SRC Orientation Handbook 2016

SRC Orientation Handbook 2016

The University of Sydney’s Students’ Representative Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and study, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. The Gadigal people are the traditional custodians and caretakers of this land but to fully express the complex and spiritual relationship Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island nations share with their sacred lands is nearly impossible.

Every piece of the land upon which we live,work and celebrate on has a story.

Just below our feet is 60 000 years of history, knowledge and wisdom.

We acknowledge that the Gadigal people and those of the greater Eora nation were the first to suffer, resist and survive the brutalities of White Supremacy in Australia.

The centuries-long resistance of Australia’s Indigenous community endures as non-Indigenous Australians continue to benefit from the colonisation of sovereign Indigenous land.

We acknowledge the Indigenous people who work within the SRC and the Indigenous students of the University of Sydney. We turn to Indigenous people within our community to guide our understanding of Indigenous issues and ensure that their voices are prioritised.

We also acknowledge the continuing suffering of Indigenous people as racism and violations of human rights are still a reality for Indigenous people.

This land always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.

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Editorial Welcome to the SRC’s Orientation Handbook; like many a university assessment it is definitely the product of many sleepless nights right before the due date.

Inside you will find a whole host of important information regarding the SRC, its services, and other useful tips for University Life. Also make sure to check out the SRC Departments and Collectives, we are confident that you will find one that will match your needs and wants.

Don’t worry if you are a little confused, feel free to come to the SRC yourself and ask (YES sadly we have not set up telepathy but there may be hope yet.) Finally don’t worry that you won’t be able to hear from us again, because as your General Secretaries we have a whole host of fun things planned for this year, (Ok we lied, budgets aren’t that fun, but hey they are important).

Well, what are you waiting for? Dive in and Enjoy the Read.

- Georgia & Lachlan

Important Contacts Campus security – 9351 3487 Emergency – 000 Police, firefighters, ambulance.

RPA Sexual Assault Service – 9515 9040

Health Services

University Health Service – 9351 3484 – sydney.edu.au/health-service On campus doctors. Reliable, bulk bills for local and some international students.

Student Support

Wentworth Pharmacy – 9660 3338 – Level 3, Wentworth Building

Student Centre – 8627 8200 University department for all things related to your enrolment, HECS, and administration.

Leichhardt Women’s Health Centre – 9560 3011 – lwchc.org.au

Disability Services – 8627 8422 sydney.edu.au/current_students/ disability Support for students with a disability.

Students’ Representative Council – 9660 5222 – src.usyd.edu.au Services & advocacy for undergraduates. Check out the next page for the low down on how we can help you out.

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Campus Dental – 9692 8900 – campusdental.com.au Counselling & Psychological Services – 8627 8433 Free counselling on campus.

Mental Health Access Line – 1800 636 825 Lifeline – 131 114 NSW Sexual Health Infolink – 1800 451 624

a[Test] Newtown – Level 1, 222 King St Newtown NSW 2042 – atest.org.au Rapid HIV testing available for gay men.

RPA Sexual Health Clinic– 9515 1200 Rapid HIV testing available.

Autonomous Spaces Wom*n’s Room – Level 1, Manning House Queerspace – Holme Building Ground Level Koori Centre – Level 2, Old Teachers College – sydney.edu.au/koori International Student Lounge – Level 4, Wentworth Building – 9563 6094

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SRC SERVICES SECOND-HAND BOOKS

LEGAL ADVICE

Buy and sell your textbooks at our secondhand store in the Wentworth Building.

ACADEMIC RIGHTS

Solicitors can give legal advice on a range of issues including car accidents, court appearances, police matters & visas/migration.

We can guide you in

dealing with academic

appeals, special consideration, “show cause”& misconduct proceedings.

ACCOMMODATION

CENTRELINK Caseworkers can help with information on payments, as well as dealings with issues such as overpayments, allowable time & eligibility.

Caseworkers can help with information on tenancy and residential contracts.

Talk to them before or during your stay.

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Important Dates Feb/Mar

29th Semester One begins • 8th International Wom*n’s Day • 11th Last day to add a Unit of Study for Semester One • 20th International Day of Happiness • 21st International day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination • 25th-1st (April) Mid Semester Break • 31st HECS census date, last date to drop a Unit of Study without incurring academic or financial penalty

Apr 2nd World Autism Awareness Day • 7th World Health Day • 12th Pride Festival • 22nd Last day to Discontinue Not Fail (DC) for Semester One (all DC applications following this date will require valid grounds and supporting documentation)/ International Mother Earth Day

May

Jun 3rd Last day of lectures for Semester One • 5th World Environment Day • 6th til 10th Study Vacation (STUVAC) • 13th Examination Period Begins • 14th World Blood Donor Day • 20th World Refugee Day •

Jul

3rd-10th NAIDOC WEEK • 25th Semester Two begins

Aug 9th International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples • 26th HECS census date for Semester Two,

Sep

10th World Suicide Prevention Day • 11th Last day to Discontinue Not Fail (DNC) for Semester Two • 26th-30th Mid Semester Break

Oct 3rd Labour Day • 10th World Mental Health Day • 26th Intersex Awareness Day • 28th last day of lectures for Semester Two

Nov 31st-4th STUVAC • 16th International Day for Tolerance • 20th Transgender Day of Remembrance Semester Two ends • 25th International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Wom*n • 29th International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month 1st International Workers Day • 3rd World Press Freedom Day • 5th Last Day to Discontinue Fail (Semester One) • 17th International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia • 27th-3rd (June) Reconciliation Week •28th Menstrual Hygiene Day

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Staying Safe on Campus Sexual Harassment Officers Feeling safe on campus is paramount to your experience at University. At times you may find yourself in unfamiliar environments, being introduced to new situations which may be overwhelming or even find yourself exposed to feelings of unease in spaces that you are in almost every day. Being on campus is very exciting, but it is extremely important to know where you can go and who you can contact if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe. If you experience feelings such as these, please remember that it is not your fault.

The University of Sydney in its entirety, promotes the importance of having a safe campus and prohibits the actions which prevent staff or students from being able to do or feel so. An example of the University’s commitment to promoting safety on campus is recognised though the ‘BULLYING, HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION PREVENTION POLICY 2015,’ which binds the University, and all its staff, students, workers and affiliates. This policy affirms the intent to: (a) provide a safe and healthy workplace and learning environment that is free from bullying and unlawful harassment and discrimination; and (b) provide workers with information and training in relation to bullying, unlawful harassment and discrimination.

If you are a female identifying student, there is an autonomous Wom*n’s room on level 1 of Manning House. It is a safe room open specifically to female identifying students only.

The Wom*n’s collective often run workshops on harassment and self defence - if you are interested in joining feel free to

check out the Usyd Wom*n’s Collective page and group on Facebook!

For the students who are on campus late at night (we’ve all been there working on a last minute assignment!) there is a free shuttle bus that runs from outside of Fisher library until it closes to Redfern station every 15 minutes so you don’t have to walk by yourself.

If you are need of of someone to talk to, Sydney Uni’s Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provide free counselling to help you get you through your time at University, as well as any other issues you may be facing. They also run workshops and have a number of online services at your convenience. CAPS can be found on Level 5 of the Jane Foss Russell building in the Camperdown Campus and can be contacted on (02) 8627 8433 or 8627 8437 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. If you are on the Cumberland Campus, CAPS is on the Ground Floor in the Jeffrey Miller Admin Building and they can be reached on (02) 9351 9638. Alternatively, you can check out their website:http://sydney.edu.au/current_students/ counselling/.

If you need assistance after hours, you can call Sydney University’s Campus Security on 02 9351 3333 or 000 in the event of an emergency or if you need to report an incident.

Have a great and safe year!

The Sexual Harassment Officers of 2016

University’s commitment to promoting safety on campus is recognised though the BULLYING, HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION PREVENTION POLICY 2015, PAGE 5

Centrelink Applying

Full-time students 25 years of age or older should apply for Austudy. Under 25s should apply for Youth Allowance.

Lodge an intention to claim with the Centrelink call centre (132 490), visit your local Centrelink office or (the easier option) send a message through their website: www.centrelink.gov.au.

by the helpful SRC caseworkers

• Studying ‘full-time’–usually a minimum

of 0.375 HECS load (18 credit points) per semester (there are some exceptions); and

• Making ‘satisfactory progress’ (you have not exceeded the minimum time it takes to complete your current course, plus one semester). Exemptions exist.

If you get your application and all the associated paperwork into a Centrelink office within 14 days and your claim is approved, you will normally be back-paid to the day you lodged your intention to claim. Make sure you keep a copy of everything you send them for the length of your degree. If you speak to someone on the phone, ask them for a receipt number for the conversation.

You may face a delay in payments due to Waiting or Penalty Periods. If you are a new Australian resident, you may need to wait 2 years before you can get a payment. If you have more than $5,500 in cash, trust funds, shares etc., you need to serve a Liquid Assets Waiting Period.

The period is one week for every $500 you have above $5,500, to a maximum of 13 weeks. There are some exemptions, including if you have high immediate expenses for study. (See the SRC’s How Savings Affect Centrelink Payments leaflet) Maximum payable The maximum payment as at December 2014 is $426.80 per fortnight, if you live away from the parental home plus rent assistance of up to $129.40. To get Austudy or Youth Allowance you must ‘qualify’ and then be ‘payable’ each fortnight.

The amount that is payable depends on any income test reductions. Which income test applies will depend on whether you are ‘independent’ or not, or have a partner.

How To Qualify

This applies to everyone on Austudy and Youth Allowance. Your payment is reduced by $0.50 for every dollar that your pre-tax income exceeds $427 per fortnight and $0.60 for every dollar above $512 per fortnight.

However, a mechanism called the Student Income Bank is used to average out your income for this income test. See the SRC’s How Income Affects Payments leaflet.

Partner Income Test This applies if you are ‘partnered’. Your Youth Allowance or Austudy payment is reduced by $0.60 for every dollar your partner’s gross income in the fortnight goes over a set ‘cut off’ point. This point is where they would not be payable if they were on a Centrelink payments. In December 2015 this amount was $1164.17 gross per fortnight. This figure could be higher depending on a range of circumstances and payments. Check the SRC’s Relationships leaflet.

Dependent vs Independent Being ‘independent’ for Centrelink means your parents’ income is not assessed in determining your eligibility. If you are 22+ you are automatically independent. For Youth Allowance, the other main ways to be independent include:

• ‘unreasonable to live at home’ due

to extreme circumstances, including physical, emotional or sexual violence

• relationship – you are married or in

a marriage like relationship for more than 12 months (same or different sex couples)

• For some regional students income

from work may be considered a way of determining independence.

Check the SRC Independence leaflet.

Parent Income Test

If you’re not ‘independent’, parental income over $50,151 per year may start You qualify if you satisfy ALL of the to reduce your Youth Allowance. Parental following conditions: income over $150,000 per year may render • ‘Australian resident’ for two years or you ineligible. For detailed info see the more and in Australia when you claim; SRC’s How Parental Income Affects Youth • Studying an ‘Approved Course’ (most Allowance leaflet. Note that if your Personal undergraduate courses at Sydney Income Test has a greater effect on your University); and have not previously payment it will be considered instead. ‘completed’ a Doctorate (Austudy only); PAGE 6

Personal Income or ‘Assets Test’

Assets Test The assets test does not include the value of your primary residence. If your assets exceed the threshold you will receive no payment. For a single independent home owner the threshold is $202,000. This amount is raised to $286,500 for a couple.

For a single non-home owner the threshold is $348,500. This amount is raised to $433,000 for a couple.

If you are ‘dependent’ or ‘partnered’ will also look at your ‘family’s’ assets. No payment can be made if your family’s assets exceed $661,250. There are some exceptions, for example if your family are farmers or run a business. Ask an SRC caseworker for more information.

Other Payments For help with other Centrelink payments contact an SRC caseworker.

Health Care Card If you are on a payment or if you are on a low income (less than $531 per week) you may be eligible for a Health Care Card.

