On 24th, 31st of March, 14th of April, the event was happening at City East and City West and Mawson Lake Campuses. 50 students came by and stopped for a friendly conservation as well as having some traditional Persian sweets and dates as a small Iftari for those who were fasting. I had other students representatives’ company during those events which was really nice to see students getting to know us as well.
In April, I will have placement which means I will not be available from 8am to 5:30pm and later for some other days. So I am unable to attend as many events and Formal Inquires as I wished, but I look forward in future events held by USASA .
I hope you're all having a good time as student representatives and that you keep up the great work!
I have been busy with my university placement and haven’t been able to attend events and meetings as much during this period. But still was able to attend the USASA Pop Up stall which happened at City East Campus Basil Hetzel Plaza along with USASA President Isaac Solomon, my other fellow City East Rep Kush, and few other Reps.
Student were able to get free BBQ served by USASA Reps along with USASA goodies. The event was overall a positive experience, it allowed us the student reps to make friends and connect with other fellow students from various background. It was a good way to hear students’ perspectives and concerns related to their uni life. We did engage with lots of students, and we promote the wellness day at UniSA as well. There was another USASA pop up stall which I was not able to attend as I had other commitment, but I am sure they are did great.
On April-May, I had placement on which means I was not available from 8am to 5:30pm. So I was unable to attend as many events and Formal Inquiries as I wished, but I look forward in future events held by USASA and any future FIs.
I hope you all are doing great, and that you had a satisfying exam period. As your student representative, I have been busy with university exams but have also participated in some exciting discussions and events.
The DEA committee held a meeting on the 7th of June to discuss the Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Workshop. The committee members discussed the importance of creating awareness about sexual assault and harassment and how to prevent it. The workshop was aimed at educating students about the issue and providing them with the necessary tools to deal with it. The committee members also discussed the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for students who have experienced sexual assault or harassment.
On the 19th of May, the committee discussed and gave feedback on an online lecture and the students' views on the pros and cons of having online lectures. The committee members discussed the benefits of online lectures, such as flexibility and convenience, but also highlighted the challenges, such as technical issues and lack of interaction with the lecturer. The committee members also discussed the importance of providing students with the necessary resources and support to ensure that they can effectively participate in online lectures.
On the 9th of June, the committee members were joined by fellow student representatives for the focus group conducted by the Volunteer Program Coordinator of USASA. The focus group discussed and brainstormed how a volunteer program should look like. The committee members discussed the importance of creating a volunteer program that is inclusive and accessible to all students. The focus group also discussed the benefits of volunteering, such as gaining valuable skills and experience, and the importance of recognising and rewarding volunteers for their contributions.
Best regards
City East Student Representative
Hello everyone!
It’s the time of the year where classes start up once again (for most of us)! Having been overseas over January of 2023, I was unable to attend the USASA Board Retreat. However, I have kept up with the meetings and have planned my involvements in several events and committees.
Over February 2023, I will attend the Finance Committee meeting on 14/02/2023 and take part in O-week as a campus representative. Furthermore, I hope to meet with Zahra, the City East Campus Representative, to discuss potential events we can organise at City East to make it a more exciting and vibrant campus to be at.
I am excited to work with everyone on the Board now that I am back in Adelaide, and I look forward to meeting as many people as I can over O-week and the rest of the year!
Don’t hesitate to contact me, I’m always happy to talk!
Kush
I hope all of you have been enjoying the first few weeks of the newly started semester!
A little update on what I’ve been up to over the month of February. My February was packed with events. Starting with being a UniMentor, I was involved in engaging many of the new students and leading campus tours. I was also involved in reaching out to new students and informing them about what USASA is and the services it offers.
I also attended my first Finance Committee Meeting chaired by Jayce on 14/02/23, where I got to learn much about USASA as an organisation and how it plans to continue supporting students as best as they can. I have spoken to fellow City East Rep Zahra about potential events we can plan and execute in the City East campus, which I am excited to be sharing with everyone shortly.
In the coming months, I will attend my USASA Board Rep training session on 3/03/2023. I will also attend my first Clubs Committee Meeting on 10/03/23 and Education Committee Meeting on 17/03/23. I am looking forward to putting my ideas forward to these committees. I also plan to sit on my first Formal Inquiry panel on 20/03/2023.
Cheers,
Kush Modha
Hey everyone, I hope all of you have had a great Easter and are enjoying this 2-week break. I would like to outline what I have been doing over the month of March.
In the early March, I found myself busy attending various committee meetings, namely Education, Finance and Clubs. Here, we discussed several matters which I am passionate to follow up about such as improving opportunities for internships and placements for students as well as increasing awareness of available existing opportunities.
Furthermore, the month of March also saw me attend my first formal inquiry. It was a new and intimidating experience going into it not knowing exactly what to expect, but I found it fulfilling, being able to represent the voice of students and help decide on a fair outcome.
I also attended my fellow City East Rep Zahra’s Ramadan Treat events at City West along with Jayce, Hayate, and Alex. Here are some photos from the event!
Until next month everyone! Meanwhile, feel free to contact me via email if there is anything I can help you with!
Hey everyone, I hope all of you have had a good Easter Break. I thought I’d share what I’ve been up to over the month of April.
April for me was busy in the early half, with many tests to study for, but I did manage to set aside time to attend a couple of important committee meetings, where we discussed some very important topics, particularly with regards to education.
I also sat on my second ever Formal Inquiry, and I was pleased to report it went well with the outcome being very fair.
Apart from that, with much less time spent on campus due to the Easter break, I did spend a lot of time catching up with my own studies. That’s all from me for now, and I’ll see you all again soon next month!
Hey all,
I hope everyone has had a wonderful month of May, and preparing well for exams & submissions as we approach the end of SP2.
Over the month of May, I found myself busy attending several meetings, namely the Finance meeting and the USASA Board meeting that took place on the 15th of May 2023, where we went through the current and future state of USASA’s budget along with Perpetual.
I also attended the Education & Clubs committee meeting where we got into the discussion of issues that we could look into in the future and the disparity in communication between course management & students themselves.
Apart from that, I found myself busy in my own exam preparations. With the Month of June upcoming and a breather from the hectic academic curriculum Uni throws at us, I hope to contribute significantly more at USASA.
I hope everyone enjoyed their break and is ready to tackle the new semester! Over the month of July, a relatively quiet one, I visited Melbourne & Sydney to see my relatives.
Over the upcoming few weeks, I will be attending a formal inquiry, as well as the monthly committee meetings for the finance, education, and clubs’ committees along with the monthly board meeting.
I hope everyone has a fruitful semester!
Hope everyone has had a great start to SP5. The second half of the year is always more challenging than the first, and it is now where we must put in our best effort for all the assessment pieces Uni throws at us.
Over the month of August, I have gotten up to several things, the first being attending another finance meeting. Furthermore, I sat on yet another formal inquiry and have gotten to talk to my fellow peers at city east regarding their potential running for next year’s student board.
