Nerd alert
It’s no secret that USyd has a bit of an image problem when it comes to privilege. It’s something University PR have been battling for years, and despite its high profile low-SES admission campaigns, it can’t hide the fact that students here come from a fairly narrow pool. Honi hears that, this year, the median ATAR of all incoming first year students was 92. We’re sure it’s the result of hard work and true intelligence rather than the natural bump you get by attending a well-resourced Eastern Suburbs school.
You’re terrible, USU-riel
The closing night of a student play was interrupted last Saturday by a raucous wedding the USU had booked in the same building. The cast and crew of Lady, put on by the Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS), were setting up in the Cellar Theatre when they heard loud music from the ceiling. SUDS members soon discovered the USU had rented out the Refectory, the room directly above, for the duration of the production.
“You could make out every word of the music, and of people making speeches”, said one SUDS member. After repeated requests, the sound was turned down, but only an hour after the show began. Furthermore, Honi has been told that a SUDS member who went upstairs to enquire was accused by a USU employee for disrupting the nuptials. The student was asked to attend a “disciplinary meeting” over the incident.
Simple extensions nearing something resembling simplicity
Following last week’s front page story that painted a picture of widespread confusion among lecturers about the University’s new rules for simple extensions, Honi has a promising development: an advance copy of the University’s draft policy.
The draft largely echoes what we reported last week – Unit of Study coordinators can grant extensions of two working days without penalty, but it’s entirely at their discretion. This could also cover all faculties.
The draft has not yet been approved by Academic Board, but Honi predicts it will be, pending a few clarifications. The clarifications should ensure students can submit applications after the due date and should broaden who has the power to award them.
Student members of the Board told Honi that despite the progression towards finality, discussion in the room was heated. Certain members of academic staff remained vocally in opposition to the idea of simple extensions at all.
Croissants and crochets
The running of the Conservatorium’s Music Café will be put to tender after the USU bailed out of the operation, Honi Soit has learnt.
According to our sources, the Conservatorium Precinct Committee (CPC) will put the space out to tender under the direction of the Department of Education (who own the building).
The USU previously operated both levels of the café, including the upstairs food cart.
USU President Alisha Aitken-Radburn told Honi the USU was not evicted, as had been rumoured, but decided to bow out of the café because they were “highly unlikely” to succeed in the tendering process, given the CPC had been trying to remove the USU for “quite some time”.
For the past three weeks, the café has been operated by independent catering company Cupcakes and Canapes, who told Honi they intended to submit a tender when the CPC started the process.