This gives you reduced prices on most prescription drugs (about $5–7), discount tickets at the movies, free ambulance (NSW), cheap glasses and frames and access to free dental care.

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Scholarships, Bursaries & Loans Sam Kwon University is expensive, sure HECS means that the bulk costs of your study is for future you to worry about but there is still textbooks, laptops, transport, food, rent if you live out of home, electricity, internet‌ the lists goes on and the cost of the University experiences adds up pretty quickly.

This is where scholarships, bursaries and loans come in.

The University of Sydney offers an array of scholarships, bursaries and loans to cater to a wide range of students and circumstances. sydney.edu.au/scholarships/ is the source of all scholarship related infromation, here you will be able to see the wide range of scholarhsips offered and the criterias for each one. There are scholarships for specific degrees and faculties as well as University wide scholarships. Some are provided on the basis of proven financial need while others are not. Scholarships can also be provided for students going on exchange, Indigenous students and International students.

Bursaries are a little different; they are non-repayable grants only awarded to students that can prove financial needs.

There are two different types of bursaries offered: General and Advertised. General bursaries are open all year round to all students granted they study full time, are passing all their units and are experiencing financial difficulty. Advertised bursaries are often organised through faculties and applications open

in early March, close on the 30th of April and are awarded by July. You can apply for these via your Sydney Student Portal, click on the finances tab and follow the online application steps.

Then there are loans. Before getting a loan it is important to remember that they are a loan meaning you will have to pay back the money unlike scholarships and bursaries. The University can chase you up and even serve you with Court Notices if you fail to repay the loan. For small loans the SRC offers short term (30 days) interest free loans of up to $50. You can apply for these loans at the SRC office, Level 1 Wentworth Building. Students from satellite campus who are unable to come into the office during business hours should contact an SRC Caseworker to see if an alternative arrangement can be made. For larger loans (up to $2000 for domestic students and $1000 for International students) you can apply to the Financial Support Service. These loans are interest free with repayments staggered over the year. You apply for loans the same way you apply for bursaries.

This is just a short general introductory guide to the world of scholarships, bursaries and loans. For much more specific advice suited to your needs book an appointment with a SRC Caseworker - a free and confidential service.

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The Quick Guide to Surviv Courtney Thompson

So, you’re at university and, oh boy, life has never tasted as sweet as Manning chips after a long day of class. Then week 7 hits and shit starts to get real. Managing your academic life is increasingly more difficult and you need help, but you’ve got no clue where to go for it. Lucky for you – there are a lots of options available to you if you are struggling academically at university. To make things a bit easier, we’ve rounded up the terms you should get to know to make your university experience exponentially better.

Special Consideration If you experience illness or misadventure on the day, or days leading up to, an assessment or exam, you can apply for Special Consideration. Breaking a bone, coming down with a virus, injuring your writing hand or exacerbation of a preexisting medical condition are a few examples of ‘illness’.

Whereas having your laptop stolen, being in a car accident or being affected by the illness or death of a loved one are among some of the things that would count as ‘misadventure’. If you have an ongoing issue that affects your academic performance and/or ability to complete assessments, such a physical disability or mental illness, then you should instead register with Disability Services.

Special consideration will change in 2016. You will no longer apply to your faculty, instead a central administration unit will handle these. To apply for Special Consideration, you will need to download the relevant Special Consideration form. In your application you’ll be required to also submit Supporting Documentation. If you are applying under the grounds of illness, you’ll need a Professional Practitioners Certificate (PPC) from your doctor. It’s important that you do this on the same day as your assessment as it’s not possible to get a backdated PPC. When filling out the PPC, your doctor should include a brief description of what you are unable to do due to your illness, for example, going to university or sitting up for longer than 10 minutes. This description is crucial as it is what helps in assessing your application and thus, eligibility for Special Consideration. In the case of misadventure, make sure you lodge a Police Report as Supporting Documentation – remembering to include the ‘event number’. If you’re not sure what Supporting Documentation is relevant for your application, contact your Faculty or the SRC Caseworkers.

Having submitted your appropriate Supporting Documentation demonstrating your academic inability due to circumstances of illness or misadventure, within 5 working days of your assessment or exam date, you should be awarded Special Consideration. If you had a written assessment or exam, it is likely you’ll receive a supplementary assessment at a later date, or an extension of the original date. Another possibility

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is that instead of sitting the exam, the weightings of your other assessments for the course will be adjusted. In some cases, the Faculty will give you a Discontinue Not Fail grade and you will have the chance to do the subject over again later.

If your application for Special Consideration is rejected, but you believe you have plausible grounds, you should lodge an academic appeal with the relevant administrative unit.

Simple Extension So you study a course within the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences?

Congratulations!

You’re eligible to apply for a Simple Extension.

Simple Extensions award students a small extension – up to 5 working days – on written assessments.

To apply, simply go to the Arts Faculty website & fill out the online form.

No Supporting Documentation is required. You will just have to provide a brief description of your illness or misadventure and how it has affected your ability to complete the written assessment within the deadline. You must submit your online form before, or on the due date for the written assessment.

For other faculties, keep your ear out as you may be also receiving simple extensions this year too.

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rviving Academic Life Discontinuation (DC, formerly known as Discontinue Not Fail.)

Discontinuation (DC), allows you to discontinue one or more units of student without receiving an academic penalty, if this is within 12 months of receiving the DC grade. You may be eligible if, throughout the semester, an illness or adverse circumstance has repeatedly affected your ability to complete a course.

To apply, go to your Faculty website & download the DC application form.

Similar to Special Consideration applications, Supporting Documentation that clearly illustrates your reasons for applying must be submitted. Other than a PPC or a police report, this might be a letter from your Psychologist/ Psychiatrist, a statutory declaration or medical records of a love one whose illness has affected you.

Special Arrangement You’re eligible to apply for Special Arrangement if you have an essential community commitment on the day of, or in the days leading up to an assessment or exam. Examples include major sporting commitments, essential religious duties or jury duty. With outcomes similar to Special Consideration, to

apply for Special Arrangement, go to your Faculty website & download the application form. Make sure you submit it well before the due date & that you include the relevant Supporting Documentation.

Academic Appeals Process You can lodge an Academic Appeal if you are dissatisfied with an assessment mark and/or you believe it to be incorrect.

Before you lodge an appeal, request to see your examination paper or assessment to see where you lost marks. If you aren’t happy with the outcome, lodge an Academic Appeal to your Faculty. To apply, you must contact your course coordinator within 15 working days of when the result was published and clearly detail your grounds for appeal.

Sydney Student Sydney Student is the online administration system you used to complete your enrolment through each year. As well as this, it is also where you will find a number of forms that are exclusively online. These include, enrolment variations, Special Permission, course transfers, credit applications, suspension and recommencement, discontinuation from your degree and Summer School.

If you are confu sed by the system or are experiencing difficulties, conta ct the University Helpline on 1800 SYD UNI (1800 793 864).

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Renting, Tips & Tricks SRC caseworkers Finding Good Accommodation Lots of people want to rent in Sydney.

To find good accommodation quickly it may help to show landlords/real estate agents the following:

• Confirmation of Enrolment to prove

you are a student. Provide a certified copy and keep the original yourself.

• References from previous landlords to prove you are a good tenant who will pay rent on time and look after the accommodation. A written reference is best, but if that is not possible provide an e-mail address for your old landlord.

• Proof you can pay rent, e.g. proof of a scholarship, income or money in the bank. You may show your bank account details or passport, but DO NOT give them a copy to keep.

• Know the end date of your stay.

If you want to change the end date ask the landlord before you sign the contract or pay a deposit. If the landlord agrees, the new date should be written on the contract. If you leave early you may have to pay the equivalent of rent until the contract expires. If there is no contract, you can give 1 week’s notice if you pay rent weekly, or 2 weeks’ notice if you pay rent fortnightly. If it is a

Before signing a contract and/or paying a deposit it is best to have a Residential Tenancy Agreement if possible. Usually these are available to people who rent from real estate agents. Otherwise try to get some kind of written contract. Remember, a contract must have the address, the date and both parties signatures, and be written in English.

See the accommodation and make sure you are happy with it. Turn on the hot water tap and see how long it takes to warm up. Run the shower and check the water pressure. Look for cockroaches and other pests in the kitchen. Be sure what you get for your rent, e.g. Internet, heating.

Know your responsibilities. Understand and agree with all conditions and house rules. If you want to change any rules, ask the landlord before you sign the contract or pay a deposit. If there is a contract, make sure any agreed changes are included. Penalties for breaking rules should be in the contract. Understand these.

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landlord so that it is electronically time stamped.

• If you have difficulty paying your bond you may be eligible for Rent Start. Ask an SRC caseworker for details.

During The Tenancy

• Keep records of all rent paid. If

you don’t get receipts, try to pay electronically or by cheque or money order.

• When communicating with your landlord try to use email so you have a copy of what was said.

If you talk on the phone, send a follow up email confirming what was discussed.

• Ask for repairs as soon as they happen. You are responsible for keeping the home in good order.

• Become familiar with all of your rights and responsibilities. This is especially so with your right to peaceful enjoyment and property inspections.

• Rent Start is also available to some people who fall behind in rent.

Ending Your Tenancy Most contracts will have information in them about what to do if you want to end your tenancy. Usually you will have to follow these directions, or pay a penalty.

Residential Tenancy Agreement you may have to pay between 4 and 6 weeks rent as a penalty.

In short, this says READ YOUR CONTRACT. Moving In

• Keep a copy of your contract.

• Always get receipts for the bond/

deposit and any other payments you make.

• Make a condition report both when you move in – record all contents and any damage in writing and take photos. Email the photos to the

For further information and help, feel free to contact SRC

caseworkers at u help@src..usyd.edu.a

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Health Services Eden Faithful & Ivana Radix

There is a range of health services available to students both on and off campus. There are usually services available for little or no cost, other than the rebate you get from Medicare or Overseas Health Cover (OSHC). If you have difficulty finding a service provider you can afford, talk to an SRC Caseworker for help in finding someone for you.

The University Health Service (Level 3 Wentworth Building) provides medical support for a variety of needs including basic injury and illness treatment, immunisations, and sports medicine. You can book appointments online.

For international students, information about OSHC is available at the International Student Office (Level 4, Jane Foss Russell Building).

The Union Pharmacy (Level 3 of the Wentworth Building) offers a dispensing service that takes care to provide you with information alongside your medication. Ask any question you have about medications (both prescription and over the counter), and make sure you tell them if you are currently taking medications or supplements.

The University’s Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is designed to help students reduce stress and anxiety, improve their well-being and achieve their academic goals.

CAPS provides individual counselling services as well as a range of online resources. They are located on Level 5 of the Jane Foss Russell Building. For longer term psychological issues, or mental illness get a mental health plan from your GP and seek help from a psychologist or psychiatrist. Many students use Uplift Psychological Services, but there are many others available who charge little or no extra than the rebate you receive from Medicare or OSHC. The Satellite Sexual Health Youth Clinic runs a free sexual health clinic for young people at Waverley Action Youth services (WAYS), Bondi Junction. To be eligible to attend the Satellite clinic you must be 24 years old or under and an Australian permanent resident or citizen. If you are an overseas student you are able to contact the NSW Sexual Health Infoline (1800 451 624) for information on where you can get help.

The Satellite Clinic offers STI /HIV and pregnancy testing, as well as treatment, advice and support, along with hepatitis vaccinations and cervical cancer vaccinations. You are also able to discuss relationship and sexuality issues and find out more about other services that can support you. They are open every Monday from 2-6pm – no appointment needed.

Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre provides affordable health care and education for wom*n.

The centre’s goal is to ensure that all wom*n, particularly those on low incomes, have access to high quality health care. Services include wom*n’s health nurse clinics in four locations (Leichhardt, Campsie, Lakemba, Marrickville), wom*n’s health general practitioner clinics, counselling in English and Vietnamese, the state-wide Women’s Partners of Bisexual Men Service (counselling and support groups) and counselling for wom*n who are adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Book an appointment by calling 9560 3011.