I also attended this month’s board meeting on 17/08/23 where we went through the key takeaways of the various committees of the board. Apart from that, my August has been just like yours, keeping up with Uni work, waking up extra early for Brekky Bar, and resting up over the weekends!
I hope everyone continues to have a productive SP5 with the final week of assessments and classes and hope everyone has a enjoyable, well-deserved break!
I do hope everyone is excited to start the academic year and be involved in the events that are run on campus. Since my last board meeting, I have become interested in ways to keep myself and others motivated to achieve their goals. I look to the newly appointed Australian Rugby Union coach, Eddie Jones, for inspiration to become the best. Since my last board meeting, I have become interested in ways to keep myself and others motivated to achieve their goals. I do hope everyone is excited to start the academic year and be involved in the events that are run on campus.
On to USASA activities for this month, I attended the USASA board retreat and the first Board meeting on the 18th of January and 19th of January to work with other USASA stakeholders to discuss our responsibilities and how to perform our role effectively. On the 27th of January, I attended the academic integrity workshop with other student representatives and USASA staff to discuss the views of how academic integrity should be tackled from the perspective of USASA. On the 3rd of February, I met with the Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Randell to discuss the direction of the Reconciliation Committee for 2023.
As always if you would like to discuss anything with me, please send me an email.
Thanks,
Hayate Yamada
Hi everyone.
I wish everyone to enjoy the first few weeks of semester 2. During this period, we have seen several events go ahead, which include Orientation week, UniVibe and Campus Fair, to name a few. I am excited to attend many more events with you throughout the year. Also, please remember to join the clubs that are at USASA and get involved in leadership opportunities.
Now on to what I did during this period.
21/03/23 – Orientation week student space
Met new UniSA students and introduced USASA about what the USASA Board does to improve students’ life at the university.
24/03/23 – Academic Board and UniVibe event
Attended the first Academic Board of the year and listened to many exciting opportunities at the University. Cristine Dagnoni gave a presentation on the Student Voice project and how the Student Voice can positively impact students.
I attended the UniVibe event at 6:00 pm with several members of the USASA board. I enjoyed talking and listening to many students at the University about what they want from USASA.
28/03/23 – Orientation week student space
Another amazing opportunity to introduce USASA and its services.
06/03/23 – Reconciliation Plan meeting with Daniel Randell
I discussed with USASA CEO, Daniel Randell the short and long-term strategies that the USASA could undertake for the Reconciliation Action Plan.
07/03/23 – Whyalla UniSA campus UniVibe Event
I travelled to the Whyalla campus to help run the UniVibe event. I enjoyed talking to the Whyalla students about becoming a Student Representative and getting involved in the Student Voice project. I wanted to thank everyone who contributed to the event, and I hope to go back there sometime this year!
10/03/23 Meeting with Alex and Jayce
I had a meeting with Alex and Jayce to discuss what events can be run at City West campus. We came up with several great ideas and are excited to run some of the events at the City West campus.
That is all for what I did during this period. This month, I will be attending the Academic Integrity Awareness Campaign Launch – a discussion with Richard Iron and Sheridan Gentili about the Academic Integrity Workshop, Reconciliation Committee and Governance Committee meeting.
As always, if you have any issues or want to talk about anything, please contact me anytime.
I hope everyone has enjoyed the period of March and April. During this period, I participated in several activities that I found enjoyable. I am excited to attend and create many more events throughout the year.
Now on to what I did during this month.
16/03/2023 – Academic Integrity Awareness Campaign
The event was the official launch of the collaborative video project by many stakeholders on academic integrity. The event highlighted the impressive work of five current UniSA Creative students.
20/03/2023 – Reconciliation Committee, Governance Committee, Board Meeting
Reconciliation Committee: As the convenor of the committee, I have had the role for a few months, I have created specific actions that the USASA organisation can complete reconciliation activities. I hope to update you all on the outcomes of the efforts throughout the year.
Governance Committee: In the governance committee, several policies needed to be reviewed. All committee members engaged in good discussions to improve the policies in USASA.
Board Meeting: All board members engaged in discussions on the board agenda.
30/03/2023 – USASA staff symposium
I met with all the USASA staff members and gave a self-introduction to them, outlining my goals in the role that I have this year.
4/04/2023 – Business and USASA catch up
I met with Business course coordinators and the president, Isaac Solomon, to discuss issues regarding students and potential solutions that could be implemented.
As always, if you would like to discuss anything, please get in touch with me.
I hope everyone had an enjoyable period as we slowly move closer to the end of SP2. During this period, I was busy with many assessments and other extracurricular activities. However, I was still able to attend the USASA Pop-Up at City West which was a great event. I hope to attend many other events throughout the month of May and June.
As always, if you would like to discuss anything, please contact me.
I wish all students undertaking exams and attempting to finish all assignments good luck.
This month, I was able to complete the following:
24/05/23 – Reconciliation Committee
Continued the great discussion and creation of culturally safe practices and policies.
31/05/23 – Meeting with Luis
We discussed what USASA and the Board are doing well and what we can improve this year and beyond.
1/06/23 – Meeting with People, Talent and Culture
We discussed HR practices and policies that the University implements to ensure that all employees and students feel safe at the University.
30/05/23 - Botanic Gardens Native Plant Trail during Reconciliation Week
A Botanic Gardens Native Plant Trail that allowed students that attended to delve into the cultural heritage of Aboriginal People while discussing native plants. I want to personally thank Amy Almeida from SEU for her ongoing support and organising until and at the event. In addition, I would like to thank the people at Kumarninthi for a great tour around the Botanical Gardens.
Here is a link to their website: https://kumarninthi.com.au/
7/06/23 – Reconciliation Committee
Discussed ways in which the Reconciliation Committee can present to all members of USASA our commitment to Reconciliation.
As always, please feel free to contact me,
I wish all students enjoying the start of SP5 are ready to take on any challenge that is in front of them.
19/07/23 – Campus Tours Magill: Had a great discussion with new students starting at Uni SA on USASA.
19/07/23 – Campus Tours City West: Discussed what USASA does to students
26/07/23 – Reconciliation Committee: Continued the great discussion and creation of culturally safe practices and policies.
I wish all students enjoying reaching the halfway mark of SP5 and to finish well. I acknowledge that this period is hectic as many students have a lot of responsibilities.
7 August - Formal Inquiry meeting: Meet with several students on different issues.
I’d like to first acknowledge students who are showing resilience while managing many responsibilities. As we are heading into the back half of SP5, I wish all students success in their studies.
During this period, I was able to attend Academic Board on Friday 22nd of September and meet with students to discuss issues and opportunities.
Thanks
I want to thank everyone that I have met during my time on the board since the middle of last year, and I am grateful for the opportunity that I was granted to fight for the City West Students and Uni SA students broadly.
December and November were a reasonably relaxing time, with my only USASA-related activity being the attendance of the governance committee to discuss important matters.
Thank you, and good luck to the next board.
