TUU Budget Breakdown Every year, a thousand UTAS students cry out in darkness — a $300 SSAF fee has been deducted from their account. Misunderstood and shrouded in mystery, this fee has long been a source of confusion for UTAS students already encumbered with uni debts. So let’s talk about SSAF, budgets, and break out those pie charts. The TUU gets some SSAF money from the University, but also receives Baseline Funding. It return, the TUU provides services to students without charge — things like societies, clubs, student media and important counselling services. In the 2019 budget, the TUU will receive about $900,000 in SSAF funds from the University. That’s a lot of moolah, so you should know where it’s being spent. While drafting this budget, the TUU has been conscious of providing accountable and transparent communication to the people they represent — UTAS students. We are also dedicated to creating an inclusive and vibrant community which has safety, fairness, wellbeing and sustainability at the top of our agenda. We are also committed to strengthening our partnership with UTAS and key stakeholders. As in previous years, TUU Clubs and Societies received a large proportion of the 2019 budget, with a total of $500,000 allocated. This funding provides for events which are the cornerstones of an inclusive and connected university community. Furthermore, $75,000 has been allocated to support the production and publication of TUU student media publications such as Togatus and also put toward the maintenance of the TUU website for the purpose of providing accessible information to a broad range of students including information about TUU events, initiatives and Clubs and Societies. $105,000 was set aside to support the provision of information to students, which is facilitated through the Contact Centres in Hobart, Launceston and Cradle Coast. $30,000 was allocated toward the provision of free independent legal advice for students in relation to migration issues. Furthermore, an additional
32
