W'SUP O-Week Edition, Feb 2017 by W'SUP

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

W’SUP acknowledges the country and people of the Dharug, Wiradjuri, Gandangarra and Tharawal nations and acknowledges their ancestors who have been traditional owners of their country for thousands of years. W’SUP pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging. W’SUP is coordinated by the Student Representation & Participation team at Western Sydney University.

EDITORS Emma Del Dot Iman Sohail Megha Kalra Michael Wright Nicole Gismondo Phil Craig

PUBLICATIONS OFFICER Mick Hender

FRONT COVER DESIGN Grace Mitchell

BACK COVER IMAGE wsup.news wsup@westernsydney.edu.au wsupnews wsupnews W’SUP

Emma Del Dot and Nicole Gismondo

CONTENTS 2

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESKS

WHAT’S FREE AT UNI?

STUDENT SERVICES DIRECTORY

SURVIVAL GUIDE: PARRAMATTA

1PSQ: A FIRST GLANCE

THE END OF THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM

1 PSQ: A TECHNOLOGICAL WONDER

THE FIRST OF FIRSTS

SURVIVAL GUIDE: BANKSTOWN

STUDENT CAMPUS COUNCIL WELCOME

PASS / MATES

SSAF: WHAT IS IT? ...AND WHO SPENDS IT?

LICENCE SUSPENSIONS

DINNER DUTIES VS WEEKLY READINGS

SURVIVAL GUIDE: KINGSWOOD (PENRITH)

WHICH STUDENT CLUB IS THE ONE FOR YOU?

ORGSYNC

OH DEER, I’M QUEER

6 REASONS #NUSTNATCON IS AN ALTERNATE REALITY

REMEMBERING WERRINGTON SOUTH

SURVIVAL GUIDE: CAMPBELLTOWN

W’SUP WITH OUR RESEARCH?

WEEK ONE FOR: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDENTS

‘WHAT YOU SEEK IS SEEKING YOU!’

HOME COUNTRY: REVIEW

UNIVERSITY WITH A DISABILITY

DO YOU WANT TO BE EATING SUICIDE KALE?

SURVIVAL GUIDE: HAWKESBURY

RESPECT. NOW. ALWAYS.

STARS

LOVE GURU / QUEER CORNER

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESKS Our editors, just like everyone else at uni, had the unfortunate fantastic opportunity to be first years once upon a time. While, for some of us, it’s definitely the distant past, we cast our minds back to help understand the good, the bad and the ugly (@university rebrand shirts) of our experiences so far, so you can learn from our mistakes. The Editorials are a regular part of W’SUP, allowing for the team elected by their fellow students last year to put through a bit of their personalities. You’ll get to know us some more throughout the year, but for now, here’s what you need to know to start Semester 1 on the right foot.

Studying at the magnificent campus of Parramatta gives you so much to explore in between classes. If I have some spare time, the first thing that I like do is grab a little snack, as we have great food places like Oliver Brown, Boiler House, and Subway to hop to and fro from. Apart from that, University offers a wide variety of clubs and societies, and having joined a club that fascinates me makes my spare time in between classes more productive and interesting.

Megha Kalra What do you like to do on campus when you have some spare time in between classes?

During the days when assignments pressure lingers, free time in between classes is extremely useful to complete assignments, check e-mails, clear doubts with the tutors and do the required research in the library. Whereas, there are days when watching Netflix in the library, playing table tennis in the hub, taking a power nap or just sitting on the grass on a sunny winter afternoon comes in very handy in between the lectures to rejuvenate my damped spirit. I think that an hour or two in between tutorials and lectures is a sweet luxury that should be completely enjoyed.

Studying at WSU in 2016 left me with a number of positive experiences, I was able to continue to work with the PASS team to provide peer assistance to students enrolled in units that have higher fail rates and also acted as a mentor to my fellow pass facilitators. The attitudes of mutual support and collaboration I witnessed during the year were extremely satisfying to see our students all care about their own academic success as well as that of their fellow students.

Phil Craig What was the best thing about uni last year? What are you looking forward to this year?

Working with the WSU Resistance Club also allowed me to get first-hand experience of just how many people from both the Bankstown and Parramatta campus supported the rights of refugees and Asylum Seekers through the Resistance Clubs promotion of the Let Them Stay Campaign. A great number of students would stop at the clubs stall to discuss their own personal experiences as refugees seeking asylum, I found this to be extremely motivational and hope to build on this experience in 2017 by further advocating for the rights of refugees and other marginalised groups on campus.

I arrived at my orientation just after the stress that was the Blue Mountains bushfires that raged throughout my final exams. I was simply glad to have a university offer after the bizarre effects that special consideration has on marks, I entered uni bright eyed and bushy tailed, looking for a fresh start. I had been accepted into law, and wasn’t at all sure of what to expect.

Nicole Gismondo What’s changed between your first day of first year and the point you’re at now?

Fast forward to now and I’ve been bouncing around all sorts of different university committees, representing students at every turn. I have been a Clubs Representative on the Parramatta Student Campus Council, chair of the clubs’ committee that approves SSAF funds and for the past year, a W’SUP editor. Study wise, after fine tuning my skills, I even managed to achieve a High Distinction in a law unit last semester. Overall, I feel like university has allowed me to find myself and my passions, plus I got that fresh start I was after! I found out I really like committees, and organising people really gets me going. University can be great if you take it by the horns and discover who you are and where you want to be.

2017 is shaping up to be a year of volatility. The inauguration of Donald Trump, massive rallies in solidarity with Women’s and Indigenous Rights and the impending Brexit have already shaken the status quo, and there’s more to come. University environments are about discussing and dissecting ideas, and W’SUP is the perfect place for that. Within these pages in 2017, expect to find breaking news that makes a difference to students, features that provide behind the scenes looks at what’s happening at our Uni, intimate, controversial and emotionally insightful art, poems and fiction and recurring columns, including some returning favourites and some fantastic new additions.

Michael Wright What should we expect from W’SUP in 2017?

W’SUP is a news-magazine for all students. We are assembling a team of student contributors from all walks of life - no matter your degree, your campus, your cultural heritage or your identity, we want to help share your story. Our editorial team represents 6 degrees across 3 campuwses. Already we have contributors from every campus, who we’re working with to develop story ideas and pitches into content that will line the pages of each edition. Behind the scenes, we’re already working to ensure that there’s always something new and exciting. There’s updates coming to the way you read articles online at W’SUP. news, and we’re bringing you more regular print editions throughout the year. We’re committing to making 2017, a year of independent, interesting and relevant student media.Will you join us for W’SUP’s most exciting year ever? One of my biggest concerns when starting uni was the workload. To transition from high school to university life in a matter of a few months was daunting and whilst I was excited to start this new chapter of my life, I was completely unaware of how much work would have to be done and whether I could manage it whilst working. Looking back, the reason why this was such a concern for me was more-so because of the unknown, as in, I was unaware what uni and uni workload entailed. I just presumed it was difficult.

Iman Sohail What was your biggest fear or concern before you started uni and how did you overcome that?

However, once I had started uni, I came to the realisation that the workload was not only manageable but how well you do in uni is dependent upon yourself, the student. If you continuously put effort every week into each of your units and actively study, the overall outcome of the unit will be good. If you assume you will be able to condense a 14 week semester worth of study in your STUVAC week, you may not be impressed with your grade. Never let the fear of uni or uni work stop you from enjoying your course. Study smart, not hard and maintain an active study schedule. This does not mean study every day for 10 hours. This means to do a small amount of study that will allow you to understand the content, whether that is writing down notes from lectures or preparing quizzes for yourself. This is how I overcome this initial before I started uni and I assure any new students that this concern is absolutely typical when you’re starting uni but it will not remain for long. Enjoy uni while it lasts!