Hi Everyone
I hope you all are looking forward to the coming academic year. Thus far, as the City West Undergraduate Representative, I have begun to settle into my new role. On 11/12/22, the 11/01/23 and the 10/02/23, I met with my fellow campus representative Hayate Yamada to plan for the year ahead and discuss an upcoming event.
On the 18/01/23I attended the USASA board retreat where I learned more about my responsibilities. It was a great experience and I particularly enjoyed connecting with the other reps. On the 19/01/23 we had our first board meeting. There, I became a member of the Governance Committee, and was elected the convenor of the Finance Committee.
Since then, I have prepared to chair my first finance meeting, which will be held on the 14/02/23. I had a meeting with General Manager (CEO) Daniel Randell and the board’s financial advisor Kaveeta Magandram, and had a meeting on 10/02/23 with the convenors of other committees, to ensure that I am prepared for the role.
I look forward to the year ahead, and to meeting as many students as I can during O-week.
Jayce
I hope you all have enjoyed the beginning of the semester and are settling into the new academic year well.
On the 14/02/23, I chaired my first finance committee meeting. This went very well, and I am excited for the year ahead. I am currently preparing to chair my next meeting which will be held 14/03/23.
On the 20/02/23, I attended my first Governance committee meeting, and my second board meeting. Again, these went well and we had some strong discussions about policies and the year to come.
This month I sat on two formal inquiry panels, and I have three scheduled for the following month.
On the 24/02/23, I had a meeting with fellow campus representative Hayate Yamada, followed by another meeting on the 02/03/23 about an upcoming event that we are planning. I had another meeting with Hayate, as well as the International Representative Alex Felicia-Joe to begin planning another event.
On 02/03/23, I spoke to students with USASA President Isaac Solomon, and Hayate, at the “Ask Isaac” pop up. Here, I was able to meet many students, and discuss issues affecting students. It was great to meet so many people, and I am looking forward to meeting more people over the following year.
Happy mid-semester break, I hope you all have had a great Easter holiday and are not studying too hard during the couple weeks you have off.
On the 14/03/23, I chaired my second Finance Committee meeting. We discussed the boards financials and noted that they are well. There is some variance between planned and actuals, which is based on the time of year, but everything else is very good. We approved the audit reports, and discussed ethical investments and considerations. I am currently preparing to chair my next meeting which will be held 13/04/23.
On the 20/03/23, I attended my second Governance committee meeting, and my third Board meeting. It sounds as if all of my fellow student representatives have been super busy, and it has been great to work with a team that are genuinely trying to make students’ lives better.
I sat on three formal inquiry panels this month, and have one more scheduled for the following month.
I met with fellow campus representative Hayate Yamada on various occasions this month, primarily to plan for the year ahead. These dates included the 10/03/23, 17/02/23, and 05/04/23. We’re really excited moving forward with the year, and have a lot we want to achieve.
On the 30/03/23 we had the USASA staff symposium. It was great to meet all of the people that work so hard to keep USASA operating, and I though the day went very well.
I had a meeting on the 17/03/22 to discuss and Academic Integrity event that Hayate and I are running. This was to be held on the 05/04/23, but due to unforeseen circumstances, had to be postponed. Hayate and I are working on various ways that this information can be delivered to students, and we are extremely excited to be revisiting this idea when we back from the mid-semester break.
On the 31/03/23, I got to meet a lot of students at the City West Ramadan Treat snack night, run by the City East Representative Zahra Bayani. Zahra has done an amazing job with this initiative, and I felt very privileged to have been there on the night to talk with students, hand out snacks for students to break their fast with, and to celebrate Ramadan with Muslim students. It was also great to have been able to catch up with the other City East representative Kush, our City West representative Hayate, and our International Student Representative Alex.
I’m looking forward to another busy month ahead.
I hope everyone is not too busy as we move into the tail-end of the first semester of 2023.
On the 13/04/23, I chaired my third Finance Committee meeting. We discussed the Board’s financials and observed similar variances to the previous month. I, along with the rest of the Committee, were pleased to have advisors discuss with us how we can invest ethically, and many different ethical considerations that are taken into consideration within an investment portfolio. I am currently preparing to chair my next meeting which will be held 15/05/23.
On the 17/04/23, I attended my third Governance Committee meeting, my fourth Board meeting, and the USASA AGM. The Governance Committee yet again engaged in strong discussion about policy and other board relevant matters. The USASA AGM was great, and I loved hearing from Isaac about how USASA have served our members throughout the year. As impressive as it was, I am super excited to see how those numbers and statistics improve next year, and the year after.
I had a Formal Inquiry scheduled for this month, which was cancelled, but I have one more scheduled for the following month.
Hayate and I are still in discussions about what is going to occur with the Academic Integrity event that got postponed. I hope to figure it out very soon.
I had the pleasure of attending a Committee for Adelaide event with Isaac on May the 2nd. This was a great opportunity to represent students, network, and listen to an amazing and informative panel. On Friday the 5th of May, I helped run the USASA City West Pop-Up barbeque for students. Despite the volatile weather, I had a great time meeting students and discussing USASA. (I also enjoyed handing out the free food.)
I had a great month, and I’m super excited for the month ahead.
Hey Everyone
I hope everyone is studying hard as we approach the end of Semester 1 2023.
On the 15/05/23, I chaired my fourth Finance Committee meeting. We discussed the Boards financials and began to discuss the budget planning process. We also had our financial advisors discuss our portfolio, and the current economic climate. I am currently preparing to chair my next meeting which will be held 15/06/23.
On the 15/05/23, I also attended my fifth Board meeting. I will be attending the next Governance Committee and Board meeting on the 19/06/2023.
On the 10/05/23, I attended my sixth Formal Inquiry.
17/05/2023, I caught up with the USASA Coordinator of Governance and Student Leadership, to check in, reflect on what work has been done, and discuss how we can improve moving forward. On the 22/05/2023, I caught up with the President of the UniSA Marketing club to check in and see how everything was going.
While this month was extremely busy, I look forward to contributing more to our highly determined team at USASA this coming month.
Hi all, I hope everyone has enjoyed the winter break, and are rested and ready for the next semester.
On the 13/07/23, I chaired my sixth finance committee meeting. We discussed the boards financials and continued to discuss the budget process. We had an extraordinary finance committee meeting 04/08/2023 to further discuss the budget. I am currently preparing to chair my next meeting which will be held 17/08/23.
On the 17/08/23, I attended my seventh board meeting, and the June Governance Committee meeting. The next meetings will be the 21/08/23.
I’m looking forward to a productive semester.
I hope everyone has had a good month.
On the 17/08/23, I chaired my Seventh finance committee meeting. We discussed the boards financials and discussed Policy. I am currently preparing to chair my next meeting which will be held 14/09/23.
I will be attending a formal inquiry 26/09/2023.
I will also be attending the September Board meeting 18/09/2023.
I hope everyone is well.
This month, I attended a formal Inquiry on the 26/09/2023.
