My TUU Story

My TUU Story

Sharifah Syed-Rohan

For me, the TUU election period is somewhat cathartic. It has allowed me to reflect on what has been two of the most interesting years of my life… interesting in the sense that they have not been good, yet they have not been all that bad.

Now, I know what many people think: the TUU is a place where career politicians are born, and where they use their voice to pursue their self-interest. Do you know why I knew you thought that? Because I thought the same thing before coming into this organisation. Now, if I reflect on my journey, perhaps I too may have been perceived in this light. I suppose I conform to the stereotype of ‘Head Girl’ and the overly-ambitious. However, the reasons I got involved with the TUU were far from pursuing my own self-interest, but instead about using my voice, and my (albeit limited) skillset to advance the interests of my fellow students and to ensure that their educational journey was fulfilling.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been acutely aware of the struggles and injustices in our world, and have lived by the mantra that there is no purpose in complaining about the shortcomings within our society when we could instead be working towards bridging the gaps, empowering people and creating solutions. And I think that’s what led me to the TUU — this innate desire to do good and attempt to overcome some of the shortcomings I had observed in our university setting.

My time with the TUU started in the middle of 2017, when there was a casual vacancy in the role of Southern Welfare Officer. A friend of mine encouraged me to apply, and I’m really glad that they did, because despite the

fact I was in over my head with TUU policy, protocol, and expectations of my fellow SRC members, I am so appreciative of the wonderful people I met that year, the things I learned, and the leadership I saw embodied by people my age. The learning here was that things can be quite daunting, but that doesn’t mean you should knock them back. University is all about stepping out of your comfort zone and exploring new things — and that is what TUU has allowed me to do. However, as my term as Welfare Officer was nearing an end, I realised I wasn’t quite finished yet and still had a lot to learn andy a lot to give, and so I stood for the role of Southern Campus President and was fortunate enough to be elected.

Therefore, in 2018 I found myself in the role of Southern Campus President, and my time transitioning into that role was far from easy. At the beginning of that year, a friend of mine passed away unexpectedly. They were somebody that, despite me never telling them, inspired me greatly because they carried themselves with an enviable degree of confidence. They were self-assured and willing to express their views, whether they were deemed to be wrong or right. Most importantly, they never viewed any issue as being too big to fix — they were proactive, competent and eager to bring people along on their journey to effect change. Whilst it took me some time to come to accept their absence in my life, and the lives of those important to me, I feel they taught me the importance of agitating for change, even when it may be difficult. This person’s time in my life, despite short, has allowed me to reflect on the practices of a change-maker I admired and they have inspired me to work harder, to speak up and to speak out about issues of student concern and the injustices of this world.

My year as Campus President was a year of realisation — realisation about how hard it would be for me to maintain a reasonable GPA, be a good daughter and friend, and to regain the student body’s trust in the TUU, and I can assure that I still haven’t found the perfect solution. As many of you would be aware, the TUU is constantly under scrutiny, and the release of the LH Martin report emboldened many negative conceptions of our organisation. If you are looking for a job free from criticism, and where everything is happy families, the TUU most certainly isn’t for you. On reflection, I don’t think I have ever been as heavily criticised in my entire life as I have been in the past two years, or been made to feel as though I am not trusted.

In our university landscape, it is hard to know whose role is who, why things are not getting done and where the bloody hell the SSAF is going, and so naturally those questions and their inherent criticisms have come to me. At first I used to feel somewhat offended by comments that would be made to me, but I soon realised that it wasn’t me specifically that people were angry with, it was the lack of information they had access to and the lack of consultation taking place — areas that the LH Martin folks had made explicitly clear.

Therefore, in the last two years, I've worked consciously to improve visibility of the TUU, and to encourage both the TUU and UTAS to actively consult with students and provide them with the information they require. Rebuilding trust is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and to try to rebuild the trust of 35,000 students will be an ongoing challenge for the TUU in years to come.

Whilst 2018 was challenging both personally and professionally, I decided to run for the position of Statewide President, and was successfully elected.

I would liken this year's experiences to being thrown headfirst into a deep pool and then learning how to swim. My term as President commenced in December of 2018, and by the second week of my term, things had gotten real, and they'd gotten real very damn quickly. In the middle of December, the TUU found itself at the forefront of the UTAS housing debacle where students were unsure of whether their leases in UTAS accommodation would be renewed. This situation was incomprehensible, but it reminded me of the power of the student voice, and how when we unite, we are so incredibly powerful. As a result of the mobilisation of our students, UTAS reversed its decision and brought more accommodation online. Students have so much power, and they should never underestimate themselves.

Leading a team of 27 people has been both a challenge and a pleasure. Many of them have made me thankful to have had the opportunity to work with them, because they are productive, passionate and hardworking, and I always knew I could turn to them for guidance. Conversely, I've learned that not everyone will share your passion and want to effect change, and whilst it is upsetting, you shouldn't focus on them alone — you should focus on the people with energy and mobilise them to reach their full potential.

My time in the TUU has also reinforced the power of partnerships and how students are so lucky to have access to services like Red Frogs. The Red Frogs are a group of individuals of whom I find myself forever in awe of due to their dedication to students, and the fact they expect nothing in return for what they give.

• It is hard to manage people, especially when they are each trying to navigate their way through a defining time in their lives.

• Being innovative is risky, but it can also come with great rewards and amazing outcomes.

• Localised leadership is critical, and having meaningful conversations with people from varying backgrounds, disciplines and journeys allows you to develop more holistic views about student matters, and any matters for that matter.

• Not everyone will like the way you operate, and may not like stepping outside the status quo, but you should never let that stop you.

• Navigating bureaucracy is harder than trying to get a very old GPS to work.

• Posting memes on the TUU Instagram is never sensible the night before exams.

• People love free things — they might not always say thank you, but that’s okay.

• Change is not easy for individuals, nor is it easy for organisations.

To be honest, I am not the most emotional person in the world, I cry twice yearly (on average) and will only hug people on special occasions. However, in the last month, what has upset me is the prospect that all of the hard work over the last two years to regain student trust and to agitate for meaningful changes to the TUU and its future could all come undone. I know this makes me sound like a type-A clinger, but I think that the TUU serves as somewhat of a symbol to me for what has been a rather challenging time in my life. In the last two years, I have invested so much time, energy and enthusiasm into the TUU, which has been of detriment to my mental health and GPA. So I think my final, and perhaps most important learning has been that putting the weight of an organisation on your shoulders isn't healthy, because you alone cannot effect every change you wish to see. It is important to look after yourself and not compromise your health and wellbeing, because in doing so, you may just be compromising what you can do in the future to help others.

Thank you for having me serve you as #yourTUU President in 2019.