Twenty10 is a service for young people (under 25 yrs) who identify as LGBTIQ. Services range from counseling and health, through to housing.

There are so many other providers available to you.

If you would like more information, or need help finding an appropriate service, make an appointment to talk to a caseworker or email: help@src.usyd.edu.au.

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Mental Health SRC caseworkers

Mental illness is certainly not rare at University. Students (and staff) experience anxiety, ‘mood disorders’, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Yet some people still lack a reasonable understanding. For example, one student disclosed to her tutor that she needed an extension on her assessment because she was suffering from repeated and severe anxiety attacks. The tutor’s response was to reluctantly agree, but only after the disabilities unit was enlisted to make the argument. The tutor made it a point to tell the student that she completed her degree while bringing up a family of 3 children – surely nothing could “stress you more”.

Some people seem to misunderstand that mental illness is often an unpredictable condition. Some days are positively “normal”, while other days it is simply not possible to function even on the most basic level of feeding yourself. This is regardless of the effort that a student is putting into seeking help for their condition. For example, one student had chronic depression.

She was using a number of different treatments. Initially in her course it simply wasn’t possible to attend classes

or complete assignments. After 4 years she was mostly able to attend classes and completed many of her assignments on or near time. Her occasional backward steps needed to be seen as small and relatively insignificant hiccups.

Her faculty, however, saw it as evidence that she wasn’t actually making any effort to improve her situation.

which offers short term counselling for students. CAPS, the University Health Service or the SRC can also refer you to long term external counsellors who can help you with chronic mental illnesses.

Remember that everything you tell them is confidential. There are even services that are free or very cheap for local and international students.

This is even more difficult to deal with when it is a family member or close friend of the student who is ill. The student does not have control over the steps taken to improve the health of the person in question, but will often share the burden of the illness. If you are caring for someone who is mentally ill you too may be able to apply for Special Consideration for assessments.

The University also has a Disabilities Unit that act as a go-between for students who need an extended assessment deadlines or extra time in exams. Some students worry about the stigma they may expereince if they register. However, students need to consider the potential benefits they could gain by having the support of a service of the Uni. Register as soon as possible, so that you can benefit from your study plan during the semester and as well as not missing out on exam help.

Some students are not even aware that they have an illness. They may simply feel that people are often against them, marking them down when they shouldn’t be, picking on them in their accommodation, laughing at them when they do tutorial presentations or following them around campus.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide talk to someone immediately. Lifeline offer 24 hour counselling at 131 114. Doctors and counsellors can also help.

The University has a Counselling and Psychological Service (CAPS),

If you ar someone you know needs help, don’t hesitate!.

The University has a Free Counselling and Psychological Service (CAPS), which offers short term counselling for students.

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Study Guide Siobhan Ryan

On organising yourself: Lecturers won’t necessarily tell you when assignments are due or give you an assignment notification like in high school – you have to keep on top of when you have assessments due yourself • All information about assessment due dates, and sometimes about assessments themselves, is in the Unit of Study Outline – so read at least these sections for each of your courses!

• If there is no information about the content of the assignment in the Outline, the lecturer will give you the information later, probably through Blackboard, so look out for this • If you still don’t understand what to do, ask other people in your course, your tutor, or your lecturer – they can also help with any issues with course content • From this, it is helpful to create a timetable of when all of your assessments are due, week by week – this makes it easier to see when you have a cluster of due dates so you can prepare in advance, rather than being surprised at the last minute • Also make yourself familiar with your faculty’s extensions policy.

If you do get overwhelmed or for any other reason won’t be able to finish an assignment and you’re eligible for an extension, apply for it! There’s no reason to lose marks if you can get some extra time. That said, don’t let them become a crutch or put all your other assessments back for the semester because it can impede your exam preparation The start of uni can be quite slow, and especially in first year it’s important to use this time to get used to the new environment and meet new people, but try to use your extra free time at the start of the year to keep on top of readings (and do other things to set you up for the rest of semester) so you don’t end up with a backlog of them to catch up on And on that note, while many people don’t do readings, there’s a good chance that if you enjoy your subjects you’ll actually have some really interesting ones so try to keep on top of them in general! It will help you understand lecture content and contribute to tutorial discussions (which is particularly important if you have participation marks).

Also, while they may not be directly relevant to assignments during the semester, their content will sometimes be assessed in final exams so it’s a good head start on studying for those.

However, it is easy to get behind on them when assessments start being due Don’t put things off “until midsem break” because you’ll actually want a break then! Plus, it can sometimes be quite late in the semester anyway and so may be overwhelming On finding a balance Do non-academic things! Join clubs and societies, go on faculty camps and meet people in and out of your course to make uni an experience, rather than just somewhere you went to get a degree – sometimes it might feel overwhelming, but it takes time to find a balance • In saying all of this, know your limits – you might not feel overwhelmed at the start of semester, before you have many assessments, but may feel overcommitted later. If you do get overwhelmed, use the experience when deciding what to do for your next semester; also remember that you can say no to things!

• Also, some people who do lots of extra curricular activities, have to work a lot or are otherwise unable to take a full load of units drop to fewer than 24 units per semester. Think seriously about whether this would be better for you (although it will lengthen your degree). It’s also good to note that you’re still considered a “full time student” (for Opal concession, Centrelink and other purposes) if you’re doing 18 or more units – generally equating to three subjects – per semester Also, look out for your health: • Exercise is very important, not only for your physical but also your mental wellbeing. Make the time for it, especially when you think you’re too busy with work. Even something as simple as going for a brisk walk in fresh air in between studying or doing assignments can be wonderfully restorative and will help you get the work you need done, and make you more efficient in the long-run • Get enough sleep! Adults should be getting between 7.5 and 9 hours’ sleep each night, but it’s easy to let this slide between going out with friends, studying, and getting up early for classes.

Again, make the time for it because you’ll notice a marked improvement in your physical and mental health • Eat well, especially when you’re studying • Keep tabs on your mental health – the transition to uni is big and can be lonely or stressful, so make sure you check in with yourself regularly, and if you’re not feeling great, consider seeing a counsellor – the SRC provides free counselling and there are also services offered by Headspace and the Sydney University Psychology Clinic On actually studying: My PSYC1002 lecturer Dr Caleb Owens introduced us to a study about studying (Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science, 14(1), 4-58.) that gives some advice about the most and least effective techniques for retention of information: • Studying in sessions over longer periods of time is more effective than cramming at the last minute, so try to start learning your course content early • Practice tests are also shown to be a highly effective method of studying, so try to source them from the uni or make them for yourself • In contrast, summarising, highlighting and re-reading notes are relatively ineffective ways to study All that said, I personally believe that different methods work for different people, so you need to experiment and find out what works for you. However, an important test of whether you have learned something is if you can recall, rather than simply recognise, it (another tip I learned from Dr Owens’ lectures) Also, university exams can be quite intense, and many factors influence performance that have nothing to do with your intelligence or understanding of the content, such as your exam timetable or how you were feeling on the day – so don’t panic if you’ve had very little time to learn everything in the course, because chances are there are many other students in the same situation.

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Drugs SRC caseworkers The SRC does not advocate that you or anyone else should take any drugs (mostly because that would be illegal!).

However if you are going to take drugs (including alcohol) you really should know what you’re getting into. There are many different fact sheets and websites that can give you all sorts of technical information. The NSW Health department has heaps of factsheets or if you have a specific question call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) on 9361 2111. Please note: alcohol and other drugs may impact negatively on your ongoing mental health.

Decision-making Drugs alter your physical or emotional state. That’s why people take them. However, this means that you are less able to make good decisions and judgements. Planning ahead is a good idea. Random testing for both alcohol and other drugs are conducted extensively on drivers. If you are going to have a “big night” figure out a safer way home (organise a lift, put aside some taxi money) before you go. Make sure you don’t have important decisions to make in the following couple of days (eg, exams, job interviews, family gatherings). Try to eat really well beforehand and drink an appropriate amount of water during your night out (not too much and not too little)

realise that they may not be able to consent to your sexual advances. If you are at all unsure, leave it until next time.

Sex without consent is rape.

Similarly protect yourself a little by telling your friends if you are going home with someone, who they are and where they live.

Also, keep an eye out for each other, and make sure that your friends don’t wander off on their own.

Looking After Yourself and Others The risk of taking alcohol or other drugs is often over stated by conservative elements in society and often under-stated by “party” elements in society. The most sensible approach is to prioritise your own well-being. If you are going to take a drug, understand that it could hurt you. That is, regardless of whether you think you have taken a small or an excessive amount. If you or a friend becomes sick call an ambulance or get to a hospital. They are very unlikely to call the police.

Remember that you may not be able to call for help yourself, so make sure that you tell a friend what you have taken, so that it is easier to get the correct treatment if need be.

So while you’re at uni, have a great time, but stay safe.

You may find someone you are sexually attracted to while you are partying. If they are influenced by alcohol or other drugs

The most sensible approach is to prioritise your own well-being.

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Nightlife THE EAT, PRAY, LOVE OF SYDNEY NIGHTLIFE I recently read Eat, Pray, Love because I found the movie with Julia Roberts so deliciously inane that I wanted to check out what all the literary hype was all about. The more I read, the more I realised the message really resonated with me.

Sure, I hadn’t (yet) gone on a wanky round the world trip to fulfil my spiritual destiny, but what I had gone on was one trip to the hospital and more than enough close calls to last a lifetime after many a night out in the Babylon of nightlife that we colloquially call: Sydney. So here’s my totally trustworthy, 100% factual guide to Sydney nightlife that is guaranteed to keep you bouncing: EAT Some of the bars and local establishments around uni serve some damn good food too. This one’s for your chill nights, the nights were you want to sneak some tucker down your gullet while enjoying a cool tune or two.

If it’s burgers you’re after, look no further than Mary’s (6 Mary St, Newtown) - hidden down an unassuming alleyway and with a staircase that leads into a basement with lighting more suited to a sex dungeon, this is truly a diamond in the rough.

The burgers are good, the delightful array of local beers is even better.

The Soda Factory (16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills) could be an option for those of you willing to wander a little further into inner city territory. Continuing Sydney’s obsession with moonshine-style saloons, the bar and restaurant is hidden behind the door of a hot dog vendor facade. Once inside you’ll be greeted with the smell of incense, classic Americana decor and food, and of course, cocktails and drinks both traditional and new. A little pricier than our Newtown neighbours, but absolutely worth it.

PRAY These locations are a bit of a wildcard - who knows what local musician you’ll find gracing the stage? These are the places that I’ve loved, hated, danced at, been evicted from, that I’ve had my best nights and my worst nights, sometimes simultaneously.

First up, we have the Marlborough Hotel (the Marly’, 145 King St, Newtown) and its grimier cousin, Tokyo Singsong (located in none other than the basement of the Marly). It’s a venue like no other that allows you to move smoothly from casual beers in the outdoors beer garden to grooving to misc. genres in the front room (Ive heard everything from slacker rock to jazz saxophone) to inevitably ending up exhibiting your filthy moves on the equally filthy dance floor of Singsong - a subterranean fever dream that has to be seen to be believed.

I’ve also placed Newtown Hotel (rather unfairly) in this category - its rotating cast of entertainment is almost always a hit, marred by only a very few god-awful DJs. Just to be clear, the latter is very seldom and it’s almost always a safe bet if you love a good mix of Top 40 and Triple J hits, with local hip-hop performers thrown in the mix a couple times a week. Watch out especially for when the Newy hosts live gigs once in a while!

LOVE There’s no questioning these venues. I love them. You’ll love them too.

Pre-shutdown, Goodgod (53-55 Liverpool St, Sydney) was arguably the pinnacle of Sydney nightlife. Its smoky, two-room setup with earsplittingly loud music (it’s better than it sounds, I promise) entranced hundreds every week with its 90s music nights, rap nights, and unique visual aesthetics pandering to the Internet Age. I knew it as the only place where I could rap squat to Yung Lean without a hint of irony or shame, and I’m glad to hear that in its new and revamped stage as Plan B Small Club, it’s just as good. This one’s definitely worth paying a visit to, despite its cover charge sometimes - watch out for its weekly Trivia Events too!