After much deliberation the September Finance Committee meeting was postponed. The Finance Committee will be going over the September and October Financials on the 12/10/2023. I will Chair the longer meeting and prepare to Chair the November meeting which will be 16/11/2023.
This month, I also attended the September Board meeting on 18/09/2023, I will be attending the October board meeting 16/10/2023.
Hey everyone!
It’s always exciting to start a new year but I’m especially keen to step into the new role of Magill rep for 2023.
I was lucky enough to attend USASA Board retreat which was a great opportunity to both get some training on the role but also to formulate goals for the year. I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can do to both support and advocate for students this year. I’m also excited to work with Lucy to do some great things at Magill.
Please reach out if you need any anything this year.
Oliver
Hey Everyone!
Hope people are settling back into Uni and haven’t had too much trouble finding tutorials and getting back in the swing of it. I know personally I always find it too be a bit a shock after such a long break.
I was really excited to start working on lots of the projects which will start to pan out over the next couple of months. It was great to have a chat with Lucy and brainstorm some great ideas for events at Magill and also create some plans to push for lots of positive change around campus. It was also great to chair the first Governance Committee Meeting of the year and from that work to create better policy around lots of the great work USASA Student Representatives do on University Committees.
It was also awesome to see some many people out around campus and through tours. If you ever do need anything or even see me around Magill please don’t be afraid to say hello.
Once again if anyone has any questions or ideas you can contact me.
Have a great month everyone!
Hello, hope that everyone has had a very productive month and has enjoyed a little rest over the Easter long weekend.
I’m really excited to say we will be hosting a Shrek Movie Night in the Magill Student Lounge on Friday the 14th of April. It’s been something I’ve worked on over the last month and I’m really keen to see how the event goes. It’s been really great to see high engagement with students through USASA’s social media. And many students actively registering to the event and voting for the Movie on Insta. It’s something I would really like to continue throughout the year as well with events like these a great opportunity for Magill students to connect and enjoy uni life outside of academic studies.
I’m also excited to get work underway with a constitutional review so that the Governance committee can consider changes to the USASA constitution so we can continue to function efficiently as an organisation and strive to keep improving our representation of Students.
It was also great to have a student meeting with the Vice Chancellor last month and hear about the Uni’s thoughts and business case for a university merger, I and all the other USASA reps also feel strongly that students need to have a strong voice in this process and will continue to push for greater student consultation and protect the interests of students during this process.
Have a great Uni break everyone!
Hey,
Hope everyone had a productive month, here’s a quick recap of everything I got up too.
Had another productive board meeting where we got started on the process of putting together USASA’s budget this year. Also had very productive Governance and Finance Committee meetings where we discussed how USASA’s savings are invested and how we can get the best return while also investing student money in the most environmental and ethical way. While continuing to debate the critical issue of how USASA representatives are placed onto University Committees so that they can best represent students.
It was also great to take part in the City East USASA Pop-Up Barbeque, it was awesome to see what a great turn out there was to grab a sausage in bread and have a chat about student representation. I’m excited to say that soon we’ll have an event like this at Magill and looking forward to meeting more of you.
Until next time, please reach out if anyone has any questions or needs anything.
I hope everyone managed to get a bit of rest in over the mid semester break and is also enjoying getting started on another semester. For me this was in comparison to the rest of the year a relatively quiet month. It was great to have the opportunity to Australian Universities Round Table on generative AI. We also had a productive Academic Board and Governance meeting.
It has also been great meeting so many people during campus tours and club events.
Hope everyone has a great month,
I hope everyone is enjoying getting stuck into their courses. It’s been a busy month, the largest focus of mine has been undertaking the hiring of a new general manager for USASA. This has been an important process to ensure that the student association remains on track and continuing to empower students. After interviewing candidates I’m quite optimistic for the future.
It was also great news that Uni SA will be hosting NUS Ethno con later in September. I’ve been helping to plan this event and I’m extremely excited to welcome student leaders from around Australia to consider and talk about the issues that affect our extremely diverse student population.
Once again please reach out if anyone has any questions,
Hey everyone,
It’s once again been quite a busy month, with the passing of the new university legislation and many other strategic focuses for USASA. I’m very excited to be stepping into the role of President for the 2024 USASA Board. Over the month it’s been great to focus getting the ball rolling on another year for USASA and making sure we have an amazing board at a very important time for students.
I’m also excited to be attending the Student Experience Network Conference at the University of Wollongong and hoping to learn a lot from the practices and experiences of other student associations. I’ve also been organizing the delegation to the National Conference of the NUS in December which is a really important opportunity for UniSA and South Australian Student voices to be heard at the national stage helping shape the policies of the NUS and campaigns effecting and achieving results for Students.
It was great to also have another really productive governance and finance committee meeting!
Can’t believe this is my last board report of the year, While the year gone so quickly I’m proud of everything we’ve been able to achieve as a board.
It’s been a busy month, It’s been great to participate in workshopping around the creation of student experience in the new university. It’s also been exciting to start the handover process and help prepare for the 2024 board.
I was also amazing to participate in the interviewing process for next years verse team. I’m really excited to see everything they will achieve next year.
Currently I’m attending the National Conference of the National Union of Students. It’s a really important opportunity for Uni SA students to have their voices heard at a national level and to help guide the policies of the NUS going forward.
Hope Everyone has a very Merry Christmas,
Please reach out if you have any questions
Hey Hey!
I am very excited for this year and the month ahead, being able to work with you all.
So far this year I have been able to attend the USASA board retreat which was an amazing experience to meet and connect with everyone there. I found it was also a valuable opportunity to narrow down my goals for the year and what I would like to achieve while learning about myself and my leadership style.
I am excited to work with each of you and seeing what we can complete as a team and individually.
In February, I hope to meet with Oliver more and start to create some plans and ideas for what we can do together throughout the year to make an impact and exciting environment at Magill.
Always here for a chat and would love to talk to all you throughout the year.
Lucy
Hope everyone is have a good time back at Uni and being on campus!
This month Oliver and I had a chat about the different projects we wanted to work on throughout the year. With some key events surrounding the campus and a positive campus atmosphere.
I also chaired the first Diverse, Equity and Access (DEA) Committee meeting where we discussed some key ideas around how we can support the NUS report on Student Poverty and Youth Allowance.
I am very excited for the Campus Fair on Thursday the 16th of March and to get out and talk to more students on campus and see how Oliver and I can help support them and bring a positive vibe to the campus throughout the year.
It has been so good to be back on campus and being back amongst everything over the past month.
Can’t wait to keep working with you all this year!
Hey all, hope everyone had a relaxing Easter weekend and a good start to their Uni break.
This month has been a very exciting month with a few things getting organised to start over the next few months.
The first thing I am very excited about is that Oliver and I are having a movie night at Magill on Friday the 14th of April. We will be watching Shrek and hoping to meet and get to know as many students as possible. It has been really exciting to see the engagement we have had with it on our social media as well as the amount of people that have already registered to come. Oliver and I are really excited to bring life back to campus over the past few years and this is one of the many things we will hopefully do this year.