First year Emma spent a lot of her time feeling miserable and lonely. I’d moved almost 2,000 km away from my family and friends in Far North Queensland, I didn’t know where things were and I didn’t know anybody in the state, let alone anyone at uni. As a result I fell into the really destructive habit of turning up, going from my lectures straight into back to back tutorials and going home. I would tell first year Emma and anyone else like her that uni isn’t all work. Sure, if all you do is work you might get through it, you might even do well, but chances are you’ll be pretty unhappy. University is a community, and becoming an active and engaged member of that community is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Emma Del Dot If you could go back to your first day and give your self some advice, what would you say?

But of course, it wasn’t until I started making an effort that I felt like I belonged here. No one is going to walk up to you and offer you a magical invitation; you’ve got to do it yourself. Start hanging out on-campus, start talking to people outside of class and make an effort to get involved in on campus activities. It might not happen for you straight away, it didn’t for me, but eventually you’ll find your place within the Western community and when you do, it’ll be awesome.

WHAT’S FREE AT UNI? Michael Wright

The broke uni student is such a cliche that my HSC English teacher would probably be extremely disappointed about me using it now. However, regardless of the accuracy of the cliche, everyone loves a freebie. While O-Week is the highest concentration of freebies (make sure you help yourself to anything you can while chatting about clubs and societies), you’re able to grab freebies all throughout semester, if you know where to look. During O-Week many clubs and societies will have a variety of lollies, pens and other free items that you can (and should) lay your hands on. Between all the pens, highlighters and sticky notes, plus the ability to restock at Student Services Fair in Week 4 you’ll be able to make it till at least the mid-Semester break before you need to hit up Officeworks. You’ll also be able to sign up for offers including trial periods at on-campus gyms, free subscriptions to newspapers and freebies/discounts from a host of other companies. Keep in mind that many of these organisations will at the very least add you to their mailing lists, while others have reputations for on-selling student data. Throughout semester, Campus Life provides free breakfast for students on each campus; it’s a great opportunity to grab a free feed and catch up with other students. While you’re there, have a chat with the Campus Life Officer (CLO) about the things happening on your campus. From free personal training sessions to Clubs Fairs with free food, fun and games there’s always something happening and the CLOs know when and where. Your Student Campus Council often has free food or other goodies that they’re giving away. You can hit up their office on your campus (see the Campus Survival Gudies) or follow their Facebook pages to get the low-down. It’s also worth having a chat about the campaigns they’re running - often the issues that other students have raised will be important to you, and you can get involved in creating change at Western Sydney. Many clubs and societies run barbecues and other events on campus throughout semester. While there’s no such thing as a free meal, for the price of joining a mailing list, there’s no harm in finding out about some of the student groups on campus and you might even make lifelong friends. Student clubs also receive SSAF funding that can be put towards subsidising events for students. Students have received subsidies from the Uni to travel to Uni Games (a national sports tournament), conferences (including student run ones for Law and Medicine), and international tournaments/competitions (such as debating and law competitions). Editor’s Note: For students who are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table, reach out to Student Support Services, from hooking you up with free financial planning support to connecting you to other support services, they’ll be able to lend a hand. All of the above offers are indicative of the opportunities offered to students in 2016, and W’SUP takes no responsibility for their accuracy in 2017. 5

STUDENT SERVICES DIRECTORY

young people and same sex attracted people. Visit fpnsw. org.au or call 1300 658 886.

PODIATRY UniClinic at Campbelltown campus offers podiatry services to the general public at a reduced rate, including nail surgery, foot pressure analysis, diabetes assessment, orthoses, vascular/neurological/biomechanical/gait assessments, and muscle rehabilitation. For students most of the services cost just $10. Phone 4620 3700 and visit westernsydney.edu.au/uniclinic

INDIGENOUS Badanami Centre provides support and encouragement for every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolled at the University. Students can drop in to Badanami anytime to study or relax. Badanami can put you in touch with a range of services across campuses, including study skills courses, careers advice, and counselling. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/badanami

STUDY & LIFE SKILLS Free workshops include academic writing, maths, and life skills such as dealing with exam stress, mastering your memory, and time management. Workshops and resources are available on campus and online. Â Visit westernsydney. edu.au/workshops

PASS: PEER ASSISTED STUDY SESSIONS Work with other students to understand the content of your units and develop study strategies to improve your academic performance. Each PASS group is run by a senior student who has excelled in the unit they are supporting. PASS is free and voluntary. Regular attendance of PASS will help improve your grades and make study more rewarding. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/pass

STUDENT WELFARE Student Welfare Officers can provide guidance and support with university processes including, exclusion, misconduct, review of grades and special consideration. They also provide info about financial assistance available through the university such as textbook vouchers, grants, loans and food vouchers. Welfare Officers will also provide referral to external services to assist with accommodation, Centrelink and sexual health. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/welfare or email welfareservice@westernsydney.edu.au

MULTIFAITH CHAPLAINCY The multifaith chaplaincy team offers a caring presence to all staff and students. Chaplains come from a variety of spiritual and wisdom traditions. Their presence on campus is an acknowledgment that university can be a time of incredible opportunity and challenge. Multifaith chaplaincy fosters spiritual exploration and clarity, offers hospitality, facilitates friendships and community, and works to support each individual in reaching their fullest potential. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/chaplaincy or email chaplaincy@westernsydney.edu.au

CAREERS Service to assist students with jobs, experience and career planning. Call our Career Advice Hotline on 4736 0522 between 10am and 1pm weekdays. Register at CareerHub to access jobs, events, workshops, appointments and other information. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/careers or email careers@westernsydney.edu.au

MATES

FAMILY PLANNING

The MATES mentoring program provides first year students with an opportunity to connect with other new students and mentors in later years of study. As a new student this will help you to meet other students and gain the knowledge and skills to settle into life at university. MATES runs for the first eight weeks of session on campus and online. To join or become a mentor visit westernsydney.edu.au/mates

Reproductive and sexual health experts on contraception, pregnancy options, STIs, sexuality and sexual function, menstruation, menopause, common gynaecological problems, cervical screening, breast awareness and menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health. Clinics in Ashfield, Fairfield, Penrith targeted to marginalised communities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, refugees, people with disability, 6

SEXUAL HEALTH Ever have unprotected sex? Get tested, it’s easy. Many Sexually Transmitted Infections have no obvious symptoms. Sexual Health Clinics at Nepean Hospital in Kingswood and Blue Mountains Hospital in Katoomba offer FREE confidential testing and treatment. The Nepean Hospital Clinic also offers the ‘Men Out West’ Clinic with HIV testing in 10 minutes. No Medicare card needed. Visit nbmlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/sexual-health or call Nepean Sexual Health Clinic 4734 2507 or the Katoomba Sexual Health Clinic 4784 6560.

DISABILITY Support for students with disabilities and health conditions to reach their academic potential and participate in university life. Disability Advisors develop Academic Integration Plans which outline reasonable adjustments. AIPs involve an assessment, student consultation and medical evidence. The Service provides assistive technology training and disability awareness raising. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/disabilityservice, call 9852 5199 or email disability@westernsydney.edu.au

COUNSELLING A team of qualified social workers and psychologists to help you with any issues affecting your study. If you’re not sure that university is for you, a counsellor may be able to offer advice and support or help you improve your study skills. Counselling is free, confidential and you can contact a counsellor via email if you prefer. Visit westernsydney. edu.au/counselling, call 9852 5199 or email counselling@ westernsydney.edu.au

LIBRARY 24x7 access online to over one million online scholarly resources, literacy and assignment tools and help via Library Study Smart, group study room bookings and Online Librarian help via chat, phone and email. On campus access print materials, library staff assistance with finding and citing resources, quiet/silent study spaces, laptops for loan and face to face sessions with Library Study Smart Advisors. Visit westernsydney.edu.au/library

WELCOME, FOLKS!