Oxford Art Factory (38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst) is another favourite, but don’t forget to check the lineup before you go.

It’s a multifaceted venue that hosts everything from local/ international musical acts (this last year has seen the likes of Andy Bull, American Football, and Greenwave Beth grace its stage) to talented DJs (when there are no musical acts on) to performance artists. It’s carved out a niche and coveted place in the Sydney events scene, and there’s sure to be either an act you love in 2016 or a cover charge cheap enough to tempt you into a lineup of undiscovered DJs In the wise words of Julia Roberts playing Liz Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love: “If you’re brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting’then the truth will not be withheld from you.”

I still don’t quite understand her convoluted expression this quote, but in the interests of this article, I’ll take it to mean: “Go forth and discover all of the places Sydney has to offer. Find your favourite nightlife hubs and seize them while the night is young.”

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ABOUT

HONI SOIT Honi Soit is the weekly student newspaper of the University of Sydney. It is also the lifeblood of the University. Nourishing its minds and reaching its farthest peripheries, Honi has always been trusted for frank analysis of the health of our institution.

Under the care of successive doctors–Dr. Spence now presides–the health of the University has variably waxed and waned. But Honi’s condition has remained unaffected. Now 86 years young, it is considered Australia’s foremost student publication and is the only of its kind to be published weekly.

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Though nigh-impossible to trounce, Honi Soit is oft mispronounced /, if the (it’s / International Phonetic Alphabet means anything to you). The title of our publication is a truncation of the Anglo-Norman maxim “Honi soit qui mal y pense” (“Shame upon him who thinks evil of it”).

Indeed, shame! For Honi has given birth to countless voices who have cried to the world.

Laurie Oakes, The Chaser, Vagina Soit–all were Honi’s children.

A team of ten editors and tens of thousands of students compose Honi Soit every

week. This number, for it is the tales and tribulations of all the University’s students that fill the pages of our equally adored and maligned publication.

Honi Soit has always been free, in every sense of that term, and always will be. To quote its inaugural editorial, “We are not unprincipled, but we subscribe to no principles.”

And it is with this as our guiding principle that we continue a proud tradition of colourful and controversial journalism.

Bellows to the inferno! Join Honi Soit! (see overpage for instructions on how to apply)

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ARE YOU? intelligent

literate

not two seven-yearolds stacked on top of each other wearing a trench coat

YOU SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO HONI Honi Soit is looking for reporters, artists, podcasters, cruciverbalists, coders, photographers, and future friends.

If you make stuff, there’s a good chance we want it.

For more information, visit facebook.com/honisoitsydney

APPLICATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY MARCH 4, 5PM.

PAG E 17

Budgeting How to sur vive in Sydney by the SRC caseworkers There are a few things you can try to make your life more comfortable. Some services are not available to international students.

Deal With Your Debts Make an appointment to see Sharon to talk about your current circumstances. She can help you with budgeting and dealing with your debtors.

Loans And Bursuries The university offers loans, bursaries, and scholarships. Have a look at their website to see if you qualify for anything.

Food It is usually cheaper to cook for yourself than to buy preprepared food. You can buy food in bulk, which you can share with others, or through a corporative. If you don’t know how to cook there are eleventy million youtube videos and websites that can help. Good food doesn’t have to be difficult – just use a few fresh ingredients and keep it simple. Plan your shopping so you are not forced to use the more expensive after hours or smaller food store.

There are many charities that will offer cheap or free meals.

Usually you can bring takeaway container for your next meal as well. Email help@src.usyd.edu.au for a list.

Eating at a friends house is also a great way to have a free meal. This is particularly for friends who still live in their family home.

Health Bulk billing (or no gap payments) are where Medicare (or overseas student health care) pays the same cost that you are charged for a medical service. This includes a doctor’s appointments, pathology, and counseling. The University Health Service bulk bills most of their services. There are other doctors and counselors who do that too. Ask an SRC caseworker for one in your local area.

Centrelink will provide a Low Income Health Care Card to eligible people who earn less than $531 per week (as at 1st January, 2016). This will give you discount pharmaceuticals (about $6 per script), free ambulance, free frames and lenses, free hearing aids and batteries, and discounts to other services including chiropractors, osteopaths, masseurs, podiatrists, etc.

Make sure you double check with the practitioner to see what discount you will get, before having the treatment.

Mobile Phones If you are living on little money it would be worthwhile to have a month to month mobile plan, that you can prepay. This will enable you to control your spending. There are many on the market to choose from, that will give you a sufficient amount of calls, texts, and data.

Electricity, Water, Gas, etc It is possible to pay a small amount of these bills every week.

This will make your month or quarterly bills much more manageable. Some providers will also give you a discount for paying your bill on time. Ask around to get the best deal.

Most takeaway food outlets will offer big discounts towards the end of the day. However, be very careful of food that is not refrigerated or kept at a high enough temperature. Food poisoning is not difficult to get.

Household Stuff Sometimes the street provides. Have a look the night before council pickups, especially in more affluent areas. There are many op shops that have clothes, furniture, kitchen items, and books. It would be illegal for you to collect milk crates and use them to make a bed base, lounge, bookshelves, bedside table, or dinner table. Check out garage sales or have a look online at gumtree. There is also an email group called Freecycle, or Pay It Forward on Facebook, which can provide free stuff. Be aware that if you are in possession of illegal goods police may charge you, and you will not get your money back for anything you bought.

Transport Walking is not only free, it is good for your fitness. However, there are times when it is not the safest option. Second hand bicycles are easy to find, though a good quality bike lock is a good idea. Be aware that there is a huge increase in the number of transit police checking if you have the appropriate bus or train ticket. Many, many students have been fined for using a concession ticket without being entitled to a concession or for not having a ticket at all.

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Places to Eat (CHEAP)

Isabella Brook

Sydney Uni has a ridiculous amount of food options. If you’re a student on a budget or maybe just a regulate cheapskate trying to save a little extra cash for recreational purposes, we’ve got you covered with our handy guide for hungry students.

Glebe Point Road also has a large variety of cuisines so you can take your choice of Indian, Japanese, Spanish food amongst others. It’s worth checking out Well Co. for their free wifi, all day breakfast and free coffee for every ACCESS card holder who spends $10 or more.

~ On Campus ~

If you’re looking for some more food inspiration on and around campus check out @usydfood on Instagram for food reviews, recommendations and a solid way to spend hours procrastinating when you should be studying.

If you’re new to USYD and worried that venturing off campus might result in you getting lost and missing a week’s worth of classes do not fear, there are a lot of food options on campus to choose from. Getting an ACCESS card is recommended.

Whilst the $75 upfront fee can seem a little pricey the money you’ll save on food discounts throughout the year makes up for it. Having an ACCESS card also means you can crash the free barbeques that are held by clubs and societies on most days of the week. Some options on campus include:

-

- - -

Wentworth and Manning food courts have a ton of fast food outlets at reasonable prices and ACCESS discounts. Most places in the food courts have discounted afternoon and evening prices so keep an eye out and the majority of places are cash only so be prepared. Special shout out goes to Uni Bros for being a USYD institution with cheap pides and legendary meat boxes.

Manning Grill has great pub style food and daily specials + a 15 % ACCESS discount.

Carslaw Kitchen has a rotating menu of specials inspired by food from around the globe + 15% off with ACCESS. If you’re looking to get a bit fancier and connect to your inner latte sipping self then Courtyard (in the Holme building), and Laneway (1st floor Wentworth) are two really great options. Both err on the expensive side of ‘cheap food’ but with a 15% ACCESS discount it’s pretty good bang for your buck.

~ Off Campus ~ If you’re feeling a bit brave and looking to eat off campus you’re pretty spoilt for choice. King St in Newtown, Broadway Shopping Centre and Glebe Point Road are all a short walk from Campus.

King St notable mentions include: - Close to a million Thai places that all offer some kind of cheap lunch meal - Dumpling King for cheap and tasty dumplings - Lentil As Anything, a vegetarian restaurant where you pay by donation - Mary’s for some slightly pricey but renowned burgers Broadway has a food court with a good variety of mostly healthy and cheap eats. Two Wolves Cantina on the corner of City and Parramatta roads is a non – for – profit lunch spot run by volunteers with all profits going to global projects so you can feel good while simultaneously eating your feelings.

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Sexual Health

by Lily, Katie & Andy

Healthy sex can be a highly satisfying, mind-blowing activity.

However, this kind of sex can only occur in space where everyone feels safe and respected. I’ve found there are four important pillars to healthy sex and a healthy society regarding sex: consent, safety, mutual pleasure and celebrating diverse sexualities.

To enjoy sex everyone involved has to give enthusiastic consent, [so they are protected mentally and against the transfer of STIs and unwanted pregnancy]. We can embrace what gets us off personally, while concurrently respecting the way others do too.

Sex is an expression worthy of celebration. It is shouldn’t be a tool for shaming people. While at uni you may wish to pursue sex with a person or persons, to ensure that sex is invigorating safe sex, read on.

always ask first and respect that person’s decision, whatever it is they want.

Everyone must give and receive enthusiastic consent in order to feel safe and have their boundaries respected. If someone doesn’t have that enthusiasm – drop it, there’s no sex and that’s fine. You can masturbate. Without active consent people leave sexual encounters wearing a long-lasting armour of violation and victimhood. Prospective sex then become a dangerous, unapproachable activity for that individual.

Safety Seeking safety and help when you feel your boundaries are being pressed or abused is essential to breaking the cycle of endemic sexually coercive practices, so speak up! Speaking up on sexual assault is in the wider community’s best interest and is wholeheartedly encouraged at Sydney Uni.

I’ve noticed people become awkward and quiet in the bedroom. They hesitate or remain silent on questions such as ‘have you had an STI check recently? What were the results?

Does this feel okay? Are you still feeling good? Is there anything I could do differently that would feel good for you?’

However, we are all different so communication is paramount.

In fact I’ve found it’s the key to great sex. Only through communication can we establish what each other’s boundaries are. Talking to each other and asking questions, may at times feel awkward, but is actually what sets the occasion for people to feel comfortable. This allows us to let go, identify what we do and don’t like and inevitably fosters sensational sex.

Consent Consent is vital. If active consent is not present: it’s not sex, it’s assault. Speaking as a heterosexual woman, too often my sexual experiences have been tainted by some level of coercion. Not only is this disconcerting, it’s criminal. No sexual conduct towards someone is appropriate, unless that person’s permission has been sought. Active consent is when you ask if the person/s you wish to engage in a sexual activity would like to engage in that sexual activity. Consent can always be withdrawn by any person at any time. No hard feelings, first priority is safety and respect. It’s yes means yes, therefore seeking permission.

Somebody who is able to give consent must be of age, consciousness (awake), not altered by drugs or alcohol, able to say no and not be coerced. Silence or a lack of yes, is not consent.

If you offer someone a cup of tea and they say no they don’t want it, you just leave the water in the kettle right? You don’t just keep asking if they want tea, shove a mug in their hand or pour boiling water on them. The same applies in the bedroom, PAGE 2 0

Help can be found through Sydney Uni’s Counsellig and Psychological Services (CAPS) in the Wentworth building on Darlington Campus or by phone on (02) 86278433. There are also immediate local and state services that can assist you by calling the RPA Rape service, on 95159040 during office hours and 951561111 after hours (24h), or the Rape and Domestic Violence helpline on 1800424017 (24/7).

These services can assist you directly, give advice and also guide you through the process of reporting harassment or assault to police. In situations that require legal advice or representation, the Usyd SRC can provide free legal services to undergraduate students. If you find yourself feeling unsafe on campus, call the campus security on 93513333.

If you identify as a woman, the Usyd Wom*n’s Collective often discuss and host events centred around gendered sexual harassment and violence against women which can be a good space to learn more and gain support.