I’m also excited to start working with the UniSA SASH team on a few different programs this year. I had a meeting with Isaac, Luis and the SASH coordinators (Anna, Natasha and Rowena) this month to start talking about the different ways to get students involved in the work SASH is doing and how we can incorporate students, USASA and the DEA committee into it all.
It was also so much fun meeting so many students at the USASA Pub Crawl which was on the 6th of April. I was able to talk to so many different students from every campus and have different conversations with them all about what they are studying and what they want out of their Student Board.
I hope you all have a relaxing break and a productive start back to the year!!
Reach out if you need anything 😊
Hope everyone had a good break and a good first few weeks back at Uni.
This month I chaired another successful DEA meeting and have started to work closely with the Rainbow Club President to help them widen the door to their club room to be a more inclusive space. As well as organising a time for Anna (SASH programs coordinator) and her team to come to our next meeting to start engaging student leaders with the work they are currently doing.
I also had a meeting with the Mason Lakes Representatives and Oliver to organise a joint event between the two campuses and start planning for a USASA Pop-Up Barbeque at Magill in the next few weeks.
It's been great being back on campus the past few weeks and meeting different students and chatting about how USASA can help you with different issues facing students.
Hope everyone has a good month!
Hope everyone is doing well at the end of the semester!
This month I attended the South Australia Pharmacy Student Association (SAPSA) cocktail night and was able to talk to a variety of students and University sponsors about their degrees and the work they are doing in their fields of study. It was very interesting to listen to their stories and receive their feedback on the support they would like to receive.
I also chaired a meeting with the DEA committee and different student leaders from, USASA, PASS and Uni Mentors to talk with Anna about how we can help leaders feel prepared if someone discloses instances of sexual assault and sexual harassment to them. We were able to have in depth conversations with how the different groups of leader feel around this space and how we can better support our leaders to feel confident to handle different disclosure situations. This is an ongoing collaboration to hopefully make student leaders feel more supported and more confident around different disclosures.
Good luck to everyone completing their final assessments over the next few weeks!
Fawlc001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Hope everyone had a good month and went well in their end of semester assignments.
This month I was fortunate enough to travel to Brisbane with Sam and Oliver for the 2023 NUS Education Conference. Over the 4 days I was able to learn about different events, programs and support systems other student leaders are doing within their universities to enhance student experience. I was also able to have insightful conversations with different leaders on how they have implemented change within their universities and how we can do the same at UniSA.
This month I also attended an online zoom workshop with End Rape on Campus (EROC) to chat with them, other organisations such as the STOP campaign and other student leaders on what there are doing to help prevent and educate students around Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment.
Finally, I have been able to continue to work with Anna to finalise the Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment student leader handbook to help empower student leaders in cases of disclosure.
I hope everyone has a relaxing break before the next study period! Please reach out if you ever want a chat 😊
I hope everyone had a good semester break and I hope you are all having a successful start back to the new semester. This month has been pretty chill, with a lot of planning around upcoming events and meetings including the Magill Campus BBQ and the Clubs Social Event on the 16th of August.
With the new board elections coming up I have been involved in some of the promotional material this month, including recording a ‘podcast’ around the board this year and wat we have done. I am looking forward to the rest of the promotion coming up and meeting with everyone who is running for 2024.
I hope everyone has a good rest of the month/beginning of next month!
Reach out if you need any help with anything 😊
Hope everyone had a good month and survived the end of winter.
This month I was able to meet different students at the Magill USASA pop up BBQ. It was so great to see so many students back on campus and enjoying the sunshine we had. I also attended the Club Social and was able to chat and get to know some of the Club Executives.
We had a DEA meeting where we started to talk about some exciting projects we are going to start working on throughout the rest of the year.
I hope everyone has a relaxing mid-semester break. Feel free to reach out to chat any time. 😊
Hope everyone had a good month and is settling back into the Uni Semester.
This month I attended a seminar run by TEQSA, with the central theme and focus being ‘Educating for Equality: Taking a whole-of institution approach to preventing gender-based violence’. It was a good session to listen in on and learn how different governing bodies are approaching and taking action against gender-based violence.
I was also fortunate enough to attend the NUS Ethnocultural Conference which had a key focus around supporting POC students and how we can better equip our leaders and Uni staff to create safe and inclusive spaces on campus. It was also a good opportunity to network and connect with other student representative around the country.
Good luck for everyone with their end of semester and exam prep over the next few weeks. I am always available for a chat 😊
This month has been pretty quiet month with the end of semester approaching.
I was able to get out and meet so many students over election week and have some really insightful chats about what they want out of their student organisation. It was a good way to connect and engage with students and their needs/wants, to start working on some goals for next year.
Good luck to everyone completing final assignments and exams over the next few weeks as well.
This month has been pretty quiet month with all of the assignments and assessments going on.
I have been working in the background on some of the previous DEA projects happening to make them happen at the beginning of next year.
Have started to get ready for the NUS National Conference happening early next month. Which should be very exciting and will be a great chance to network and connect with other student leaders around the country.
Welcome back! It’s once again board report time from your friendly neighbourhood Mawson Lakes Student Representative!
18/01/23 - USASA Board Retreat
I once again visited the Adelaide Hills Convention centre for a 2 day long intensive retreat to train up the new board on all in the ins and outs of being a student representative, Myself, Hayate, Isaac and Rhys as returning member did our best to impart our knowledge to new representatives.
19/01/23 - First Board Meeting
The last event for our training retreat was the First Board Meeting of the year! We went through all the usual processes and appointments to various committees. This year I will be supporting students through our academic advisory group and academic board!
I am very excited to meet you all during O Week!
As always, please feel free to reach out.
Sam Bhattacharjee
Mawson Lakes Student Representative
Over the last four weeks I have been out and all around campus! To start off myself and the Mawson Lakes Undergraduate Representative helped out at our student spaces for campus tours during O Week, this was an amazing opportunity to meet all of you guys who are just starting out for the year, I hope your first couple weeks at university so far have been amazing!
After O week I had the great pleasure of attending UniVibe hosted by the University at both Lion Arts Studio at City West and also in Mount Gambier! It was an excellent time, and I was so happy to meet and connect with so many new students, it was a great time!
As mentioned earlier, I was lucky enough to accompany the USASA Coordinator: Governance and Leadership as well as the Student Representative Support Officer to Mount Gambier to wrestle up some drive to fill our currently vacant Mount Gambier Representative position. It was a beautiful campus with amazing facilities! If you are passionate about representing your fellow students at Mount Gambier, please nominate soon!!
Otherwise, everything else went along as usual, I attended the monthly Board Meeting along with the Governance Committee and Reconciliation Committee and I attended the Academic board and SAPAG.
Thank you for your time and I hope to see you around,
March has come and gone and it is once again time for a recap of all that’s happened! If you remember at the start of the month, I visited Mount Gambier to promote the Mount Gambier representative position, and I attended the Mawson lakes Campus fair as well as the Magill Campus fair! These events where amazing and I was so happy to meet so many new students and talk to them about what stages of uni they are in, what they like/dislike and what experiences they want out of university.
