SRC Officer Reports – Week 5, Sem 1, 2019

President
Jacky He

Progress Update on Open Learning Environment

Readers of my report would have been aware that a particular issue that I have been focusing on ever since the beginning of the semester was Open Learning Environment. Through a meeting with Professor Peter McCallum, the

Chair the Board of Interdisciplinary Studies, we proposed a few preliminary solutions (non-finalised that would aim to potentially increase more six credit point OLE units options, make it possible to complete OLE units through overseas exchange programs, mitigate the extra workload that Dalyell Scholar students have to take on and provide additional support to students. These proposed changes will be raised in the subsequent Board of Interdisciplinary Studies Meeting, and if that is passed, will be reported to the UE Education Committee and Academic Board. If stakeholders and professors are satisfied, the earliest date of implementation will be from Semester 1 of 2020.

SRC Beer and Pizza Party

The SRC is hosting a party at Courtyard for ALL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS! The event will take place on Thursday the 28th of March and we anticipate to have approximately 100 undergraduate students attending. We have also invited a few undergraduate tutors from various disciplines to participate in event. We hope to provide our students with a relief from assessments and allow them to network and receive some study tips from the tutors.

Vice President
Dane Luo and Caitlyn Chu

Upcoming events – Health Days and Picnics

We’re coming to Nursing and Midwifery students at Mallet Street on Tuesday 16 April from 11:30am to 2pm. We’re coming to Health Sciences students at Darlington/Camperdown for a Victoria Park picnic on Saturday 30 March at 12pm with HealthSoc. And at Cumberland on Tuesday 30 April from 11:30am to 2pm. Learn from our caseworkers at the SRC, University student support services, NGOs and local organisations. More events coming soon for our satellite campuses!

New Research and Policy Officer

Over the past two weeks, we have created a new Research and Policy Officer to develop a model for affordable student housing. We are incredibly proud to expand the Casework Department and join the staff to address real student issues. To apply, go to https://www.ncoss.org.au/jobs/7831.

Vice President Consultation

The Vice President consultation drop-in times are every Thursday 11am to 1pm in the SRC offices. Come and have a chat! For satellite campuses, email us at vice.president@src.usyd.edu.au.

Regulations Review

We are currently reviewing the SRC Regulations to improve the way the SRC works. If you have any ideas or suggestions, email to vice.president@src.usyd.edu.au.

Support your Mental Health

We are concerned at the high rates of students experiencing stress, anxiety and depression. We know that it can be difficult as assessments start coming around. There’s no shame in feeling unwell.
Your friends play a very important role of supporting you and talking to them about how you feel is great. However, it does not replace the benefit of speaking to a professional counsellor. If you get a Mental Health Treatment Plan and referral from your GP to see a counsellor, you can get a rebate from Medicare (domestic students) or your OSHC (international students). Some counsellors charge more than that rebate. You can try headspace (for under 25 years) or Uplift Psychological Services to see if you can get a counsellor without paying extra.

You can also access free, confidential help online or by phone, including the Mental Health Crisis Line (1800 011 511), Headspace (headspace.org.au), Lifeline (131 114) or NSW Rape Crisis (1800 424 017).

General Secretary
Yuxuan Yang and Niamh Callinan

The General secretaries are focus on both SRC operations and off-line event in the March.

Firstly, the acquittal for last years expenditure of the SRC’s SAFF allocation was submitted on the 18th of March.This was highly insightful as it was an opportunity to understand the progression of the SRC last year both in terms of projects and expenditure, and we can expand more initiatives and projects from this to blend into students, realize the condition and problem and then represent the student.

Secondly, President,vice president and general secretary did a Audit meeting with Auditors we through the accounts of last financial year and 90th SRC period. After understanding the SRC financial system, we can use more efficient founding to support our project.

Thirdly, we are going to plan our budget in this year. Although we don’t know the accurately amount of SSAF founding, we begin to study previous year founding and allocation. We will meet All the OBs and the collectives to know what is their annual plan and how could we help them.

We also plan lots of offline event to attract student or service students directly. There will be a Pizza and bear party in Courtyard on 28th Marth,and we will commence for about one hundred students every two week,eating breakfast on time is good for students’ body and let them energetic during all day. It is more important that we can touch student during the event, and we get the valuable opportunity to increase the connect between students group and The SRC. We can also promote SRC free service and SRC event in this kind of project.

Residential College Officers
James Ardouin and Annabel De Mestre

It is to our great pleasure that we’re able to present the first report of the Residential College Officers in some time. It is also our privilege to report to the Council that in a meeting of the Residential Colleges Officers, the Department has created the Intercollegiate Collective. This is to be led in 2019 by the Residential College Officers James (Chairperson), and Annabel (Deputy-Chairperson).

The Collective is dedicated to providing College Residents an independent grassroots voice, so that they may have input on the cultural renewal at the College Community, but also to provide a bridge between the Universities administration and the Residents.
Unfortunately, there currently is no budgeted funding for the Department or the Collective. As undoubtedly there will be funding required before the next budget is passed, further talks will have to be entered into by the Collective with the President and General Secretaries; of which Niamh, Jacky and Dane have already been very helpful in providing advice.

The first priority of the Collective Executive is working to ensure the structure of the Collective is set up the best way possible, considering the complicated set of dynamics that exists between different stakeholders. The Residential College Officers are working on meeting with all the Colleges Senior Students and Principals and within the next coming weeks. A Facebook group will be created soon, as well as a formal launch of the Collective at an event, which the format of this will be decided on in the future. The Executive looks forward to achieving its mandate in fighting for the interests of Residents and ensuring all College Residents can experience the most constructive University experience possible.