After being in the workforce for a whole decade, the idea of going back to uni was giving me delicious shudders. Would life get more interesting? Would ‘work’ now get more timeconsuming… or less? Would there be more fun involved or would I get, as Batty rapped about human experimentation, ‘brain-fried, electrified, infected and injectified’? After a year of being ‘back at uni’, life includes a bigger circle of friends, an entrancing new career to look to, and engaging, challenging classes that push my limits. So, if you’re starting uni, career changer or not, cheers to you!

Anu Anand

SURVIVAL GUIDE: PARRAMATTA Campus Council Office: EA.G.35 (Summer temporary relocation EB.G.23) Student Kitchenette: EG.G.07 (access through the Hub or back of Hub) Women’s Room: EB.G.16 Queer Room: EA.G.37 Parents Room: EN.LG.23 (on the silent bottom floor of the library) Muslim Prayer Rooms: EA.LG.14A (female), EA.LG.14B (male) Prayer & Meditation Facilities: EF.G.07 – Jacob’s Well – excellent quiet place to study. Badanami Centre (ATSI): Building EY Parking: Summer I’ve heard is a dream. First few weeks of Autumn session? Back to the grind of 8.30am minimum for South, and possibility of North being parked out by midday Public Transport/Shuttle: Train to Parramatta – then M52, 525, 524, 523, 521 (Do not get 545, it goes past North only), more unlikely manage to get a train to Rydalmere and Walk. The walk from Parramatta station is along the river and takes 30min on a good day. There is now a REGULAR UNI SHUTTLE to the station (stop at front of uni)! Shuttles to North Campus generally happen every 10min (stop near childcare centre), but if you miss it – walk, it’s the same time as the wait. Current Construction: Design Labs are being built in EA over summer, and Comms is moving into ED, 1PSQ should be open in January, science building is new and fancy now! Best Coffee: Bernie at the Bakehouse, Oliver Brown (if you want to treat yo’ self) Best Lunch: Upmarket: Oliver Brown or the Bakehouse Gym: Outside *ugh* near shuttle bus stop on the oval

1PSQ: A FIRST GLANCE Nicole Gismondo Image supplied by: Sally Tsoutas

by SCCs on each campus, but it seems that International Student Welfare is lending a hand on the floors where class has started already, like floor seven. Similarly, there are lockers available on every floor for students’ convenience. They are handily operated by student cards too.

As with any brand spanking new building, there’s an element of shine to everything. One Parramatta Square (1PSQ) or the Parramatta CBD Campus has been heralded as a new and modern campus for Western Sydney U, and it certainly fits the bill. There are no lecture theatres, most Studio Rooms have desks with communal TVs attached and it is set to operate 24/7.

The campus also has cool signs that indicate what type of space you are entering. “Team Up” spaces appeared to be intended for group work, while “Interact” spaces seemed to be ideal for socialising, and “Shhhh!” spaces are clearly intended to be like the silent section of the library. Each space has a different type of furniture, ranging from fancy looking chairs and ottomans to individual and group booths. Most furniture matches the colour theme of the floor.

To your average visitor, 1PSQ is accessible up to floor three, but knowing a student, I got a sneak peak of up to floor seven. Only staff can go higher. As you climb the floors, a theme emerges: brown, orange, yellow, green, aqua, blue, dark blue, red. Yes, the floors are colour coded. It’s a nice change from university branding red that has taken over campus since the rebrand.

The thing 1PSQ seemed to be missing in my explorations was the food outlets, but I am sure they are on the way. Ground floor is already set up for your morning coffee with a small coffee kiosk, so you won’t go completely hungry. It also lacks physical notice boards. While this isn’t a problem for the University who can utilise the prominent digital screens, students don’t have a space to advertise and communicate with one another.

On level one you can find all the equity spaces, including the Student Campus Council Office, Women’s Room, Queer Space, Multi-Faith Space, an *actual* Parents Room (not just a baby change table in a bathroom), and Prayer Rooms. The Interestingly 1PSQ also includes a ‘first aid’ space and a designated ‘clubs and societies’ space, the first time either one of these has popped up on campus. These are both spaces that students have requested in the past, so this is a welcome addition to equity spaces on campus.

So, in all, my view of 1PSQ is that it is a fine empty shell, just waiting for students to settle in and make it ‘home’.

Level one also hosts the library, which as you will see (below), is shockingly empty for a university, only holding a very small reserve. Apparently, students are expected to order books in from other campuses, or constantly go to Parramatta South. Not even business books are currently planned as part of the collection, despite rows of empty shelves, and at least two librarians to service them. The library is also lacking any office services, including binding machines, staplers and laminators. Students can be excited that this campus has kitchenettes on almost every floor. Kitchenettes are generally stocked 10

THE END OF THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM Christopher Kelly Image supplied by: Sally Tsoutas

to come and connect with our students,” Professor Denize added.

Three academic staff members of Western Sydney University’s new School of Business campus in Parramatta CBD have shared an in-depth look into their new future of teaching – minus the traditional classroom.

“So the Dean’s and the Vice-Chancellor’s vision for this space is very much about an alive, vibrant, and connected community of students, industry and community.”

“There is no front of the room, so there is no place for an academic to give a lecture from,” School of Business Deputy Dean, Professor Sara Denize said. “So the academic becomes part of the group,”

Additionally, the new School of Business will also be implementing a new strategy for its early intervention program to help assist struggling students who aren’t regularly attending tutorials.

“It’s not about some expert speaking or imparting wisdom, it’s about a shared journey in knowledge discovery. And students become active participants in that knowledge creation process – mentored and guided by an academic staff member, but not controlled by them.”

“One of the most important indicators for being at risk is attendance,” director of undergraduate programs Dr Francine Garlin said. “In fact, some of the research shows that it is the most important.”

“We’re calling these experiences an ‘active learning tutorial’. So it’s about active learning.” Each tutorial room is fitted with ten or a dozen six-seater tables, each with a shared computer, wireless keyboard, and power-points for charging devices, all in a large space that encourages moveability.

Dr Garlin explained that the new campus can keep an eye on students through the use of their student ID cards, and will be looking at utilizing new technology to keep an eye out for students who aren’t attending or participating. “Because we are collecting the data, we can analyse it,” Dr Garlin said. “So we can show that there is a statistically significant difference between students who are attending, and who’s been contacted.”

“Everybody’s getting an extra 3,000 steps a day because they are big rooms and they don’t feel crowded. It’s a very active environment,” Professor Denize said.

“Don’t get me wrong, this is not like big brother stuff where we’re tracking where students are and all that – it’s not about that at all. It’s about making sure that we can provide support for our students who need it.”

And as well as the active learning inside tutorials, students also have the opportunity to learn outside tutorials with the surrounding businesses of Parramatta CBD. “We’ve already had businesses like Western Sydney Business Connection (WSBC), NSW Leaders, and Parramatta City Council look at these facilities, because they want [students] to make use of this space,” School Manager of the School of Business, Warren Day said.

The Parramatta CDB campus is currently open to all Western Sydney university students, and while some postgraduate units have already commenced on January 9, the campus is expected to be fully opened and in use on the start of Autumn session on February 20.