After all this I attended part one of the USASA Board Symposium, this event is to help bridge the gaps between USASA staff, University staff and Board reps, I gave a short presentation about myself and my role to the USASA Staff and will do the same for the University Staff in April, I was able to listen to many insightful presentations from staff members about their roles and how they can support us ending with an activity where we planned a mock event.
Speaking of event planning, Myself and the Undergraduate Rep: Jeel, are currently planning a few events to help bring some more life to the campus, so please keep your eyes peeled for any news about future events.
To finish this off I attended the USASA Outer Space Pub Crawl!!! It was an amazing time and I was able to talk to so many of you! Plus I got some alien sunglass, overall this event was awesome!!!
As always, if you want to reach out please do so at Bhasy035@mymail.unisa.edu.au.
I’d like to start off by saying hope you are all well had some much-needed time off during the mid semester break! I definitely got some rest and was ready to go once again!
April started off with a bang at the Outer-Space Crawl! It was so amazing to see so many people came along, it was definitely one small step for man one giant crawl for mankind! After this I enjoyed the long weekend and got my work finished up before the start of the mid semester break!
After this I attended the USASA AGM, this was a very interesting event and it was nice to see the few members who attended, after the AGM I attended the monthly Board meeting and everything went as is.
I also hosted the Beer Enthusiast Team AGM, of which I am the President. Looking forward to some club activities!
The start of May saw me Attend the USASA City East Pop-Up BBQ! It was a great success and I look forward to hosting the Mawson Lakes one sometime in the near future.
This month was less jam- packed as it fell between the down time for Uni but I am ready to jump back into the fray.
As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please reach!
Hope your SP2 is winding down the way you want it to be!
This month was pretty cruisy for yours truly, aside from attending the Board meetings and committee meetings, I had the pleasure to attend the SAPSA cocktail night, this was a great event, and it was awesome to see a USASA club host such and awesome event! As I said last time, at the start of May I went to the City East barbeque, I will also be at the Mawson Lakes and Magill barbeques so please come by and say hi!
Speaking of! USASA clubs are active as ever and now is definitely the time to check out what events your fellow students are getting up too and how you can get involved.
June is looking to be a jam-packed month, aside from final assessments, I’m going to be doing a lot of fun stuff, I’ll keep you posted so look out for us on your socials!
Please stay safe and have fun, rest up and good luck with your exams!
As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, you can reach me at Bhasy035@mymail.unisa.edu.au
I hope your assessments went well and you have enjoyed a well-earned break!
Aside from finishing up the semester, June was an interesting month! I attended the Diversity, Equity and Access Committee meeting which was a special presentation on the SASH toolkit that the university has developed, this was chaired by the Magill Undergraduate Representative Lucy and was a very interesting meeting with lots of information that will help students!
I also attended the monthly Board meeting, this was an extra special meeting as we said farewell to our CEO Daniel Randell, after being here at USASA for a decade it was time for him to move on to new things, I wish him all the best!
Then I attended Academic Board, and as many of you would have been notified via emails, I was told about the University of South Australia’s position regarding the creation of a new university, if you have any questions comments or concerns, please forward them onto our president Isaac Solomon.
I closed out the month of June with the annual National Union of Students Education Conference held at the University of Queensland, this was a 4-day conference were student leaders from around the nation held workshops to help understand how to tackle student issues that different universities face. This week was very inciteful and I had the pleasure of running one with the Magill Student Representative Oliver as well as appearing as a guest on a panel for a different workshop. The workshop I ran with Oliver was about how to ensure we get the best outcomes for students; this workshop was filled with great conversation and students from all over the nation gave their thoughts and ideas. The second one I appeared on was all about engaging smaller states, this was a great way to show everyone how great SA really is.
June was a busy month, so I hope everyone is using their holidays to get some much-needed rest! As always please contact me with any questions at bhasy035@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Hello everyone!!
I hope the start of SP5 has been a good one!
This month was fairly chill as I am easing into the semester and I hope you are all doing the same.
To kick things off I would've seen a lot of your faces at this year's orientation events! You would've seen me during your tours of Mawson lakes, it was an awesome time to see all those new faces and I hope you all got something out of the tours!
I was also involved in some USASA marketing materials for our upcoming elections! For more information visit our website!
And lastly Jeel (the undergraduate representative) and I held a barbeque at Mawson Lakes, it was an amazing time and we literally flew through our sausages and veggie patties.
So far so good for SP5, as usual if you have anything you want to talk about or ask please contact me at bhasy035@mymail.unisa.edu.au
August was a fairly cruisy month, I attended four formal inquiries and our monthly board meeting.
If you have been notified of any Academic integrity issues and are stressed or anxious, our team at USASA do an amazing work to advocate for you and help where they can. You can find out more by following this link: https://usasa.sa.edu.au/support/academic-advocacy/
Also keep an eye out on the USASA Instagram page and you might see some familiar faces!!
As always, I am here to answer any questions comments or concerns!
September was an excellent month,
With SP5 just hitting its peak I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy!
This month UniSA was proud to host the National Union of Students Ethnocultural conference, the topic was our spaces, our voices, our rights. This student conference was a great way to connect with students from around Australia and hear their stories. It was a three-day event where speakers from other universities shared important information about issues surrounding the ethnocultural differences and how to best address them. I was lucky enough to also present about Academic integrity again and had many enlightening conversations about how we can best represent international students.
Overall, it was a great experience and one that I hope more students can attend next year.
Otherwise, September went as usual,
If you want to reach out, please email me at Bhasy035@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Hi all!
These last 2 months have really gone by!
I would like to start by thanking each and everyone on my campus who has come along to a USASA event, it is amazing to see everyone thrive and out and about.
In my time as a representative of Mawson Lakes I really feel like I have seen and done it all, so now it is time for me to pass on the torch and retire.
I want to wish the new board all the best
But more importantly, I want to wish you the best
Thank YOU for supporting me and thank you for allowing me to represent such a fine campus.
Yours always,
Hello everyone,
This month had been quite busy for me as I engaged in various activities that were focused on improving my skills and knowledge in different areas. I started with attending the Campus Fair at UniSA where I had the opportunity to interact with new students and inform them about USASA and the range of events and services we offer. This experience enabled me to share my expertise with others and make a positive impact on their college experience.
In addition to this, I also took part in Board Rep Training, which equipped me with the necessary skills to perform my new role. The training was comprehensive, and I feel well-prepared to take on the challenges that come with the position. I also brainstormed ideas with Sam about hosting a "Meet Mawson Lakes Reps" event, which could bring students together and create a sense of community and help introduce ourselves to the students on our campus. I plan on discussing this further with Lucy and Sam on hosting an event with Magill Campus since both campuses share common students.
Overall, it has been a productive month for me, and I am excited to see what the future holds.