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Protection Protected sex is important in ensuring that sex stays fun after the event: no STIs or unwanted pregnancies. Ignoring these risks by practising unprotected sex can lead to chronic disease and confronting life decisions that could have been easily avoided.

STIs: Sexually Transmitted Infections are serious and prevalent, so neglecting to protect yourself against them is insidiously foolish. When you have sex you are always taking a risk, however there are safe ways to avoid these risks. Some STIs cannot be avoided even through use of protection, including viruses such as HPV. Some can be transmitted through mere genitals touching without penetration, also through penetration and oral sex. However, the probability of contracting an STI can be reduced through the use of barrier contraceptives and for these reasons it’s in everyone’s interest to always use them!

Talk to your general practitioner or visit the University of Sydney Medical Centre in the Wentworth building of the Darlington campus about what protection would be best for you and your lover(s) to use. There are a variety from condoms, diaphragms and dental dams to birth control methods including the pill, IUD, the ring and foams.

If condoms are an appropriate means of protection for you, come to the Student Representative Council (SRC) office at the bottom of the Wentworth Building on city road and grab some free ones! They are always there for you, which is great for those of us who are horny AND on a budget.

STI checks are best taken after every new sexual partner.

Often tests involve swabs, urine and blood samples and can be easily done with your GP or at the Usyd Sydney Medical Centre for free. It’s the right of any sexual partner to enquire about your STI status, there is no shame in asking or revealing, we are all here to encourage each other in creating safe sexual practices and allowing people to make informed decisions.

Abortion Even when all care is taken to prevent pregnancy, pregnancy can still happen. As university students, often young, in

unstable financial positions, with lots to do and still to do in life, we may not want to have the responsibility of a child. This is perfectly acceptable: it is your body, you can chose what you have in it at all times.

To check if you’re pregnant, take a pregnancy test and visit your GP. If you learn you are pregnant, seek support from the people you trust and/or take a visit to Usyd Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Among these community, medical and mental health services the process of assessing termination, going ahead with it or keeping a child can be managed with the utmost support and sensitivity.

Celebrate Diverse Sexualities As long as you aren’t hurting someone, what does (or doesn’t) get you off is wonderful and normal. That includes fetishes and kink.

Everyone’s body is different and it is important to recognise and honour this always, but especially in the bedroom. As a woman, society has made unrealistic expectations of my body and profits off undermining my physical self-esteem, so treading carefully and embracing people’s bodies, exactly as they are, is important. The same goes for transgender persons who may not identify or feel comfortable with their existing body parts. It’s important to respect people’s feelings about their body and to treat other people’s bodies in a way that makes that person feel good, whichever often requires good communication.

Diversity is beautiful and so it’s important to embrace everyone whether they preference or identify as asexual, demisexual, queer, cis-heterosexual, transgender, bisexual, pansexual, monogamous or polyamorous.

Learning the sex education diction and about the complexities of gender, sex and consent is one of the best things you can do at Uni. It helps us as an educated community create safer spaces for everyone. USyd’s new campaign ‘Radical Sex and Consent Week’ was a major success in 2015 and is sure to be this year too. It helped raise student awareness around campus on all things related to gender, sex and violence, so be sure to come along to the free workshops and skill sharing on offered over a week in late August.

PAGE 21

Coffee on Campus Miki Stancic investigates where to get the best caffeine hit Drinking coffee is an essential part of the day for most uni goers, whether it’s a skinny cap, soy latte, that completely necessary double-shot espresso or just your average chai, getting something drinkable and on the go is always preferable. If you’re feeling lost on where to go, when, and why here is your quick, need-to-know basics for your all caffeinerelated needs whilst at USYD. Popular coffee spots on and around the Darlington/ Camperdown campus include: Courtyard Café, Footbridge Café, Ralph’s, Taste, Chapter Five, Bobby’s and the Pride of Redfern (the latter three, are both located just outside Redfern Station and on the way to main campus).

• If you don’t mind the slight trek down Physics Road then

Ralph’s is a busy but fast and definitely a worthwhile place to hit up for coffee, they use their own unique blend, which is rich and flavourful. They unfortunately don’t do ACCESS discounts, decaf or flavoured syrups but if you’re a coffeetraditionalist they are definitely worth a try.

• • Taste and the Pride both use Campos coffee which can

often be bitter but still makes a top quality coffee. The Fisher Coffee Cart and the other USU owned coffee spots alternatively use Vittoria coffee, which hits that bit harder with a richer taste. But it’s all up to personal taste as to what you prefer!

If you’re already on campus:

Coming from Redfern station?

• Taste tends to attract a crowd as its located at the heart

Now if you plan ahead, and aren’t sprinting to a lecture/tutorial, and are coming from Redfern station then you have quite a few options. The Pride is busy but fast with great food options though if you head down Little Eveleigh St about 20m you will find Chapter Five, which serves fantastic coffee at about 20 cents cheaper. Bobby’s Cafe is also a good option if you’re keen for food with your coffee. Their iced coffees are also amazing (they use ice cream… and cream, lots of it). The only downside to these places are that they don’t offer discounts for ACCESS members and aren’t close enough when you’re ducking between classes or cramming at Fisher, but I would still definitely recommend taking the time before/after uni to try them out.

of the main campus and offers 15% discounts for all USU ACCESS members, a saving that adds up considering how much coffee you’re bound to consume.

• If you’re down on the other side of the Great Hall, Courtyard

Café and the Footbridge Cafe also accept ACCESS cards but these spots get quite busy, especially in between classes.

• If you don’t like waiting then avoid all campus cafes right

before and after class, half way through any hour is always the best option.

Best of luck with all your caffeine-related endeavours and

don’t forget to give everywhere a go in order to find your

own Holy Grail when it comes to coffee on and around campus.

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President’s Report Chloe Smith

Hello all! Welcome (or welcome back) to the University of Sydney! My name is Chloe Smith and I’m the President of your Students’ Representative Council (SRC) for 2016. On behalf of the SRC, I’d like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our university stands, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay respect to Elders past and present.

I recognise that this land has been a place of learning for thousands of years and I acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff that are part of our community here today. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Once again, welcome to USyd! Your time at university can and should be some of the most exciting, enjoyable, and exploratory years of your life, both in and outside the classroom. However it can also present some difficult and challenging moments as well, where you might need a bit of advice or support to get by. That’s where your SRC can help.

The SRC exists to advocate for and assist all undergraduate students at USyd. We provide a range of services that could be useful for you during your time here, including a legal service where you can get free legal advice and representation and a caseworker service where you can receive free advice, advocacy, and support on academic and welfare related issues. There is also a SRC Bookshop where you can sell your old textbooks and buy new ones for a fraction of the original price!

The collectives affiliated with the SRC include Wom*n’s, Queer, Indigenous, International Students, Anti-Racism, Environment, and many more. Some, like the Education Action Group and Environment Collective are open to all students, whilst others are for students who identify as part of particular groups of communities, such as queer or Indigenous students. For more information, have a look through the rest of this booklet or visit one of the stalls during O-Week!

Another crucial role the SRC plays is being the centre of student activism and representation on campus. Our SRC has a long and proud history of being involved in a range of social justice issues, including Indigenous rights, women’s rights, queer rights, anti-racism, environmental justice, refugees, and disability access. One of the best ways to get involved is to join collectives! Collectives are groups of people who organise together to enact change through skills sharing, providing safe spaces, and building support networks. They’re great ways to meet like-minded people and discuss ideas, and you are free to decide your level of involvement.

Most importantly, remember that university is about more than just studying and getting a degree (although still important!) - university should be a place for exploring new ways of thinking, learning about yourself and your place in the world, and working to make our society a better, fairer place, including standing up against injustice wherever you see it.

There are many ways you can do this, but getting involved in the SRC through collectives or other forms of student representation is a good place to start! Making that first leap can be hard but it will pay off – you may even meet lifelong friends. And remember – it’s YOUR SRC.

et ow you can g h t ou ab e or out m me to find ct ta on c o t e Feel fre C d with the SR more involve du.au t @src..usyd.e en d si e r p l: ai 60 5222 | em phone: 02 96

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National Union of Students Michael Elliott WHAT IS NUS? The National Union of Students (NUS) is the peak representative body for undergraduate students in Australia.

Since the late 1980’s, NUS has been leading the student movement and providing a voice for students at the national level. Through a mix of lobbying and campaigning, NUS has proven itself to be a very effective tool in making sure our rights as students are not being compromised. NUS runs campaigns every year around issues such as student welfare and quality of education. Additionally there are identity based portfolios which focus on issues face by marginalised groups.

The National Office Bearers of NUS work hard each year to forge a relationship with government ministers, opposition shadow ministers and crossbench senators, and have often been successful in influencing outcomes in the Federal Parliament. There is no better example of this than the fight against the deregulation of university fees, where NUS played a crucial role in influencing the votes of crossbench senators to defeat deregulation.

WHAT HAS NUS DONE IN THE PAST? NUS has a rich history of accomplishing positive outcomes for students. In the past NUS has lobbied for and achieved a reduction in the age of independence from 25 to 22, rent assistance for all students receiving youth allowance and a fairer income support system for students. For the past 20 years much of the NUS’s efforts have been focused on pushing back against consistent attempts to implement Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) and to deregulate university fees. NUS fought VSU successfully for a decade, and was then instrumental in the partial repeal of VSU not long afterwards when the Gillard Government introduced the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). NUS was successful in this sphere to lobby for student advocacy services to be included on the list of services which are allowed to receive SSAF funding.

Most recently NUS has lobbied and campaigned successfully for the defeat of fee deregulation, a move which would have left students in crippling debt and threatened the jobs of university staff. The national days of action held by NUS in response to the announcement of fee deregulation in the 2014 budget drew thousands of students onto the streets to protest against these measures, in some of the largest demonstrations the student movement has ever seen.

issues such as how SSAF is implemented on university campuses, how course restructures occurring across the country are symptomatic of neglect toward the tertiary education sector, and why textbooks are so bloody expensive!

In a federal election year, NUS will be closely monitoring the national political situation and will be ready to mobilise and fight against any unfair changes proposed by the conservative government in the lead-up. Malcolm Turnbull may appear to be more moderate than his predecessor, but his government’s agenda remains very much the same. The NUS is planning on holding multiple days of action this year to raise awareness of the issues which will directly affect students in this election.

The first of these will be held on April 13.

SOUNDS SICK, HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? NUS is always looking for more passionate students to be involved in our campaigns, and to bring in fresh ideas for issues that we can target in the future. Make sure you like our Facebook page and sign up to keep in touch at our website (www.nus.org.au). As state president it’s my job to keep everyone informed, so flick me an email on nsw.pres@nus. asn.au if you’re interested in getting involved or just want some more info. If you’re really keen, NUS holds two major conferences each year; the Education Conference and the NUS National Conference (affectionately nicknamed ‘edcon’ and ‘natcon’). Edcon focuses on skill sharing and learning about lobbying and campaigning techniques, while Natcon is the major policy forum of NUS where elected delegates from student organisations across the country meet to discuss the issues that matter. If this sounds good to you don’t hesitate for one moment to get in touch with me, or your student organisation to learn more!

AND WHAT WILL NUS BE UP TO THIS YEAR? 2016 is set to be a year of action for NUS. With deregulation having been defeated, the union’s efforts will be turning our efforts to campaigns which will focus on more micro-based

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Education Action Group (EAG) Liam Carrigan & Dylan Griffiths Students collectively hold incredible power. Although baby boomers, regressive governments and university administrations try to discredit us, our passion, spirit and fight have regularly changed the world for the better. Students marched for an end to countless wars, mobilised against inaccessible education systems, and fought to end racial inequality and environmental destruction.

The Sydney University Education Department has a proud history of upholding this radical tradition. Our commitment to radical and militant activism that ensures the SRC is a fiercely political body has been especially strong in recent years, with the department being the heart of student activism on campus. In 2012 we mobilized to fight management’s attempt to cut over 300 staff jobs and successfully prevented all but a handful of job losses. In 2013 the SRC and student activists stood alongside staff striking for better working conditions during their unprecedented seven days of industrial action.