NSW Leaders and WSBC are expected to bring in 100-150 of their business people into the CBD campus, according to Mr Warren. “And they don’t want to come in and use this as a conference venue, they actually want 11

1 PSQ: A TECHNOLOGICAL WONDER Maxwelle-Jane Dwyer Image supplied by: Sally Tsoutas

to find the various student spaces, classrooms, and services found on site, and will be a welcome addition given the confusion that often occurs on other campuses trying to find the right building.

While many business students, staff, and community members are excited about 1PSQ’s location, new teaching style, and industry links, as a technology orientated Business/ Laws student I feel it’s important to talk about one of the best parts of the new campus: the innovative technology used to optimise the space both in classrooms and in campus life.

The Studio Rooms themselves (and much of the building) incorporate extremely well designed architecture designed to isolate sounds. During a test on a visit before the building opened, the doors to the Studio Rooms were tested and observed to have very strong sound proofing. In quiet areas on site, the furniture and ceiling also incorporates sound damping sufficient to deal with most whispers and quiet discussion (although likely wouldn’t be impervious to yelling and other cacophonous rapture).

First and foremost, the new campus is utilising a combination of networked technologies to bring a greater range of interactive elements to classes on campus. Alongside the in-the-round active learning style of teaching, the Studio Rooms incorporate multiple data points which function as independent computers for collaborative work, as well as wall mounted screens in the room which can project student and staff content as well as a live feed of the various tables and whiteboards in the room through a rotating camera mounted to the ceiling of each classroom.

The aforementioned data points can be found in other offices and spaces on site, such as the entertainment spaces found on each floor, and are joined by various Zoom points as well found in some offices and meeting spaces. These are separate computers designed solely to run Zoom meetings, be it hosting or joining a meeting, allowing for entire rooms to network with any other student or space with access to Zoom. This will be great not only for cross campus meetings, but also for the PassOnline students as it allows for students to access Zoom together on campus, improving the exchange of ideas this campus has worked to innovate on.

The projectors themselves are very unique compared to other Western Sydney campuses, as they’re powered by the Solstice framework. Solstice has a client available as an application on most devices, and allows for not only the projection and control of the cameras in the room, but also cameras in other rooms as well as the live sharing of computer screens, files, live media, and other sources found on any device in the room. It allows for an extremely collaborative approach to learning as students and teachers can exchange ideas and knowledge on the spot easily, and will be a great asset to encouraging engagement and improving the ability for students and staff to project their voices.

Overall, the mission to improve collaboration and connectivity appears to have been very well planned as evident by the new technological infrastructure. I’m very keen to be one of the first business students to test out this campus. My only hope is that the new innovative ideas are well utilised by students and staff. The new campus has a very unique feel and style, which could take some getting used to. However, I’m optimistic that we will see some great initiatives and improvements on the new campus model.

Alongside the Studio Rooms, much of the building incorporates technology designed to enhance the student experience on site. Both the small screens outside the learning spaces as well as on the new digital notice boards found throughout the site, these screens network with the software that manages room bookings allowing for the viewing of where and when future classes can be found. The digital notice boards also serve as a map to allow students 12

THE FIRST OF FIRSTS Megha Kalra

that in such a short span of time, I found someone who adored Pink Floyd, loved winters, and watched all the television shows I did.

“I’ll be fine! I’ll meet awesome bunch of people, I just have to stay calm.” “What if I don’t like it?”

After joining some clubs and exchanging few phone numbers, I went to my first tutorial. I admit that it took me at least 20 minutes when I finally found my way. While I sat in my class, cheekily looking at the other students coming in, I had a pack of motivation carefully wrapped in a sense of relief, contemplating that I am not alone. All my tutors were friendly, and after attending a few classes, I did not find it hard to share my thoughts and ideas with my classmates. On the contrary, I was looking forward to it because everyone was welcoming and respected your set of interests and opinions.

“Of course I’ll like it. It’s not a drastic change, I got this!” A meek voice of my muddled mind was whispering into my ear all these thoughts while I was walking towards my university. It was my first day. I am pretty sure if anybody would have checked my vital signs that day, they would all have been above normal. Really, I could tell that my heart was pumping ounces of blood. What is it about the first day of university that gives us goose bumps? Well, for me, I had array of fears bottled up in the gyri and sulci of my brain. It was entirely a new place and I did not even have any acquaintances. “What if I don’t fit in?”, was constantly on my mind. One of my frailties was befriending new people, and staying lonely for three years wasn’t exactly on my bucket list. If all these thoughts were not enough, I was also fretted about my capability to handle the academic load because unlike school, you are not spoon-fed in university.

So there I was. From extremely scared to really excited. Sitting in Oliver Brown, I was thinking that how hard was it? Just to put yourself out there, just to go and say a simple “Hello” or just to put a tad of effort to join some clubs. I was motivated and above that, I was enthusiastic to explore what the university has more to offer. And here I am after successfully completing my first year. Was it hard? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. It is a roller-coaster, but the difference is that we can ride it the way we want. We can attend our classes without interacting with anyone and then go home. Or we can make the most of the university life. The idea is not to be afraid of saying hello to one of your classmates sitting alone, or to participate in that event you are interested in, or to join that music club you always wanted to. So to all the upcoming first year students, you are not alone. You just have to be ready, and not be scared to embrace all the endless opportunities that will knock your door. You will make life-long friends along with that degree you always wanted, just put yourself out there, wear your “I can do it” cape and fly.

As I entered the magnificent campus, I observed several groups of students, some eating and laughing among themselves. I tried passing smiles, which were completely ignored or overlooked. Maybe, my smile was extremely creepy, I thought. To make it any worse, I got totally lost at a point, but finally was led up to some colourful stalls which were specially set up for the orientation week. As I went further, I noticed various students managing stalls of their respective clubs, societies and events. “That could be a good start”, I thought and quickly sprinted towards stalls of my interest. The students were extremely welcoming and made me feel better by sharing that it was just the same for them on their first day. Giggling with them made me realise that maybe it won’t even be that arduous a journey to take. As the clock ticked, I found it quite astounding 13

SURVIVAL GUIDE: BANKSTOWN Campus Council Office: 1.1.210 Student Kitchenette: 1.G.18, 23.1.17 Women’s Room: 1.1.211 Queer Room: 1.1.212 Parents Room: 1.G.07 Muslim Prayer Rooms: 10.G.19 (Female), 10.G.20 (Male) Prayer & Meditation Facilities: 10.G.13 Badanami Centre (ATSI): Building 12, level 1 Parking: Bankstown never poses to many issues, you’ll usually still get a spot right down the end of campus Public Transport/Shuttles: Get to Liverpool/Bankstown/ Strathfield on a train – M90 Bus every 15ish min, OR get to Revesby on a train, and wait for the shuttle, allow at least 30min to get to uni from the station. If you live in the far West, consider driving as a far better option than 2+ hours of public transport. Bicycle & Train combo?: from Panania station it is a leisurely 10 minute ride through backstreets and parkland cycleways. Future Construction: Second exit from the carparks to come (eventually, we hope)! Best Coffee: Café in Building 1, or Oliver Brown? Best Lunch: Also café in Building 1 or trek it to Ashford Ave Gym: Building 18

Welcome to O-Week, During Orientation the SCC representatives will be roaming and at stalls, so introduce yourself and tell your SCC about the issues you or your relevant campus has. We are enthralled to represent you this year, we want to make your university experience the very best it could possibly be. The previous yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SCCs have identified many issues within the campuses of Western Sydney University and have worked on giving the university feedback of what changes we would like to see. Also, look out for the expressions of interest coming out! Each SCC is looking for passionate, committed and driven students who are wanting to be the change they want to see at this University and in their world around them. Student political activity will be a necessity this year as we tackle Centrelink debt stuff ups, loss of penalty rates, underpaid internships, student homelessness, lacking adequate on-campus student health services and many other issues. We would love to get in touch with students who are passionate about advocating for student rights so please send an email to your relevant campus council or to the Western SRC (Student Representative Council), who are formed from the 5 SCCs. Get in touch with us at:

Bankstown Campus Council Office: 1.1.210 bankstown_scc@lists.uws.edu.au facebook.com/BankstownSCC/

STUDENT CAMPUS COUNCIL WELCOME Grant Murray Postgraduate Representative, Bankstown SCC

Mandii Carr General Representative, Penrith SCC

Campbelltown Campus Council Office: 4.G.10A campbelltown_scc@lists.uws.edu.au facebook.com/campbelltownscc/

Hawkesbury Campus Council Office: Stable Square K4.G.82 hawkesbury_scc@lists.uws.edu.au facebook.com/hawkesburyscc/

Parramatta Council Office: EA.G.35 (Summer temporary relocation EB.G.23) parramatta_scc@lists.uws.edu.au facebook.com/ParramattaSCC/Campus

Penrith Campus Council Office: N.G.30 penrith_scc@lists.uws.edu.au facebook.com/penrithscc/

Student Representative Council uws_src@lists.uws.edu.au facebook.com/westernsrc.org/ westernsrc.org 16

PASS

MATES

Peer Assisted Study Sessions

Mentoring and Transition Equals Success

Phil Craig

Monica Hanchard

My name is Phil and I have had the pleasure of being able to work with the PASS team to deliver this exciting and beneficial program to my fellow students. So what is PASS?

Joining the MATES program was a spur of the moment decision for me – one that has proven to be a game changing one. I joined as a Mentee when I first started at Western, and have gone on to become a Mentor which has led to being offered many varied opportunities to engage within the university community. As a result I now feel like I am part of the university, not just a student here. Another Mentee become Mentor Olivia coined the term MATES family, because as an international student her Mentor and the MATES team became her support network while she was settling in into uni-life in another country and culture. We really are a very close knit team and so the term “MATES family” has stuck!

PASS sessions are free and voluntary for students to attend, they are usually run for units with a higher fail rate and are facilitated by a student who has previously scored either a distinction or a high distinction for the unit. The sessions are offered across campuses with some units also having an online session available. The sessions are focused on collaborative learning strategies; students will work together to revise both unit content and general study strategies that have been proven to improve academic performance. Some of the achievements of the PASS Program from 2016 have included students from the Autumn session who attended at least 5 hours of Pass achieving on average 11.8 grade points higher than non-attending peers.

My favourite thing about being a Mentor is knowing that by helping other students through the transition to uni stage of their lives, I am potentially able to help them achieve their goals for the future. As a mentor sometimes the support you give to new students is just being a friendly face on campus while they’re getting used to how things work within the university, which in itself can be really big help. Then there are the times that the information and support you give can help someone to overcome challenges which could lead to them dropping out of their degree program – sometimes even a small challenge can present as a major hurdle for a new student. Mentors help put things back into perspective: we’ve been that new student with challenges ourselves so we understand how overwhelming it can seem, and we know what needs to be done to settle into uni-life smoothly!

Not to be outdone, Spring PASS students who attended at least 5 hours of the program on average scored 14.2 grade points higher than non-attending peers, keeping the positive outcomes rolling. PASS is for everyone; for those students wanting to gain a high distinction - to those aiming to pass the unit, for those students who prefer face to face study sessions - or those who find online learning better suits their learning needs. So make sure that you check out the pass timetable available from westernsydeny.edu.au/pass in week 1. Many of the units offered in 2017 will also have an online session available. Come along to a session in 2017, which marks the 10-year anniversary of the program being offered at our university. During my time as a pass facilitator I have been inspired by many of my sessions attendees, especially seeing students working together and sharing their knowledge with less confident students. Many of the students that have attended the pass session I facilitate have told me that the program was a great way to revise important unit concepts in an informal context. If you want to meet some of your fellow students in your unit and have some fun while you learn then PASS is definitely for you.

Both Phil and Monica are student participants in these programs. You can find out more about PASS at westernsydney.edu.au/pass You can find out more about MATES at westernsydney.edu.au/mates

SSAF What is the Student Services and Amenities Fee? ...and who spends it? Michael Wright

Each semester the university asks you to pay SSAF a $147.00 fee ($294.00 annually) that pays for ‘student services and amenities’. Due in part to the fact that it can be easily deferred through the ATO, many students pay the fee little attention.

The SRC and SCCs provide collective advocacy on behalf of students, with a focus on academic, social and welfare issues that impact large groups of students. They are consulted by the university on behalf of students, and can often be found on campus running campaigns and providing free food and merchandise (supported by SSAF).

Based on an estimated student load equivalent to 34,000 full-time students, the university will collect approximately $10 MILLION of student funds in 2017. Where does this money go? Who spends it? On what?

To find out more about the SRC and SCCs, check out westernsrc.org

UWS Connect

Government legislation that mandates the collection of the fee also restricts how it is spent. The key legal requirement is that it cannot be spent on ‘core university business’ (teaching), however each of the bodies mentioned below also have internally imposed restrictions on what they can and cannot use the funds for.

As a solely owned subsidiary of the university, UWSConnect.ltd is the organisation that provides ‘Campus Life’. While the organisation formerly oversaw the University Store and many of the food and beverage providers on campus, these have been contracted to external providers.

SRC and SCCs

Connect’s ‘Campus Life’ services include the provision of the Free Breakfast program on all campuses, the running of heavily subsidised (often half price) day trips, tours under the banner of “Out and About”, and supporting Clubs and Societies.

One of the primary recipients of SSAF funds are the Student Representative Council (SRC) and its campus associates. In 2016, the SRC and SCCs received $100,000 of SSAF. The SRC is made up of 3 members of each of the 5 Student Campus Councils (SCC) which in turn is formed by 11 elected students from each campus. An identified position for International Students, Postgraduate Students and Residential Students are included on each campus.

In 2016, these three programs received approximately $580,000 of the total SSAF pool from the SSAF Working Party. Connect may also receive large chunks of SSAF at the discretion of senior University staff.

Connect has 3 students on it’s Board of Directors; one appointed by the SRC and the other two appointed by the Board.

projects including the Respect. Now. Always. Campaign, the provision of student notice-board pillars, e-Careers programs, many of the above listed Connect-run initiatives, the LEAD Program, and the development of social spaces on campus ie. Parramatta’s Janice Reid Pavilion.

SAG Forum The Student Advisory Group Forum is a committee of students who approve grants of additional SSAF funds to Clubs and Societies. While the membership of this group is three students elected by each campus’ Clubs Forum, the group receives logistical support and advice from UWSConnect staff.

Discretion of University Staff A proportion of funds are allocated by university staff to projects without direct student involvement in the decision making process. Whilst a large number of these decisions include renewing funding for ongoing projects, there is not currently documentation on the University’s website that indicates the process which granted funding to a project.

A full breakdown of requested and approved funding bids from the SAG Forum was not available on the University’s website at the time of publication.

The allocation of funding to the above mentioned bodies also operates at the discretion of senior staff. While many of these amounts (such as the SRC/SCC operating budgets) have previously been negotiated by students, there is little or no student involvement in top-level decision making.

SSAF Working Party A committee that consists of representation from the SRC, each SCC, and 4 university staff, the SSAF Working Party has a budget of $650,000. Students and staff are invited to submit bids late in Semester 2 for implementation in the following year. Staff bids require the approval of senior staff (Deans or above) while student bids are reviewed by representatives of the SCCs.