Jeel
This month was an eventful one for me. One of the highlights was attending the symposium, which turned out to be a super fun experience. It was great to meet and get to know the USASA staff who work tirelessly to make our university experience better. I also had the chance to share some details about myself, and it felt good to be part of such a vibrant community.
In addition to the symposium, I had a fruitful meeting with Sam to discuss organizing a "meet the reps" event at Mawson Lakes. We brainstormed and shortlisted some super fun activities for the event, which I am excited to see come to life. I can't wait to share the details with everyone and see how it turns out.
Also attended a meeting with Isaac, where we discussed ways to make our services more accessible, especially in regards to mental health, and what steps we could take towards it. It is crucial to ensure that our students have access to the right resources when they need them. We came up with some ideas on how to improve the services, and I believe it will help us better serve the student community.
Furthermore, I sent an email to the Magill reps to explore the possibility of doing an event together. Collaboration between campuses is always a great way to build strong relationships and enhance the student experience.
As the semester progresses, I am looking forward to more exciting opportunities and experiences. I can't wait to see what the coming months hold and what more we can achieve together as a team.
Regards,
I wanted to share some of the things I've been busy with this month as a board member.
Firstly, I sat on a Formal Inquiry panel. It was a challenging but necessary task, and I'm glad I could contribute.
I've also been working on the mental health survey, supported by the Acting CEO of USASA, to discuss the survey and what we need to do next to move the survey forward. I am excited to continue working on this project and contributing to the improvement of mental health services for students.
Finally, I attended a meeting with Lucy, Sam, and Oliver to discuss a potential event that would bring together students from Magill and Mawson Lakes campuses. We discussed ideas on how to create a sense of community between the two campuses, given the common students that they share. I am eager to continue collaborating on this initiative and contribute to creating a more unified student experience.
That's all from me for now! Looking forward to continuing to work with all of you to make a positive impact for students.
During the past month, I was part of various activities which focus on campus safety, mental health, and exam support. As the end of the semester approaches, it has been a busy period with studies.
I held a meeting with Luis, the acting CEO, and Isaac to discuss the progress of the ongoing Mental Health Survey project. This survey plays a crucial role in gathering valuable insights into the mental well-being of student.
DEA Meeting and Committee Meeting: I attended the DEA meeting, joining student leaders from various organizations, including USASA, PASS, and Uni Mentors. The primary focus was to develop strategies to help leaders feel better prepared when confronted with instances of sexual assault and harassment disclosures. This collaborative effort aimed to create a safer and more supportive campus environment.
Clubs Meeting: I participated in the Clubs meeting, fostering connections with club representatives and getting to know about Alex and Riya’s event. This engagement aimed to enhance the vibrancy and inclusivity of campus life, contributing to the overall well-being of the student body.
As the end of the semester approaches, I would like to extend my best wishes to all students for their upcoming exams and assessments.
Also, if you need to reach out to me, you can via email at Bhajk002@mymail.unisa.edu.au. I am here to provide support and help address any concerns that students may have.
Jeel 😊
During the past month, I was part of various activities which focus on campus safety, mental health, and exam support. As the end of the semester approaches, it has been a busy period with studies. 
Here is a summary of my activities and engagements during the past month that I’ve been up to:
5 July - Formal Inquiry
10 July - Formal Inquiry
Clubs Meeting: I actively participated in the clubs meeting, where we discussed various matters related to the clubs' functioning and activities.
Australian University Learning and Teaching Leaders Round Table on Generative AI: I had the privilege to attend the round table event, where we engaged in discussions regarding generative artificial intelligence and its implications for learning and teaching in the university context.
Lastly, I would like to wish everyone the best of luck with their upcoming assignments. I am confident that your dedication and hard work will yield positive outcomes. 
Also, if you need to reach out to me, you can via email at Bhajk002@mymail.unisa.edu.au. I am here to provide support and help address any concerns that students may have. 
The month of August, dense with its calendar of activities, provided me with multiple avenues to connect with the student community. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of my engagements:
Formal Inquiries: Throughout August, I was a part of 7 FI, my involvement in the formal inquiries was on: 1st, 10th, 15th, 17th, and 22nd August and 2 on 24th August
Mawson Lakes BBQ (4th August): If you were there, you know it was more than simply tasty food. We chatted, shared stories, The ambiance, enriched with the scent of BBQ, facilitated an organic flow of conversations.
Campus Fair (9th August): What an energizing day! The Campus Fair was bustling with activity. It was wonderful to see so many students, both new and returning, exploring the stalls, clubs, and activities on offer. A highlight of the month.
Monthly USASA Board Meeting (21st August): Our monthly catch-up was insightful. We touched base on various projects and plans, and as always, it was great to hear from everyone.
DEA Meeting (23rd August): Joined DEA committee and collectively addressed important campus issues. The focus remains on building a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment for all.
Mawson Lakes Open Day (27th August): Met some bright-eyed potential students, and it was truly rewarding to share our experiences and answer their many questions about what lies ahead.
As the end of the term approaches, I would like to extend my best wishes to all students for their upcoming assessments.
I hope everyone enjoyed their break and are ready to hop back to Uni!
This past month, I participated in the NUS Ethnocultural Conference. The event was rich in discussions about the challenges faced by POC students and the importance of creating an inclusive campus environment. Through various workshops, I gained actionable insights that I believe can benefit our Uni. It was heartening to see the collective commitment to fostering inclusivity and ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, feels valued and supported in their academic journey.
Additionally, connecting with student representatives from different universities was invaluable, allowing us to exchange experiences and brainstorm solutions. I look forward to discussing these insights further with the board.
Lastly, I would like to wish everyone the best of luck with their upcoming assignments. I am confident that your dedication and hard work will result in positive outcomes.  
Also, if you need to reach out to me, you can via email at Bhajk002@mymail.unisa.edu.au. I am here to provide support and help address any concerns that students may have.  
Hey all, I hope you've all had a great start of the year.
Being an online student, classes for me had started even before the January Board Retreat–which was a fantastic way to get everyone up to speed on the role of Board Member as well as catch up personally–so my studies are well underway already and I wish you all luck with the start of your own.
The start of the year has been incredibly busy for me professionally, leaving little room for me to get on top of some of the tasks I wanted to begin with, such as meeting and collaborating with the Online Student Advisory Group and introducing myself and USASA to online students. These I will action before my next report. Whilst I can do that, my full-time work schedule loosens up around May and I will be able to engage in Formal Inquiry meetings. If I can get time off earlier for ad-hoc events such as these, I will. Fully aware of my tight timeframe at the start of the year, I did not elect to join any board committees.
With that, I wish the rest of the board success in the restart of their studies this year.
Brendan Ritter
To the online students, good luck with your SP1 exams that will commence shortly. To the campus students, I hope you’re happy and excited to begin your SP2 courses.
This month I have contacted the Online Student Advisory Group and am planning to meet up with their leadership team shortly when our schedules align. I spoke briefly to some of them in November at an Online student event and opening a channel of discussion was suggested, which I strongly agree with and will facilitate shortly, which I expect to bring value to both groups.