From 2014-2015 students at Sydney University were part of the national campaign against the liberal governments attempt to introduce fee deregulation. Student activists mobilized in thousands during National Days of Action, stormed ABC’s Q&A and regularly chased Liberals off campus.

Our fight is far from over. Birmingham might be a slicker salesman than Pyne but he and Turnbull are still staunchly anti union and anti student. With a federal election looming the liberals will be seeking a mandate to enact this agenda.

Turnbull supported every aspect of Abbott’s budget.

Deregulation isn’t defeated; it’s simply on the backburner.

Already we have seen vicious attacks on welfare with the transformation of start up scholarships into loans and nearly $6.5 million in cuts to healthcare. Refugees and Muslims are demonized by the political discourse and mainstream media while the working class and Indigenous people suffer under capitalism. As the future of this country it’s our responsibility to fight and demand a better world.

We will be fighting on national, state and local level through the Education Action Group, a democratic forum for on campus activists. Come to our open forum to discuss and plan against the restructure on March 10th Join us in protesting Spence’s plans on Wednesday March 16th, 1PM at Fisher Library.

Help us organize a Refugee tutoring program to teach our most marginalized. Finally, take to the streets on April 13th on the National Day of Action to demand a fairer education.

Remember…

STUDY, BE SILENT, DIE!

Officers Contact the Education Liam and Dylan: c.usyd.edu.au education.officers@sr (ph) 0401 847 279 or (ph) 0432 236 668

facebook.com/ nActionGroup SydneyUniversityEducatio EAG Attend the weekly w Law Lawns. meetings on the Ne

While the national neoliberal agenda is a major reason to get involved, the repulsive intentions of Sydney University management are demanding a return to grassroots activism on campus. Michael Spence, the Vice Chancellor, chair of the Group of Eight and a major proponent of fee deregulation announced his intention to restructure the University over the Christmas break. This involves slashing the number of undergraduate degrees on offer from 122 to 20, layoffs of countless administrative staff and merging the ten faculties and six schools into six faculties and three schools. The restructure is a transparent attempt to climb the rankings ladder and implement deregulation through the back door.

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Wom*n’s Collective Anna Hush & Vanessa Song What is the Wom*n’s Department?

What do we do?

The SRC Wom*n’s Department runs and provides resources for the Wom*n’s Collective and the Wom*n of Colour Collective. The Wom*n’s Collective (also known as ‘WoCo’) is funded by the SRC and aims to represent and advocate for wom*n on campus. This year, for the first time, the Wom*n of Colour Collective (coined ‘WOCC’) has excitingly gained an official office-bearer position in the SRC. This means that, in addition to WoCo, 2016 will see WOCC granted access to official funding to run more events, build a greater presence on campus and represent the voices of more wom*n of colour at USyd. The two office bearers, Vanessa Song (WOCC) and Anna Hush (WoCo), represent the collectives to the SRC, manage their budgets and facilitate meetings and campaigns. Apart from this role, the collectives are non-hierarchical and our organising is collaborative and consultative.

WoCo and WOCC organise a range of campaigns around current feminist issues. In 2015, WoCo campaigned against gendered violence, holding workshops, panels and film screenings on the topic, and raised $1000 for ‘Hey Sis!’, an Indigenous women’s shelter facing closure due to lack of funding. We developed ‘fEMPOWER’, a series of feminist workshops for teenagers, and launched them in a number of Sydney public schools. We are continuing to expand the Wom*n’s Library, a collection of books and resources that lives in the Wom*n’s Room and can be borrowed by anyone. We also publish Growing Strong, the annual Wom*n’s Handbook, and we take over from the editors of Honi Soit for a week to create Wom*n’s Honi, a wonderful showcase of the voices of wom*n on campus. All of our projects and campaigns are driven by the creativity and hard work of the collective, so if you like the sound of these projects or have ideas for new and radical directions in the future, don’t hesitate to get involved!

These collectives will have regular meetings and discussions throughout the year, and will coordinate campaigns and projects relating to the experiences of wom*n on campus and in the broader community. We are passionate advocates for intersectional feminism, and aim to centre the experiences of wom*n of diverse sexualities, races, ethnicities, abilities and classes in our activism by collaborating with other autonomous collectives. WOCC is an autonomous space for people identifying as wom*n of colour; WoCo is autonomous to those who do not identify as cis males.

How do I get involved?

WoCo has weekly meetings in the Wom*n’s Room, on Level 1 of Manning House.

This is an autonomous space open to all non cismales, and is open during working hours. We have comfy couches, a kettle and a microwave - drop in any time for a cup of tea and some study (or a nap)!

Join our Facebook group to find out more about meeting times and get involved in the online space (it’s a secret group, so you will need to add Vanessa Song or Anna Hush to be added). WOCC also has a Facebook group which Vanessa can add you to.

Drop by our stalls at O-week and say hi - we’re super friendly!

Contacts: usydwomenscollective@gmail.com

facebook.com/usydwoco/ | Twitter (@usydwoco) PAGE 26

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Welfare Collective Isabella Brook, April Holcombe, Dylan Williams & Matthew Campbell The 2016 Welfare Officers would like to welcome you to the University of Sydney. Transitioning to university is sometimes a difficult change, but the SRC has your back! Whether it be applying for Centrelink or finding affordable housing our first point of advice would be to make use of everything the SRC has to offer.

Being a student is difficult, which is why student welfare is one of the highest priorities of the SRC. We all want to see an improvement in student wellbeing both on and off campus, and it is extremely important to have a dedicated organisation like the SRC working for you. All of your concerns like Centrelink payments, stress, and safely are our concerns as well. Our aim is to find out where students need a better go in their everyday lives and fight for it.

Unfortunately, it is an ongoing struggle for young people to keep their head above water, with welfare provisions worsening year after year. Recent attacks on the basic rights that all students deserve by the Liberal State and Federal Governments are heavily opposed by the Welfare Department.

This year you can expect us to be campaigning for:

•

A fairer student welfare system and a raise to Youth Allowance for the first time in 22 years to bring student support in line with real costs of living

•

No increase to the GST. The Turnbull government is seeking to increase the regressive GST to 15%, adding thousands of dollars a year to your basic budget.

•

Australia’s universal and accessible health care system.

Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts to diagnostic services like pap smears, blood tests and x-rays are all going to increase the costs of basic services, placing further pressure on students already struggling.

•

Our weekend and public holiday penalty rates. The proposed cuts by big business and the Liberals will mean a huge pay cut for students working to make ends meet.

•

Harm-minimisation drug strategies. Recent stories of young people taking drugs at music festivals, only to die due to a bad pill or police presence, are demonstrations of prohibition’s failure. We will provide pill testing kits and unbiased drug information to students on campus throughout the year, because the deaths caused by prohibition need to end.

A campaign against the healthcare cuts is already in swing: on February 20th students from the University of Sydney participated in a rally at Town Hall to protest the Turnbull government cuts. The Welfare Department and the rest of the SRC will be throwing its full support behind this campaign as it progresses throughout the year.

We exist to help improve the ordinary lives of students. If that’s a mission that you share, we want you to join us! We’d love to see you involved to fight for a fair go for students!

Get involved by liking ou r Facebook pag e USYD Welfa re Department and joining the Welfare Action Group.

You can also get in conta ct with us throu gh our emai l, welfare.office rs@src.usyd.ed u.au.

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Queer Collective Marcus Wong & Evan Jones The Queer Action Collective (QuAC) and our offshoot ‘Queerkats’ are the University’s queer activist groups.

We are a diverse group of student activists who aim to improve life on campus for queer students. We work with the wider Australian Queer Students Network to run campaigns, as well as campaigns done on the initiative of our members.

We also work as a support network, to provide a safe and resourceful environment to help queer and questioning students understand their identities and assist where we can for those students. We also run a number of low-key social events through the year for you to get to know fellow queer students. These include crafternoons, picnics and movie nights.

Collective Against Racism (ACAR) in both activist and social events. We have also started discussions with some of the Clubs & Societies for some queer themed events so stay tuned!

There are a number of key events for the collective this year.

We will be involved in a cross campus Mardi Gras float, bringing together queer students from across the country.

We will also be sending delegates to Queer Collaborations (QC). QC is a conference organised by students that provides education and training on queer related issues. This year the conference will be held in Perth and is a great initiative that brings the queer community together on a national level.

Queerkats is our sub-collective for queer people who experience oppression on the basis of sex and/or gender e.g. cis women, trans women, trans men, intersex and non-binary people.

There are also a number of days/weeks of visibility QuAC participates in, including the international day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia (IDAHOBIT), held on the 17th of May. We also host events through the university’s Pride Festival.

To get involved with the collective, you can visit the queer space, located in the Holme building. The queer space is a safe autonomous space to study, relax between lectures and meet fellow queer identifying students! QuAC and our subcollective Queerkats (see below) both hold weekly meetings at times to be decided closer to semester. Otherwise you can participate in our online discussions in our (secret) Facebook group. To join, contact the queer officers (see below).

For more information and to be added to the secret Facebook group for the collective you can e-mail queer officers, Marcus and Evan, or come say hi at our O-Week Stall!

Email address: queer.officers@src.usyd.edu.au

This year we are excited to be working with other University collectives such as Wom*n’s Collective and the Autonomous

Calendar Dat es

12/4-14/4:

Pride Festival

17/5 Internta tional Day Against Homophobia, Biophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)

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ACAR Radical Pedagogy

Aparna Balakumar, Elizabetha Mora, The PRahman, olitical Economy Sydney University Lamya & Adam of Ursino About ACAR Since its inception three years ago, the Autonomous Collective Against Racism has strived to empower and grant voices to students who come from a minority ethnocultural background, are marginalised by white supremacy, who identify as a ‘person of colour’ or those who identify as Indigenous. A major part of our activism involves addressing and raising awareness about racism, white supremacy and their manifestations on and off campus. Through a variety of projects and initiatives we have drawn attention to our experiences, and done so on our own terms. 2016 promises to be no different!

The aims of ACAR are: 1. To establish a safe, inclusive and autonomous space for students of minority ethnocultural backgrounds to share and validate their lived experiences of racism and intersecting issues.

2. To provide students with an active collective body by which they are empowered and supported to address racism and intersecting issues on and off campus.

3. To be an intellectual space where students come together to explore, learn and critically discuss issues of race, ethnicity, culture and intersection.

4. To ensure any discussion, space, event, or project affiliated with ACAR actively acknowledges that major systems of oppression are interlocking and that students of minority ethnocultural backgrounds also experience a range of intersecting oppressions.

What does ACAR do?

We are currently planning a suite of projects, events and initiatives to encourage your participation and strengthen our presence on and off campus.

Like previous years, we will be running our much loved Autonomous Collective Against Racism edition of Honi Soit, produced only by people who selfidentify as a person of colour, a person from an ethnocultural background, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, or someone marginalised by white supremacy.

Building on last year’s success, we will also organise our second edition of ACAR Revue, a creative showcase of our politics on stage.

Above all, our aim this year is to provide greater opportunities for collective members to meet one another and be more directly involved in the running of our collective and its representation on and off campus.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ACAR:

5. To ensure that any discussion, space, event, project affiliated with ACAR is non-factional and not aligned with any political faction or brand.

To join our community, please send us an email at acarusydcontact@gmail.com! If you support our cause you can also like our Facebook page: search for “Sydney Uni Autonomous Collective Against Racism”.

6. To form networks and collaborate with like-minded university bodies and student collectives to effectively and sustainably work towards the eradication of racism and intersecting issues.

With love and rage your OBs: Aparna Balakumar, Elizabeth Mora, Lamya Rahman, and Adam Ursino

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Environment Collective Lily Matchett, Maushmi Powar & Michelle Picone The Sydney Uni Environment Collective acknowledges that the land which we organise on is the stolen land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. The Enviro Collective is a nonhierarchical space for students who are passionate about the environment to gather and help each other organise events and projects concerning the environment and social justice.

