Editorial

Hello reader, welcome aboard.

This is the 2021 edition of Orientation Handbook; the SRC’s no-bullshit guide to surviving uni.

We are the General Secretaries of the SRC and we are honoured to be your editors of this gruelling publication. As GenSecs, our many varied roles include: helping to determine the SRC budget for the year, negotiating a fair proportion of SSAF for the SRC (what’s fair would really be most of it but that’s another matter), sitting on committees of the University and lobbying for staff and student rights, supporting the projects of SRC office bearers, taking charge of SRC projects such as Radical Education Week (something to look forward to in Sem 2) and the SRC Food Hub, and facilitating general outreach to the student body.

Over the past year we have seen explosions of student power around the world. We here at USyd are no different. Last year we witnessed and fought back against vicious attacks on our education at the federal, state, and university level. This year, despite a change in USyd management leadership, with the long-standing Vice-Chancellor Michael Spence leaving, we don’t have high hopes. While we are glad to see the back of him, his successor, Stephen Garton has done his own fair share of damage to USyd students and staff in his time as Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, as you can read about in CounterCourse. Students, staff, and your SRC will continue to fight against USyd management as they shatter the quality of our education and exploit us mercilessly.

University is not the same for everyone. Every person reading this, and every person involved in the making of this handbook will have or has had a distinctly different university experience. Some of this may be out of your hands - the amount you need to work, how easily you make friends, what awful bahn mi you get before realising that is the one place everyone avoids.

But - for the most part, getting involved in university life and the fights and struggles happening in the world around you is your choice. To close your eyes and ears and pretend that these aren’t happening is to be complicit. Getting involved in these fights can be difficult; the information you have access to will be contradictory, you will feel exhausted and frustrated and have no idea what you could possibly do to make a dent in a fight that is so large and has been going on for so long.

This is truly the reason we are here. The SRC is comprised of a group of people who have decided that they care about students and are willing to do what they can to help, whether this is through direct action or advocacy, you have people with a wealth of information just waiting for you. We can work with you and try our hardest to answer any questions you may have; we have the knowledge of a 93 year old institution behind us after all.

Get involved in the university outside of your classes. This is a rich community with lots going on - all you have to do is look. We would recommend the SRC collectives as a fantastic way to enter the activist scene at the University of Sydney. You can find more info about them on pages 8-9!

However you decide to spend your time at university, the SRC will be here to support you. Start by having a good look through this handbook - we can’t have spent all night finishing this for nothing now can we. It should have plenty of information to get you thinking, and set you well on your way at excelling here.

Yours,

Priya Gupta & Anne Zhao

2021 SRC General Secretaries