Over the past two months most of the students I spoke with – both online and on-campus –have admitted to not knowing about the student services provided to them by both the University and USASA. With the start of SP3 approaching for Online students, I am drafting a communication email to online students advising of these services, which I hope will assist some students in their study that were previously unaware of these services at their disposal.
This is all from this month
This month I attended the first day of the USASA Symposium, which proved to be just as helpful as I was hoping it would be. Of particular interest to me was the activation/event planning scenario and understanding just many requirements are completely different for events designed for online students. I was also advised that previous feedback from Online students was that they were interested in more workshop- and skills-based events and activities than fun- or social-based events (not that workshops can’t be fun!), which is something I will take into considering when looking into what events can be held for online students. I also want to take in feedback from the Online Student Advisory Group and discuss with them whether they have any further insights or ideas that could be put forth, potentially as joint ventures. Unfortunately, due to competing time constraints, the Online Student Advisory Group and I have not yet been able to meet up to discuss mutual interests.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, 11 April) is the second day of the USASA Symposium, and I am excited not only for the content, but also for the networking event and to talk to some of the clubs about their online student involvement and capability.
For online students, SP3 is upon us – so it’s back to the books again.
Bredan Ritter
Shortly after last month’s report was written I had the opportunity to attend the USASA UniSA Staff Symposium. This involved hearing from many of the UniSA department leaders including the provost, who was keen to see the online opportunities at the University continue to develop.
The previous Board Meeting was coupled with the USASA AGM, where the acting CEO and current USASA President gave a presentation summarising the organisation’s achievements over the course of 2022, the strategic direction of the organisation, and other notable functions and formalities. This was even attended by a couple of interested students as well.
In discussions with the events team over the past month, and with the beginning of the Working on Wellness campaign during May, an accessibility issue was resolved regarding the booklets of this campaign, so now online students can access and download the booklet if they wish.
I have also been engaging in discussions with the UO Student Advisory group and other student reps, with meetings planned for later in the month.
This month has been somewhat quiet for me given some personal time constraints. I’ve had some back-to-back assignments and moved house, just to name a few.
During the month I met with the University Online Unit’s Student Advisory Group leadership, and discussed how we could work together better now and in future, to ensure the messaging received from students is consistent and we can both work towards a better University Online experience. I have also been given the opportunity to join in on their monthly meetings.
This month I want to create a short survey for the online students to identify online learning struggles so that the USASA team can plan events or other activities to target these struggles, possibly assisted by the UO SAG.
That’s all from me this month. For my UO classmates, good luck with your SP3 results!
As mentioned last month, I have drafted a survey for online students designed to generate usable, quantitative answers. It focuses on online student hardships and use of Uni and USASA services. I have discussed this with the UO Student Advisory Group and have given them a copy, should they wish to add to it. The aim is that the results of the survey will lead to an area of focus for practical event planning for online students.
In the online school we have just started SP4. I wish a happy start to my fellow University Online students, and a warm welcome to the new students joining us for the first time in this study period.
Online Student Representative
In late July I was part of my first Formal Inquiry committee meeting. Interestingly, it involved Artificial Intelligence which was a new topic for almost everyone involved in the meeting, so I made the point of suggesting to the University staff more communication to students on this topic and clearer definitions where required in course outlines or assessment pages.
I also spent a few hours at the Mawson Lakes campus during Campus Fair, giving a quick rundown of USASA’s operations and student focus as they visited the USASA store. Despite an early issue where tours weren’t making the stop at the USASA store, it was excellent to introduce myself and USASA to the groups making the rounds, hand out free copies of Verse, get myself some UniSA merch, and enjoy the fantastic weather on the day. Being on campus again was fun and made me realise how much I missed being on campus in the middle of the student experience again.
The online survey mentioned previously is finalised and should be sent out in the coming weeks.
SP4 has wrapped up over the past month, and I hope all my online peers have had success with their final assessments.
Unfortunately, the workshop for improving communication channels with the SAS team was pushed back, however I am keen to get involved in that discussion, especially as an online student.
At the end of last month, I was included in some filming for Student Voice with the Associate Dean of UniSA Online Jodie George, which was a good chance to catch up with the online team, discuss some things about USASA, and talk about study life balances as an online student which is always a useful conversation to have. The filming itself was a bit of fun too.
With the final courses for the year well underway, I trust everyone is looking forward to the end of the year, and the upcoming holidays.
Improving Student Leadership Communication Channels Workshop
Student leadership at all levels is an important component of the University experience, from campus and coursework all the way through to relaxation and amenities. During the past month I was involved in a workshop aimed at discovering ways to improve communication channels for student leadership. I was joined by fellow board members Riya and Alex, as well as Cristine representing USASA/Student Voice. The workshop was chaired by the Coordinator of Student Engagement Leanne Cotter, and included UniSA Staff from various departments along with Academic Student Representatives. The discussions were positive, filled with ideas, and concluded with action items for both short- and longer-term improvements.
NUS EthnoCultural Conference 2023
UniSA hosted the National Union of Students EthnoCultural Conference this year at the end of September. While I was not able to attend, I received good feedback about the event from those that went. Multiple interstate attendees also admitted how much they enjoyed being in Adelaide and on the UniSA campus’.
New University Input from Online Students
I have been contacted by the Director of Student Engagement Unit (SEU) Brendan Hughes, in regards to running some initial input sessions with students from both Universities. These sessions are to be dedicated to online student involvement, with the current plan to run the initial sessions during the week of the 23rd of October. Whilst the exact date and time is not yet locked in, any online student that wishes to get involved: regularly check your Uni email and aim to keep some nights free that week, if possible, in preparation.
The online student-focused survey released last month has had a good number of respondents however, we will keep it up for a little longer in case any online student reading this has missed out. I would also like to congratulate and welcome our incoming General Manager, Heidi Mander. Heidi has a number of years of experience dedicated to student representation, and we look forward to collaborating with her in the near future.
Cheers
Check out what your student reps have been up to!
President:Oliver Shephard-Bayly: sheof001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Postgraduate Student Representative:Benjamin Opiyo: opiby001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Student Representative:Rhys Pedenpedry002@mymail.unisa.edu.au
International Student Representative:Naman Mathur: matny025@mymail.unisa.edu.au
UniSA Online Student Representative:Lily Durkin: durly004@mymail.unisa.edu.au
City West Representatives:Christopher Fernandes: fercy021@mymail.unisa.edu.auYeshaiah Varona: varyv001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
City East Representative:Jade Hancock: hanja016@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Magill Representatives:Lucy Fawcett: fawlc001@mymail.unisa.edu.auZoe Hughes: hugzp001@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Mawson Lakes Representatives:Henry Zampoli: piray006@mymail.unisa.edu.auAgrani Kashyap:kasay023@mymail.unisa.edu.au
Whyalla Representative:Vacant
Mt Gambier Representative:Vacant
Have a general enquiry regarding the USASA Student Board?