The Enviro Collective has a wide scope of on-going projects including the USYD Community Garden, Fossil Free USYD (a campaign to get the university to stop investing in the fossil fuel industry), citizen science and direct action road trips to places like East Gippsland’s old growth forests.

The Enviro Collective is affiliated with the Australian Student Environment Network (ASEN), which connects University Enviro collectives across Australia. ASEN helps us to coordinate road trips, conferences, campaigns and events, as well as share resources between collectives. This makes the collective an opportune place to meet like-minded people, people who will challenge your worldview, and activists from all around Australia who care about the issues that face our planet, people and local ecosystems. It also serves as an optimal space for self-motivated environmental, social and political education.

Together we decide what campaigns we want to work on and how to spend our budget. In 2015 we continued the campaign to get the university to withdraw all its investments from the fossil fuel industry, we subsidised tickets for people to attend the Students of Sustainability conference in July and ASEN Training Camp in January. We organised documentary screenings and reading groups, and held a comedy fundraising night. We organised road trips to East Gippsland, the Pilliga and to the Leard state forest and we ended the year by participating in the #peoplesparliament in Canberra.

The Collective runs solely on the energy put in by its members and its members get a lot out of being in it! We warmly welcome anybody interested to get involved by contacting us directly by email:environment.officers@src. usyd.edu.au, by joining and posting on our Facebook group: USYD Enviro Collective 2016, www.facebook.com/ groups/958817814206305/ and of course by coming to our regular Enviro Collective meetings and events (e.g. film screenings, discussion groups) which can be ascertained via email or through the Facebook group. There is no binding commitment to attend every meeting or event, so please inquire further or come along to check out who we are and what we’re all about!

Your 2016 Enviroment Officers: Lily Matchett, Maushmi Powar, and Michelle Picone.

email: environment.officers@src.usyd.edu.au,

Join our Facebook group: USYD Enviro Collective 2016, facebook.com/groups/958817814206305/

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Indigenous Collective Madison McIvor & Georgia Mantle

The Collective aims to provide a space where Indigenous people can come together to better communicate and support one another.

Contact: FacebookUSYD Indigenous Collective Email: indigenous.officers@src.usyd.edu.au In person- Koori Centre located on the first floor of the Old Teachers College The University of Sydney Indigenous Collective is an autonomous group for Indigenous students. The collective is a safe space where students can discuss issues, express ideas, and contribute to the Indigenous community at University. The Indigenous Collective strives to build a stronger and healthier community, believing that collaboration allows for cultural competence and true understanding. We are made up of people from various mobs but our shared university experience and drive to improve ourselves and society bring us all together as one mob. The Collective allows us to share our culture, our stories and our passion for our mobs and lands.

The Koori Centre in the Old Teacher’s College is an autonomous safe space for Indigenous students to access, here you will have access to a kitchen, computer room and lounge area. It is a great space to to escape from busy university life, study or just grab a cup of tea and have a yarn.

This year the Office Bearers hope to establish a more active collective that services the needs of the Indigenous student body. The collective will run regular meetings to discuss issues facing Indigenous students and the wider Indigenous community. The Collective will also be running a range of events throughout the year. Some of these events will be autonomously run just for Indigenous students while others will be open to all students to encourage the involvement of all students in Indigenous issues in the hopes of creating an open dialogue between groups.

The Indigenous Collective is also responsible for putting together the Indigenous Honi Soit! A special edition of the University’s newspaper that focuses on the showcasing the talents and skills of our Indigenous students. 2016 will be the third year of this publication and it is sure to be a great one!

The Indigenous Collectives engages not just with Indigenous students but with the wider Indigenous community to fight for the rights of Indigenous people. The Indigenous Collective supported the Redfern Tent Embassy’s land rights fight last year and will continue to support the local Aboriginal community in this coming year.

This year the Indigenous Collective is represented by the two Indigenous SRC Office Bearers; Madison McIvor and Georgia Mantle. If you ever need help or have any questions, shoot us an email.

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International Collective

Residential Colleges

The University of Sydney currently teaches more than 10,000 International Students from 152 countries over the world.

International Students make up a large and continuously growing part of the University’s student body, and there are many opportunities on Campus specifically designed for them to facilitate their integration into Australian University life and to engage with its community.

The University of Sydney campus colleges were among the first in Australia, and contribute significantly to the University’s history, heritage and current on-campus culture.

The University hosts several different colleges: The residential colleges are united in their overall ambition: to not only provide accommodation, but give students living away from the nest a place to call home while they undertake their tertiary education. They support us in developing our skills and pursuing our passions, whether they are sporting, cultural, pastoral or academic, and overall encourage us to engage with community projects and servant leadership.

Jasmine Yu, Angel Zhao, Zeya Shu & Hannah Elten

International Students, by virtue of being “foreign” to Australia and without deep attachments or supporting networks, are particularly dependent on their Australian Universities as well as on their student communities to support them and represent their interests. However, past years have demonstrated a lack in awareness – and consequently a lack of representation - of the challenges faced by International Students.The International Students Officers are elected to ensure that this will change, and that the International Student community is adequately supported, represented and placed in the public eye by working with the SRC and the wider university. In particular, our goal for 2016 is that the wide range of SRC services (such as emergency financial support, legal representation, support in academic appeals, accommodation issues and against discrimination) are made widely known amongst International Students. Moreover, we seek to improve the information on housing available to International Students, as well as to further enhance the accommodation opportunities provided by the University.

We also will try to increase awareness about available services surrounding academic support, as it is often challenging to adapt to teaching methods, academic procedures and assessment standards in a new country, especially if you are a non-native English speaker.

The International Students Collective will play a crucial role in achieving these goals, and serves as a space for International Students to discuss which steps need to be taken to not only ensure that the University of Sydney creates a welcoming environment for non-domestic students.

It is important for us to ensure that these improvements not only benefit International Students, but also the larger University community. Despite the large numbers of International Students on campus, there still is a noticeable divide between “domestic” and “international”. As International Students Officers, we want to take an active stance to improve the engagement of students from all different backgrounds in order to combat prevailing prejudices and stereotypes.

Chloe Hobson, Justine LandisHanley & Thomas St.John Baker

Firstly, the College Office Bearers want to strengthen connections and communication between the Residential Colleges and our SRC. The Residential Colleges are a microcosm within the University of Sydney, meaning that despite their geographical proximity to campus, they can be highly isolating for the students who live within them. We want to break this college bubble by educating incoming students about the SRC and its services, and work with each college’s leadership team to generate greater involvement within the SRC collectives throughout year levels.

In addition, we want to advocate for greater resources to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students living on-campus, including better lighting and extending the University’s shuttle bus to stop near the college’s Missenden Road, who otherwise don’t have a safe path to walk home after dark. We will advocate for greater help to all students at the University during Tax Season, to help with the transition to independent financial management, and campaign for a free transport service from Darlington to Cumberland to help those studying Health Sciences across to campuses (and in our case, living on one campus).

Finally, we want to advocate for the rights of college students and integrate the SRC’s values of equality, fairness and activism within the college network. One way we look to do this is with respect to Wom*n’s rights. We will work to create an intercol wom*n’s alliance, and utilize this as a platform to evaluate and identify instances of gender inequality and sexual discrimination within the college community. We want to advocate for greater opportunities for wom*n’s leadership within the colleges, and implement policies and campaigns to raise awareness and make strides in achieving gender equality.

All International Students are wholeheartedly encouraged to contact us via the email address, by searching for USyd International Students Collective” or by attending the meetings of the International Students Collective (Wednesdays at 5pm, venue to be announced in the Facebook Group). We are beyond excited to be your International Students Representatives for the year 2016 and hope to get to know you soon!

If you want more information or have any questions, please contact: international.officers@src.usyd.edu.au PAGE 32

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Disability and Carers Collective What is a disability?

Don’t be afraid of the word ‘disability’; it covers all sorts of conditions from the seemingly insignificant to the debilitating.

Disabilities can be temporary or permanent and may affect you for a small part of your degree, or for the whole time.

For some, disability might mean having a sensory impairment, mental health problem, chronic medical condition, physical or learning impairments, to name a few.

Who are Carers?

The term ‘Carer’ refers to anyone that provides substantial informal support to someone they know with a disability, an ongoing illness, chronic condition or drug and alcohol condition. Examples of care may include domestic, financial, practical or medical management, personal care and emotional support.

What is the Disabilities and Carers Student Network?

Our network is made up of an amazing group of students from all walks of life who are motivated to embrace and enjoy university life, and enhance their well-being alongside the experience of a disability or being a carer.

their needs. For more info, visit http://sydney.edu.au/current_ students/disability/ or contact disability services directly on (02) 8627 8422.

Are you studying whilst caring?

Caring commitments often impact study considerably.

As there is no formal data collection on Student Carers, they are largely an ‘invisible’ group. At this time, no formal support mechanisms (like Disability Services) exist that recognize the greater need for flexibility whilst caring and studying.

The Disabilities and Carers Network is currently campaigning for the recognition and support of Student Carers (particularly within the Disability Action Plan Committee) and has established an informal network of Student Carers on campus.

What can we do for you?

First and foremost, we’re here to help you out! We also make your voices heard by the university, and represent you and the issues you face. Contact us if you have any questions relating to disability and study or want to get involved in the network.

Welcome to Sydney University, we hope to see you soon!

The network is not about being defined by our circumstance, but supporting each other throughout university.

We place no pressure on our members to disclose information about their disability or caring responsibilities.

What do we get up to?

We have regular social meetings where you can meet some great people and get involved in a number of activities, some of which include:

• • • •

Picnics near the University Hanging out in the USYD community garden Movie afternoons…free food (Yay!) And more to be announced

Are you studying with a disability?

Sydney University is a great place to study, however the experience of dealing with a disability can sometimes make your studies difficult. For this reason, Disability Services provide a range of adjustments to suit individual needs (there’s no one size fits all here!). Some adjustments might include assignment extensions, access to note takers or lecture recordings, larger font exams or timetable adjustments to move classes closer together.

These are just a few of the many adjustments Disability Services can arrange for you. To receive support for this service, students must register online, provide supporting documentation and meet with a Disability Officer to discuss

How to Join?

It’s free, so just come along to one of our social events!

Follow our Facebook page: USYD SRC Disabilities & Carers Or shoot us a message: disabilities.officers@src.usyd.edu.au

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Sexual Harassment

CRAC

Lorena White, Gina Tran, Michelle Picone & Olivia Borgese

Steven Kwon & Naomi Jones

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that is not tolerated at the University of Sydney. Sexual harassment can come in many different forms, including but not limited to non-consensual touching, jokes or comments of a sexual or inappropriate nature, staring, stalking, intrusive questions, and even pressuring someone to go out on a date (either in person or online!)

The Campus Refugee Action Collective (CRAC) is part of a grassroots campaign to end the offshore processing and mandatory detention of refugees.

The main purpose of the Sexual Harassment Officers on campus is to work towards improving the safety of all students by creating initiatives and campaigns that create awareness about threats and acts of sexual and emotional violence, harassment, intimidation and assault. Alarmingly, 87% of Australian wom*n have experienced at least one form of physical or verbal street harassment in 2015, a trend that has seen 9/10 wom*n change their behaviour to ensure their personal safety in the last 12 months.

This year, we will be focusing on challenging victim blaming stereotypes that are predominant in discussions around sexual harassment and assault. Our campaigns will draw attention to the way that humour and normalized assumptions are used to perpetuate harmful myths about harassment and assault.

We will also focus on “informed consent” as one of our main concerns for 2016 by running a campaign about the difficulties in giving consent when impaired by drugs and/or alcohol.

In the past, the Sexual Harassment Officers have primarily aligned themselves with the University’s autonomous Wom*n’s Collective, which we will continue to do in 2016.