Disclaimer: W’SUP is 100% SSAF funded. Michael Wright was a member of the 2016 SSAF Working Party and the SRC. All numbers are based on data published at westernsydney.edu.au/ssafpriorities

Approved bids are then reviewed by the full committee. This committee has historically approved funding for 19

LICENCE SUSPENSIONS When do they occur & what can you do Susannah Coles Solicitor, Student Legal Services

Whether or not your licence will be suspended depends on the type of licence you hold, your driving record and what type of driving offence you have committed.

Automatic suspensions Some offences are considered serious enough that they attract an automatic suspension.

Your Driving Record

These include:

If you have not committed any driving offences, you have zero points. For every offence you commit, you may incur demerit points.

• Mid or High Range Drink Driving • Speeding in excess of 30km/hr if you hold a green P’s, red P’s or learner licence

The number of demerit points incurred will depend on the seriousness of the offence and when the offence occurred (e.g. double demerit points on long weekends).

• Speeding in excess of 45km/hr if you hold a full licence • Street Racing

There is a limit to the number of demerit points you can incur before your licence is suspended. This depends on the type of licence you have.

Your licence can be suspended on-the-spot or within 2 days of receiving the fine.

If you incur the following number of demerit points within a three-year period, your licence will be suspended:

Whether or not you can challenge a suspension depends on the type of licence you hold and how your licence was suspended.

Can you challenge a suspension?

• Full licence – 13 points • Provisional P2 licence (green P’s) – 7 points

Provisional or Learner Licence

• Provisional P1 licence (red P’s) – 4 points

If you receive a Notice of Suspension and hold your Leaners Licence, Green or Red P’s, you may be able to challenge the suspension in court if you have reasonable grounds. You must lodge an application with the court within 28 days of the date of the Notice of Suspension.

• Learners Licence – 4 points If you incur these demerit points, you will be issued with a Notice of Suspension, which will give you the date for when your licence suspension begins. The length of your suspension will depend on the number of demerit points you have incurred. The minimum suspension period is 3 months.

You should provide to the court evidence that you are of good character and the reasons why you need your licence. This evidence could include:

Demerit points will always remain on your driving record, however, they will only count towards a suspension if they are less than 40 months old. After 40 months, they will no longer count towards any suspension.

• character references • a letter from your employer or university saying why you need your licence for work or study 20

• medical certificate to show that you need your licence for caring responsibilities • evidence to show you have limited access to public transport • paperwork showing enrolment in a Traffic Offenders Program The court will consider your evidence and make a decision whether to keep your suspension as is, or decrease or increase the suspension period. Beware: If you decide to appeal and your appeal is unsuccessful, you may be required to pay court costs. You should obtain free legal advice from Student Legal Services before lodging an appeal to see if your case has any merit.

Full Licence

DINNER DUTIES VS WEEKLY READINGS Chandelle Denne (Full time student and Mum of two)

If you hold a Full Licence, you can only challenge a suspension to court if you received an automatic suspension. You have 28 days from the Notice of Suspension to make an application to court. If you hold a Full Licence and your licence is suspended because you have accrued too many demerit points, you cannot challenge the licence suspension in court. Instead, you may be eligible to apply for a good behaviour period through Roads and Maritimes Services (RMS). The good behaviour period is for 12 months and allows you to continue driving on the condition that you do not accrue any more demerit points. If you do accrue 2 or more demerit points in the period, your licence will be suspended for double the initial suspension period. You can apply for a good behaviour bond anytime before your suspension period begins.

Remember You can always obtain free legal advice from the Student Legal Services if you receive a Notice of Suspension or any paperwork regarding a traffic offence. Remember that the best way to avoid a licence suspension is to drive safely! Not only will you avoid the hassle of having no licence, you will help to keep yourself and all the other drivers on the road safe and that will truly make for an excellent uni semester!

Disclaimer The information is general and should not be relied on as legal advice. Should you require advice, contact Student Legal Services on 02 8688 7875 or email studentlegalservices@westernsydney.edu.au Western Sydney University Student Legal Service is a joint venture between Western Sydney Community Legal Centre and Western Sydney University. It provides advice to currently enrolled Western Sydney University students through SSAF funds.

Are you starting university this year as well as taking on the responsibilities and challenges that are at home? Being a student and a parent is hard, but so worth it. Here are some tips to help you get through this rough patch (which is what it will become…). Juggling kids, school, drop-offs, pick-ups, dinner time, oh and don’t forget to pile of readings and work you’ve got to get through before your mind shuts down for the night. Here are some handy tips for getting through your first semester as a new parent/student: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Learn to use a slow cooker. Get a magnetic weekly calendar for the fridge. Use post it notes to pre mark all your readings. Always get a good (or at least 6-7 hours) sleep or you’ll be screwed for the next day. 5. Get before and after school care if you can. 6. See if family are willing to help out during STUVAC and exam periods. 7. It’s OK to give your children happy meals once a week (I pick my biggest day on campus). 8. Pre pack your kid’s bags as well as yours the night before. 9. Budget for textbooks, from like 6 months ago. 10. Enjoy the nap pod in the library. Parenting can be tough on its own, but being a student at the same time can sometimes take a chaotic turn. Coming into my 2nd year at Hawkesbury, I’m determined to be prepared and ready to tackle this year. I’m also hoping to help along as many parents along the way with tips, advice, meet-ups or simple recipes for hidden vege muffins that your kids will actually eat. So keep an eye out for my top tips.

SURVIVAL GUIDE: KINGSWOOD (PENRITH) Campus Council Office: N.G.30 Student Kitchenette: K.1.64, K.2.01, P.G.01, WS-BN.G.01 Women’s Room: H.G.07 (it moved out from the male prayer room entrance!) Queer Room: N.G.03 Parents Room: I.05.D Muslim Prayer Rooms: H.G.04 (male), H.G.04A (female) Prayer & Meditation Facilities: Building H Badanami Centre (ATSI): Building N Parking: Library carpark is in hottest contention, other places are ok, but be prepared to park far away from buildings at peak times. Public Transport/Shuttles: Long walk from Kingswood station but doable. Otherwise the shuttle comes often enough, but Werrington is always second. Shuttles don’t run weekends. Current Construction: Building K is currently a work zone and a little bit difficult to navigate around, Campus Security normally know their way around it so don’t be afraid to ask. Best Coffee: Piccolo Me Best Lunch: Piccolo Me Cheapest Lunch: Subway Gym: Building L

University is freaking huge and it is not always easy to find people that share your thoughts and experiences, and that’s why the Western Sydney University Queer Collective exits. Unlike high school, there are loads of super cool queer identifying folks at Uni! So come along and meet them. We have our own dedicated safe space, where you never know you could meet your best friend, the love of your life or just the first person who truly understands how you feel. We are a fun and accepting group of ueer people who get together regularly to chat and have good time. We do loads of fun things like board game days, picnics, bar crawls and even knitting bees. We also get serious and talk about the problems we face and strategies to help. Recently there have even been opportunities to participate in sexual and mental health conferences and of course we go to fun outside events like Mardi Gras and rallies/protests. The group is not associated with any political groups and is not here to cater towards any one party (transgender, gay men, lesbians, etc), but rather to create a safe space for everyone. The group is open to anyone who is queer/LGBTQI+ identifying and of course our fabulous allies are invited along to many of our events. Where are we at? Campbelltown: 4.G.07 Club Contact: Christine Cardona 16428935@student.westernsydney.edu.au Bankstown: 1.1.212 Club Contact: Jennifer Taylor 18572777@student.westernsydney.edu.au Parramatta: EF.G.04 Club Contact: Maxwelle-Jane Dwyer 18499924@student.westernsydney.edu.au Hawkesbury: K4.G.79 Club Contact: Faelan Mourmourakis 18352926@student.westernsydney.edu.au Kingswood: N.G.03

