SRC Officer Reports – Week 3, Sem 1, 2019

President
Jacky He

Updated University Alcohol Policy
During committee meeting this week, the President Jacky He has taken the opportunity to speak out from a student perspective regarding the University’s updated alcohol policy. To further ensure the safe use of alcohol on campus, Jacky have proposed for a brief alcohol policy module to be created for all students to complete before their commencement at the University. The university should also reach out to colleges on campus and in a collaborative manner, ensure the safe use of alcohol within colleges.
I have also had a chance to meet briefly with the Health Services Unit at the University of Sydney, to discuss strategies on how to improve the mental health state of students – in particular international students. We are currently looking to set up further meetings to raise initiatives that will promote mental health awareness amongst undergraduate students.

Caseworkers
One EXCELLENT piece of news that the casework team has informed me about is that within the last week, ALL casework consultation slots have been booked out. We attribute this to the hard work that the caseworkers have committed themselves to handing out wall planners and speaking at orientation events.

Vice President
Dane Luo and Caitlyn Chu

Hello Satellite Campuses!
Over the past two weeks, we have been very busy helping students at our satellite campuses! We joined our professional caseworkers to visit and speak to students at Camden and Westmead (Monday), Cumberland (Tuesday), Conservatorium (Wednesday), SCA and Mallett Street (Thursday). We hope to return to satellite campuses regularly and connect you to helpful services!

We love our Faculty Societies
We supported the SULS First Year Crash Course so that new Law students can learn about services and programs in their degree. Similarly, we ran the inaugural SASS x SRC Welcome Session for new Arts students. We attended a student meeting with the Dental Association to learn about issues facing Oral Health students. And we’re just getting started – this year, we are working with Faculty Societies to help you with your studies.

Tips for Regional and Rural Students
Thank you to the many rural students who have reached out to us in the last few weeks. We know it can be difficult and expensive for you to move to Sydney. If you have moved to study and eligible for Youth Allowance, you may be eligible for two more payments:
Firstly, you can get Fares Allowance if you meet additional criteria. Centrelink will reimburse the least expensive and most available public transport trip during your study after you submit a claims form online. For more information, go to https://bit.ly/2HtQArE.
Secondly, a Relocation Scholarship is provided if you relocate from a family home in regional or remote area to study in Sydney. The payment is $4,553 in your first year, $2,278 per year in the second and third years, and $1,138 each year after that. For more information go to https://bit.ly/2EP7U9k.

If you need any help with these payments, email help@src.usyd.edu.au.

Consultation Hours
Our consultation drop-in times are every Thursday 11am to 1pm in the SRC offices.

Regulations Review
We are working to review the SRC Regulations. If you have any ideas, suggestions or even just feedback, email us at vice.president@src.usyd.edu.au.

Student Housing Officers

Yinfeng Shen, Irene Ma, Ziwei Lin and Seamus Kirk

As student housing officer, we understand that where you live is a core part of your experience at the University of Sydney.

Therefore, our goal in 2019 is to enhance the student experience and to make student housing more enjoyable and more affordable for all of you.

To achieve this we will be pooling our collective experiences of student housing as two international and two domestic students to provide advice and assistance. Our email at student.housing@src.usyd.edu.au is always open for any queries or requests.
We have been working closely with the University Student Accommodation Centre and the Residential College representatives to further the living experience on and near campus.
There are also several events hosted by the SRC coming up this year with a seminar in first semester for students at university owned accommodation.

In the second semester we have a trivia and networking night, a great chance to eat free food, meet fellow students living near you, and win some great prizes.

If you’d like to know more about student housing at the University of Sydney or would like any help, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Looking forward to meet you all!

Your Council at Work
The second Ordinary Meeting of Council was held on Wednesday 6 March 2019.

The following substantive motions were considered and carried:
R6.  Support the School strike for climate
Moved: Lily Campbell
Seconded: Alev Saracoglu
1) The USYD SRC will advertise the passing of this motion with a press release.
1)  The USYD SRC will co-host the central university contingent Facebook event and will share the event on its social media platforms.
1) The USYD SRC calls on students to leave their classes in the USYD walk off on Friday 15th March and commends the NTEU in their refusal to punish students for doing so.

Q1. We need to support Mental Health
Moved: Dane Luo
Seconded: Nick Forbutt
1)  The President and any student representatives will use all mediums to the University (including on University committees) to advocate for:
1)  Uncapping the total number of counselling sessions it offers each student per year.
1) Bringing counselling and psychological services, or other mental health support, to all satellite campuses by having ‘travelling counsellors’, setting up new facilities or otherwise.
1)  Support mental health awareness and initiatives for all students.
1)  The Council will campaign to create mental health awareness and inform students on how to seek support.
1)  The Council endorses and supports the NUS No Mind Left Behind campaign.
1) The University of Sydney SRC commits to fighting against Government and University cuts to student support services, welfare, attempts to increase student fees and costs and calls on greater public funding to these services and affordable public housing.

Q2. End weekend exams
Moved: Dane Luo
Seconded: Jayesh Joshi
The President and student representatives on the Academic Board and other University Committees shall urge the University to stop holding exams on the weekend and seek alternative arrangements for those exams.

Q3. Cigarette Litter Bins
Moved: Jayesh Joshi
Seconded: Georgia De Mestre
1) The SRC will investigate the cost of these bins and the specifics of where and how they should be installed
1) The SRC shall make infrastructure requests for the university to install the bins

R2.Support the SRC’s action in providing Charitable work towards the homeless
Moved: James Ardouin
Seconded: Annabel De Mestre
1)  The SRC shall create a working group, of anyone interested, that shall organise the SRC’s actions on this.
1)  This group shall contact nearby charities that work with the Homeless and investigate ways that the SRC do its part in providing a program to allow volunteers to give food to these local impoverished people.
1) This group shall create a food/donation bank and organise a campaign to the University to promote student and staff donations to this project.
1)  The groups actions shall be focused on, but not limited to, the alleviation of Student and Youth homelessness, especially that of Students of the University of Sydney.

R3. Defend democracy and free speech in the USYD SRC
Moved: Vinil Kumar
Seconded: Grace Bowskill
1) The Sydney University SRC reaffirms its commitment to democracy, freedom of speech and participation in the political process.
2) The Sydney University SRC reaffirms that all meetings of council are open meetings.
3) The Sydney University SRC reaffirms the right of non-councilors to attend and speak in council meetings.
4) The Sydney University SRC reaffirms the right of student media to attend and report on meeting proceedings.
5) The Sydney University SRC Facebook page will publish public Facebook events for each council meeting within 48 hours of councilors being notified of the meeting.
6) The SRC President will publish a statement on the SRC Facebook page and in Honi Soit conveying the SRC’s above commitment to democracy, free speech, transparency and inviting students to attend and participate in council meetings.
7) SRC councilors commit to encouraging a culture of discussion and debate within council meetings through their own participation and will avoid measures that restrict free speech through bureaucratic or procedural means. This includes, but is not limited to:
a) Removing speaking time by proposing speaking limits equal to zero minutes/seconds
b) Disallowing speakers for and against during discussions of SRC motions and procedural motions

R4. The SRC condemns the removal of historic stickers in the SRC OB room
Moved: Ellie Stephenson
Seconded: Swapnik Sanagavarapu
1)  The council condemns the removal of historically valuable stickers from the SRC OB room
1)  The council seriously questions the judgement and principles of the individuals who removed the stickers
1)  Mourns the loss of the stickers
1)  Commits to preserving other important relics of SRC history carefully.

The next Ordinary Meeting of Council will take place on Wednesday 3 April 2019 at 6:00pm at New Law 026.