ISSUE NO. 1
18TH FEBRUARY University of Technology Sydney Student Publication
CONSULTATION PERIOD ABORTED BY THIRD TRIMESTER
INSIDE OPINION
by Steph Aikins
The student consultation period for UTS’ balanced semester model has sparked concerns among student representatives. The new annual academic calendar, to be implemented in 2016, will see UTS move from a two-semester model to three nearly equallength teaching periods. The structure was voted upon and passed at the fourth academic board meeting in October 2014, following a single student consultation meeting. Awareness of the meeting was broadcast via student email on the day, which was held during the student election period. Luke Chapman, Assistant Secretary for the University of Technology Sydney Students Association (UTSSA), says he was disappointed in the lack of notice given to students to attend the meeting. “I received an email on the day and I replied saying, ‘That’s pathetic, you can’t give a day’s notice’,” says Luke. “It all seems too convenient … A lot of students were active during the election and we didn’t even have time to propose a moratorium on campaigning.” Secretary of the UTSSA, Jess Xu, agrees that placing the student consultation meeting during the election period hindered student engagement. “With the senior management of UTS well aware that the student activists involved in
the UTSSA would be involved in the UTSSA election and campaigning times, I can only guess that they chose this time for the trimester student forum with something other than students’ best interests as a priority.” The meeting was part of a number of student consultation measures carried out in 2014. During the review period, talks were held with the UTS Students’ Association and their then president as well as student focus groups from all departments. According to the academic board papers from the meeting of the October 22 2014, the student feedback gained from these discussions was taken into account to create a model that will provide “…the optimum balance of teaching and learning, review and assessment periods.” However, Chapman believes such consultation was ineffective in informing the student body. “It all checks out on paper,” he says. “The problem is when you talk to students in reality, no one knows what’s going on.” Xu agrees; she blames limited student consultation as the cause of confusion among the student community. “There was minimal consultation for such a huge change to the way UTS students learn,” she says. “Nearly all students I spoke with during the end of last semester had not heard of trimesters being proposed for 2016. An overwhelming majority of them expressed deep
concern that there was not enough information, and worried that it’d be impossible to get through the same course content in reduced class times.” Chapman, who also sits as a student representative on the Law Faculty Board attributes this lack of communication with the university’s methods of contacting students. “Most students don’t check their emails and the university knows this,” he says. “They didn’t engage in social media, there was no general talk of this, Vertigo wasn’t well informed. I was frustrated they only sent out an email late in the piece and didn’t engage in spaces where students go.” Aaron Ngan, UTS Council Undergraduate Student Representative, agrees the lack of knowledge in the student community may be due to the university meeting only the basic requirements of student consultation. “The university met a basic need of student consultation and, having done so, didn’t necessarily see the need put it forward,” he says. However, Ngan remains optimistic that discussions with students heavily influenced the proposed balanced semester structure. “I know that the Students’ Association was fairly vocal about being against trimesters in general and I think that would have informed the level of discussion,” he says.
8
Notes on Media: When news is opinion news, #Aus Pol: The gift the keeps on giving
MAJOR REPORTS
10
Dean Mattar’s Presidents report, Max Murphy’s Education Vice Presidents report, Brigida Jone’s Treasurer’s report
FEATURE
3
March with passion
SPORTS
15
Electriv youth: Next stop Russia, Heading into cup, Join the club
REVIEWS
17
John smith Cafe, Stitch bar, Life is strange: Episode 1, Nite fields: Depersonalisation, The Decemberists: What a terrible world, what a beautiful world Afterworlds, American Sniper, The Interview, Foxcatcher
REAR WINDOW Tony Abbott reverts Australia to Monarchy, Iambic Pentameter
24