Join our Facebook group: The group is secret to protect the identity of anyone who is not out, so please contact your campus’s primary club contact to be added to the Facebook group and gain swipe card access to the rooms. facebook.com/groups/westernqc

OH DEER, I’M QUEER Brondwyn McGhie 27

6 REASONS #NUSTNATCON IS AN ALTERNATE REALITY (and the NUS probably isn’t) Nicole Gismondo

1. They eat paper In what is probably the most secretly coveted tradition of the National Union of Students (NUS) National Conference (natcon), people eat paper, they chase after people to eat the paper, and this year even tackle them to the ground, to eat the paper. Now this sort of makes sense. The first thing you need to know is that motions are written on pieces of paper, then signed by each faction that approves, then taken to the business committee that decides whether that motion is debated. If there is a policy such as one that is pro-trimesters, which your faction thinks are categorically awful, and not worth discussing, then eating it fulfills your moral compass. To do this however, involves somehow getting it off the chair to eat it, or in the case that you are the chair, just eating it yourself. However, sometimes people are just a bit hungry and it goes way overboard, so in reality, it just means either ordinary hungry, or power hungry people are getting their way, and it often plays out in quite a spectacle.

2. It has its own time-zone Now stay with me here, just because it was in Waurn Ponds this year doesn’t make me say this. It’s because the conference never or rarely starts before midday. My theory is that there is no breakfast provided, so instead, lunch (breakfast, 8am) is at midday, conference starts at 2pm (a respectable 10am), dinner is at 7pm (late lunch at 3pm), and ends at up to 2am (which is actually only 10pm), followed by a dinner of suspect alcoholic punch and coping mechanism alcohol.

3. You can’t leave See if we could return to normal society, it wouldn’t be an alternate reality. Natcon is a place you really have to commit to, in some cases there isn’t even an opportunity to leave conference floor to go to the bathroom, due to quorum restrictions. Meanwhile, most participants drink away their sorrows, hoping that the headache might return some normality to their lives.

4. One must yell to be heard (or face yelling and not be heard) It’s true, unless you are pronouncing “I’m a proud member of Student Unity,” yelling at the top of your voice, (or actually getting emotional,) people won’t hear you. In fact, it’s more than likely they’ll just rudely chatter over you. Alternately, it is the habit of the Socialist Alternative (SAlt) faction to simply yell throughout your speech, to prevent you speaking on things they are opposed to. Or if you are a Liberal, you won’t even get to the podium, due to their strong protest. There is one caveat to this rule (and it is pretty weak, depending on what you’re speaking on), if you present as a ‘first time speaker,’ but you only get to use that card once, so use it well. 28

5. You can’t film it, so did it even happen? The factions tend to keep a tight handle on the visibility of their alternate reality, as to them it is a true gem I’m sure. Every single year there is a motion to ban filming, and every year it has passed. If it wasn’t for Opus, Honi Soit and Farrago’s sneaky clips, I wouldn’t be certain that week of my life even existed.

6. Seemingly arbitrarily selected people get elected And at the end, when it’s all over, you endlessly fill out a seemingly arbitrary number of ballots, for positions that largely end up uncontested, or were never really a contest anyway. The legendary backroom deals are the only way into the inner circle, and for the factionless, this means there can be no engagement at all. This is nowhere near Australia’s treasured democracy, which is why this is truly an alternate reality. However, the National Union of Students (NUS) remains the only peak body representing all students across the nation. Despite the National Conference being truly cooked, the NUS has the capacity to fight fee deregulation at a national level, rather than each campus fighting it on their own. Whatever the natcon mythology, the NUS has national legitimacy to lobby governments, hold protests and be a voice for students. Despite disaffiliation across the board, many National Office Bearers work above and beyond expectations to achieve outcomes for students. Of course, I also left out the good bits of the National Conference. We are embarking on a new education campaign to combat fee deregulation before it even comes up again. Countless people were first time speakers and smashed it. Good (progressive) Liberal policy was passed despite SAlt’s protest. In short, the NUS is capable of great things, and with some reform (of natcon, please!), I think it *could* get there. Editor’s Note:

REMEMBERING WERRINGTON SOUTH I write this today as a representative of students in grief, staff in mourning and a university in shock. As you read this, tens (probably not hundreds) of students prepare to start their second, third or fourth year of study at a completely different campus following the brutal murder of Werrington South Campus. Today we dedicate the back page of our publication to Werrington South and remember her 29 years of loyal service. Werrington South was the very essence of solitude, questionable activity and occasional cow invasions. We take this opportunity to say thank you for always having more than ample parking, free printing and for having so few people that it was possible for design students to play ‘doof doof’ music whenever they wanted. We all feel cheated about the way you were taken from us so young and yet we must learn to be grateful for our new “student centred” location that was selected with literally no student input. We love you, we miss you and we will spend the next one to three years complaining about being moved off you.

Nicole Gismondo is a member of the National Independents Faction, and attended her first natcon in 2016.

Editors In Grief

SURVIVAL GUIDE: CAMPBELLTOWN Campus Council Office: 4.G.10A Student Kitchenette: 4.G.10 (access through 4.G.09) and the one in Building 2 is getting microwaves soon! Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Room: 2.2.05 (Inside the multi-faith space) Queer Room: 4.G.07 Parents Room: 21.G.39, 4.G.02, 30.G.204 Muslim Prayer Room: 2.2.02 Prayer & Meditation Facilities: 2.2.07 Badanami Centre (ATSI): Building 3 Parking: Has less issues than Parramatta (but often will have to park far away from buildings/ at opposite end of campus than you need) Public Transport/Shuttles: Train to Macarthur (or Campbelltown now) then walk or get the shuttle, if you live in the far West, consider driving as a far better option than 2+ hours of public transport Current Construction: thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot going, on but now away from buildings, just around the housing development Best Coffee: Bobbies Cafe Best Lunch: Building 2 now has a food court, with Thai, Sushi, and Jamaica Blue

W’SUP WITH OUR RESEARCH? Compiled by Iman Sohail “Research Unlimited”. “80% of WSU research is rated the world’s best”. “$5 million in new funding to drive improvement and new findings”. But what do we really know about what WSU research students are researching? As they spend day in day out researching their choice of topic, most of us may be unaware of the true impact their research may have. A few of our research students have provided a ‘snapshot’ of their research and the potential impact. Have a read and see how talented our WSU students really are. Sonya Karisma Prasad – pHD candidate with the Marcs Institute: Australia is a multi-cultural society. This means that it is quite common to communicate with people who speak English with a foreign accent. In order to understand a talker with a foreign-accent, listeners have to put in extra effort. Nevertheless, typically listeners are able to perceptually adapt or ‘tune in’ to the foreign-accented talker’s particular pronunciation, so that after a short time they can readily understand without effort. However, it is thought that this ability to perceptually adapt to accents may change across the life-span. Hence, my research aims to investigate what factors might help both young and older listeners to better understand a talker with an accent.

No one has ever asked them! Geoff believes that university education is remiss if it ignores the questions of meaning and purpose. These can be found outside of religion. Chaplains need to challenge students to think about life’s big questions. Farahiyah Wan Yunus – pHD candidate with School of Science and Health: My research is focused on children with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorders having difficulties with social interaction/communication and having restrictive/repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests or activities. With the challenges faced in children with ASD, my research aimed to investigate the most effective intervention for these children. A self-regulated learning and a sensory integration intervention was developed for the purpose of this study which was compared with a control group called activity-based intervention. The findings of the study will suggest the best intervention for these children that may reduce the behavioural problems, increase daily activities/school functioning, social/ communications skills.