On this note, it is important to recognize that sexual harassment and violence does not only happen to those who identify as wom*n. It is a common misconception that only wom*n are affected by sexual harassment and violence, an assumption that leaves many people’s experiences unheard and delegitimized. This year, we will be running autonomous (for female identifying students) as well as non-autonomous (for everyone) workshops and campaigns to challenge normalized and dangerous myths about sexual harassment.

Last year we saw Tony Abbott lose his job as prime minister, despite his best attempt to save his job by whipping up racism and anti-refugee sentiment. However despite his “progressive” image, Malcolm Turnbull is no better; endorsing and enforcing the continuation of a deliberately cruel refugee policy. By pretending to protect us from this supposed refugee threat, he seeks to cultivate an image that he is a Prime Minister of the people and the protector of all Australians, including the students and the working people who he wants to cut their penalty rates from and raise the GST on. The price that the refugees pay so that Turnbull can look like he’s someone who’s got the people’s interest at heart whilst sweet talking us into buying his pro-business and anti-worker agenda is far too high. Thousands of refugees suffer from violence, mental illnesses, and some commit suicide while in these offshore detention centres. It’s time to expose the lies, stop the abuse, close Manus Island and Nauru, fight Turnbull and fight with the refugees- to fight for our rights.

Join us in our fight; join Campus Refugee Action Collective this year.

Contact Steven and Naomi on 0416406900 for more details.

If you ever feel unsafe on campus, give campus security a call on 9351 3487.

To get in contact with the SRC Sexual Harassment Officers of 2016 feel free to send us an email at help@src.usyd.edu.au WAGEC - Women’s and Girl’s Emergency Centre www.wagec.org.au - 9319 4088 RPA Sexual Assault Service - 9515 9040 National Sexual Violence and Domestic Family Violence Counselling - 1800 RESPECT Emergency (Police, Firefighters and Ambulance Services) - 000

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Interfaith Collective

Student Housing Collective

Zahra Makki, Aya Mustafa & Dimitr y Palmer

Jenna Shroder, Justine Amin & Llewellyn Williams-Brooks

As interfaith officers, we hope to ensure that students of all faiths are able to practice their religions comfortably around campus and organize interfaith events. Promoting understanding and appreciation of the many faiths and cultures present on campus is our main aim to enable a positive culture on campus. We hope to create a comfortable space where students can interact with each other as well as encourage dialogue between people of different faiths.

Engaging with other groups for different events is also a focus for 2016. Zahra Makki, Aya Mustafa and Dimitry Palmer make up your interfaith officers for 2016.

The SRC’s Student Housing Department works to support students with the issues they face regarding housing. The Student Housing officers lobby the University to ensure they are aware of the housing issues students experience and act accordingly to support students in addressing these issues. The Student Housing department works to ensure that students have access to temporary and emergency accommodation and that these services are expanded to meet the needs to students.

Zahra studies Biomedical Engineering, is a member of the Muslim Wom*n’s collective and through the interfaith officer position hopes to build bridges between the different communities at the university.

Aya studies Secondary Education and Arts and is also a member of the Muslim Wom*n’s collective who intends to organize events which include inviting guest speakers, holding healthy debates and opening up brighter doors to knowledge.

Dimitry is a member of the Russian Orthodox Faith and believes that religious freedom is inherently tied to freedom of speech, and that it is a fundamental right founded in the Australian Democratic Tradition that should never be subject to discrimination or degradation. Dimitry hopes to encourage religious societies on campus to continue to engage students and remove the stigmas that may discourage students from expressing their faith.

The Student Housing Officers remain in contact with Student Accommodation Services and other relevant committees throughout the year to ensure we are up to date on current policy and procedures relating to housing. This ensures the SRC is aware of any changes to student accommodation so that it is able to lobby for students if necessary.

Student Housing officers work through the minefield of institutional bureaucracy so students don’t need to. Instead, students can reach out to the SRC and the Student Housing officers to answer their questions about accommodation on and off campus including queries related to issues that may arise with roommates, managers of accommodation or landlords. The Student Housing Officers are a friendly and approachable first point of contact for students facing housing troubles.

To contact the Student Housing Officer please email us at: student.housing@src.usyd.edu.au

We hope for a smooth university experience for all students however if any negative encounters with fellow students or staff do take place on campus based on religious beliefs, do not let it slide. If faith-related incidences occur on campus, please report to interfaith.officers@src.usyd.edu.au and we will help mediate the issue. Please do not leave any incidences unreported as issues need to be tackled so as not to be repeated.

Interfaith activities and events will take many forms throughout the year, and as interfaith officers we encourage you to get involved in the religious societies on campus. Each society has many and great things to offer and getting involved will raise awareness and understanding which is highly encouraged.

Contact: interfaith.officers@src.usyd.edu.au

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Global Solidarity

Intercampus Department

The student movement is proudly internationalist, and it is the duty and responsibility of Student Unions to always stand in solidarity and support of the movements of students, workers and the oppressed not only in Australia, but right around the world. The attacks on students by governments both Labor and Liberal in the last few decades are not unique, but are a part of the worldwide advance of neoliberalism, an economic setup dominated by the free market, which has seen universities increasingly become little more than degree factories in which students have little control over their own affairs and the price of education skyrockets.

Though few students realise, the University of Sydney operates 8 campuses, a large number of training facilities and even a research station in the Great Barrier Reef. This means that a lot of students aren’t directly involved with the day to day hustle and bustle of the Camperdown Campus.

Declan Maher, Pelin Ersoy, Justine Amin & Michelle Picone

Naturally, these kind of attacks seldom come without a response, as across the world students have fought back, from Quebec to Lebanon, to South Africa, to Sydney. By having an understanding of and showing solidarity with the struggles of the oppressed around the world, we will be better placed to understand and fight the struggles of our own country.

The struggles of the world are all linked - it is the same imperialist ideology that drives Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank and Gaza that shuts down Aboriginal communities in Western Australia and the same racism that allows American police to murder black people on the street that allows Australian police to murder Indigenous people in custody. It is the same system of capitalism that keeps the poor poor and the rich rich in Australia as in every country in the world, and we mustn’t isolate ourselves within our own struggles without understanding the bigger picture. Students can be a volatile layer of society, the spark to greater movements, like in May 1968 in Paris where student protest was the catalyst to a general strike of ten million workers, the biggest the world had ever seen at the time.

It is therefore essential for the SRC to have a serious global outlook and always side with students and the oppressed. In the past, that has meant attending rallies in support of, for example, the Black Lives Matter movement in opposition to police violence in the United States, the 2014 “Umbrella Movement” for democracy in Hong Kong in 2014, or against the Israeli occupation of Palestine, to name a few. The Global Solidarity Office will work to keep students informed about the goings-on in the student movement globally, and discuss the best way to show support so these movements and activists are aware that they are not isolated in their struggle. From Chile to South Africa, to the restructures here in Australia, there is a case for a global student movement against degree factories. That’s why the Global Solidarity Office will be taking part in the Usyd rally against course cuts, fee hikes, staff cuts and fee deregulation on April 13th.

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Pranaderi Amarindra, Amit Dharamdasani & Liam Garman

However, just because you aren’t on the main campus doesn’t mean that the SRC will stop fighting for your education. The Students’ Representative Council seeks to provide welfare assistance to all students, across all of the University’s satellite campuses. That means if you are at any of the nonCamperdown campuses or training facilities that the SRC will still be accessible for you to get into contact with for assistance.

As Intercampus Officers, it is our role to liaise with students who are not enrolled to study in Camperdown and to ensure that all students have adequate access to the SRC’s services.

Students who study at the; Cumberland, Camden, Mallett Street, Surry Hills and Castlereagh campuses, as well as students who study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Sydney College of the Arts, the numerous medical training facilities and research stations are strongly encouraged to contact the Intercampus Officers if there is any assistance needed from the SRC. Over 2016 your Intercampus Officers are Liam Garman, Pranaderi Amarindra and Amit Dharamdasani. We will be available to have a chat to any intercampus students who require assistance from the SRC and utilise its services, by meeting in person, on the phone or via email.

Over the course of the year we will be looking forward to visiting as many of the satellite campuses as possible to directly engage with any students who may need our assistance and the assistance of the SRC. Even if you do not require assistance from the SRC, this will be a great opportunity to approach us and ask us any questions about the SRC or about the university that you may have. For first years, this would be an extremely useful opportunity to learn how to engage with other campuses and university life. We will be advertising these opportunities throughout the year so please stay posted!

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding upcoming SRC campaigns, if you need assistance from the SRC or just want to have a good chat. at inter.campus@src.usyd.edu.au

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T

Thanks and No Thanks Thanks:

Thanks to all the OB’s who submitted their articles on time and even the ones who didn’t. Thanks to the caseworkers and solicitors for making sure we didn’t publish things that would get us sued. Mickie and Amanda for putting up with our lack of knowledge in how to actually put this whole thing together.

Caseworkers who not only submitted articles but coped with Lachlan complaining 24/7 about the Handbook. Sam Kwon for going through the disgustingly designed USYD website to get information on scholarships. Georgia Tkachuk for their wonderful health cuts campaign image. Country Thompson for writing an article that is pretty much the same as last years because “Pip’s was perfect” and for reminding me of the power of Beyonce and Nicki Minaji. Siobhan Ryan for writing an article on studying tips even though she assured us she wasn’t the best person for the job. Lily, Katie and Andy for writing a radical and honest article. Katie for her art towards her own article. Miki Stancic for putting her health on the line by drinking copious amounts of coffee just to give USYD students the best and most honest guide. Isabella Brook for sharing her experience with local food. Michael Sun for giving us a guide to local pubs and clubs (even if it did come in very late). Chiara Angeloni and Max Hall for replying to all of Georgia’s messages asking for help and creating such a good handbook last year forcing us to up our game. Johanna Roberts for providing us with her artistic talent. Powerful Wom*n of Colour. Chloe for letting Lachlan take all of her presidential gumballs. Mel’s Shrimp.

Mel’s Fish. @oz_f, @justipen and @verbaliza for having rad twitter accounts. Friends and family that support and lift us up.

The song ‘Burnout’ by Saba for providing Georgia with positivity even on days when she had no power or running water (which was regularly). Music in general. Caccs for writing an article that ending up getting rejected. Hawkins for following in Caccs’ footsteps. Shannon Noll’s Rendition of “What about me”. Honi for sending their submission countless times. The Executive for providing a breath of fresh air in the weeks leading up to

the due date. Julia for making a label for Caccs to finally give him his own pigeonhole and also for being totally awesome and helpful. Chitra for helping ease our burden and being a godsend. Dylan, Liam, Michael and Riki for sharing the final night until the sunrise. Thanks especially to Michael for his beautiful Spence Direction creation. Toys in the OB room that keep Georgia occupied.

FINALLY THANK YOU TO LACHLAN AND GEORGIA, (of course we will thank ourselves), for spending countless hours in the dungeon and Timor in order to create this semblance of a handbook, despite the fact that no one will read it besides ourselves.

No Thanks: The Orientation committee. The University of Sydney Restructure. Spence and Belinda. Timor Telecom for charging Georgia $10 for a GB just to stay in contact with Lachlan so she could do her job. InDesign for forcing us to learn code to delete locked files. The patriarchy. White Privilege. White men who tell wom*n of colour how to fight racism and sexism. Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Transphobia and Ableism.The Liberal Party. Capitalism. Lost friendships and loves. The amount of celebrities who died in January. The even higher amount of refugees who died trying to flee from their homes. Invasion Day aka ‘Australia Day’. Malcolm Turnbull. SRC aircon. NUS Welfare’s campaign against PIRS. HECS. GFC. Subway, for not being open at 3am. Conservatives. White rappers. Multinational corporations that abuse human rights in developing nations.

SRC offices for not having a window to the outside. Reclaim Australia. Coppers. VSU. Time. Lachlan for playing Nickelback.

Georgia for not liking said Nickelback. Tony Abbott. Business School for not allowing simple extensions and being so pro management. Textbooks on Hecs. The inevitability of death.

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