Mehrnosh Lajervardi Fatemi – pHD candidate with School of Social Science and Psychology: Following the events of September 11th this brought about a sudden and dramatic change in global politics, in particular in Islam-West relations. Muslims feel that they are being unfairly targeted and Muslim leaders being blamed for failing to speak up condemning such attacks and not addressing the growing problem of religious extremism. This research seeks to identify the leadership problems facing the Muslim communities, such as their leaders’ educational and cultural background, their lack of interaction with their people and not setting a good moral example. Empirical evidence will be gathered to discuss whether there is a particular style of leadership that is best suited to Muslim communities in Sydney.

Andrew Sharp - pHD candidate with School of Science and Health: Andrew’s PhD is jointly funded by WSU, GWS Giants and Skins and will be assessing the link between decision-¬making and how your eye moves. The tests will be completed in an environment that promotes fidelity and autonomous decisions by athletes. The aim of this PhD is to provide a new performance criterion for athletes both in Australian Rules Football & other vision/ decision making dependent sports.

Geoffrey Ballard - pHD candidate with School of Social Science and Psychology: Geoff Ballard is looking at what should be the role of Australian university chaplains. Geoff is the first Humanist chaplain at an Australian university. Chaplaincies in universities are welcoming of all faiths and no faith but normally do not have a chaplain for those of ‘no faith’, the majority of students. His PhD research is hoping to hear what students think the role of chaplains should be on campus, if any.

Ghufran Alhassani – pHD candidate –with School of Science and Health: Evidence suggests that some individuals with an injury to one side of the body will 32

and engaged with a range of issues from animal rights to promoting the interests of sporting groups. These engagements are largely unseen and unrecognised. My research aims to broaden discussion about the changing and diverse range of citizenship practices and highlight how that affects political engagement more broadly.

develop pain on the uninjured side of the body. My research is looking into why this occurs. Specifically, I will look at the interaction between the two sides of the brain. I will examine whether one side of the brain (corresponding to the injury) is sending unwanted information to the other side causing the spread of pain to the opposite side of the body. If this is the case I will attempt to rewire the brain to limit the interaction between the two sides of the brain, in turn reducing the spread of pain.

Mitchell Gibbs – Master of Research student with School of Science and Health: My research project aims to investigate the influence of beliefs on the decisions made by people with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Two of the main beliefs associated with CLBP are self-efficacy, and fear avoidance. Self-efficacy refers to a person’s belief in their ability to accomplish a certain task, and fear avoidance refers to the belief that an activity may lead to pain. It is of interest to understand if these beliefs influence CLBP patient’s engagement with exercise, and health care. This knowledge will allow us to better understand how to approach interventions, based on the patient’s beliefs.

Nikki Meller – pHD candidate with School of Nursing and Midwifery: Currently just over half of the Australian population die in a hospital setting. As nurses represent a large proportion of health care professional’s working within this setting, professional responsibilities and role expectations may inhibit a nurse from identifying and experiencing their own grief after the death of a patient in their care. Due to the limited theoretically grounded research available on this topic, the purpose of my research will be to try and understand how nurses who work in a hospital setting experience grief after the death of a patient and their capacity to manage their grief within the context of the workplace.

Yoshi Itoku – pHD candidate with Sydney Graduate School of Management I am writing my PhD thesis on the role that ice hockey can play in fostering Canadian immigrant social inclusion. Ice hockey and Canadian national identity are inherently linked, but in an increasingly multicultural society, ice hockey’s ability to unite the nation in being questioned. As such, the aim of my research is twofold: firstly, to determine how Canadian ice hockey organisations can remain relevant and profitable among Canada’s ethnically diverse population. Secondly, to identify and promote inclusion methods for immigrants around ice hockey in Canada. My research will be carried out with Finnish and Indian immigrants as well as ice hockey clubs in Toronto, Canada.

Cecilia Hilder – pHD candidate with Institute for Culture and Society: My research explores the digital practices of young people engaged with two Australian youth-led activist groups – the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) and Oaktree. A number of WSU students are active members of these groups and engage with them in diverse ways including through social media, regular meetings, and participating in protests and leadership camps. Through these engagements they develop a range of skills and knowledge. I also interviewed young people not connected with the groups about their digital practices. I found young people are active 33

WEEK ONE FOR:

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDENTS Lynette Brown The first week at university can be a very daunting experience for some students. With all the information sessions, orientations and the multitude of handouts it can be very confusing for students to work out what information is important to them. The very first thing any Indigenous student must do is visit their local campus Badanami Centre (details as follows) : Bankstown Campus – Building 12 Campbelltown Campus – Building 3 Hawkesbury Campus – Building K8 Paramatta Campus – Building EY Penrith Campus – Building N Pop in and have a chat to the awesome Student Information Officers who can provide information on, but not limited to, learning support, student support services, personal and cultural support. The centres are a wonderful way of connecting students, building friendships and support networks. The contact number for the SIO’s can be found on the Western Sydney University Website, alternatively, the general number is 1300 897 669 and the email is badanami@westernsydney.edu.au. Secondly, students are encouraged to join the Western Sydney U Indigenous Student Council. This council aims to create a sense of community and inclusion for all Indigenous students from all Western Sydney University campuses. They organise social, recreational, community and cultural activities for all students, staff and members of the community. If you would like more information on the Council or would like to join, please contact westernsydneyu_isc@outlook.com.

looking for jobs after a couple of days. Living expenses, high tuition fees, all these unpleasant issues often force them to do physical jobs like cleaning, kitchen duties or retail work. Simultaneously, they must go to university regularly and attend the classes and complete exams. With all this in mind, attending tutorials every week and maintaining good grades is challenging.

‘WHAT YOU SEEK IS SEEKING YOU!’

However, every coin has the other side. These stresses help them to get out of their comfort zone. They discover their inner quality and achieve mental toughness like they have never seen before going overseas. These western countries offer many opportunities, and if they are enough smart they can catch it. The first couple of months are a bit difficult to cope with, as they adjust to a new place. Afterwards, things are getting better, as they start figuring out what to do. However, A very significant percentage of international students sometimes fail to manage all these stresses and eventually they drop out from the university.

Reza Alam

Is it extremely difficult to survive in Australia? The good news is no, it’s not as difficult as it may appear. Many students are surviving well enough here and eventually they become very successful. It’s all about discipline, dedication, and time management. It’s even more about knowing how to balance both work and study load. If we pick Western Sydney University, we must have seen that it offers many facilities to the students. Don’t understand a subject? PASS is there for you! Language barriers? Join a language club (or English Conversation Groups)! Don’t understand referencing or library resources, there are STUDY SMART options! Don’t know how to get a job? Join career workshops! Feeling frustrated or lonely? Grab a mentor from our Mates Program. Something bothers you about the campus? Meet your leaders from the student campus councils. Cultural things, networking, café’s, clubbing etc. are all happening at our beautiful campus continuously. How do you find out about all these things? Just don’t forget to check your student email every day.

International Student Representative, Parramatta SCC

I don’t like to give advice people, so I’m just sharing my experiences from the last year. Australia is a very beautiful country. You can even be proud of your University that ranks among the top 400 universities’ list. We all are going through some difficult situations in life, but that helps us to grow great. The only thing you must say to yourself daily is that “I can do it”. Never give up in any situation even if it looks like an unconquerable path, fight back with unwavering optimism. I know it’s not easy, but trust me, years later, when you look back, you can say that feel you proud of yourself. You can make the people around you proud. Sufi mystic Rumi once said that ‘lovely days will not come to you, you should walk to them’. Keep aiming high and never lose your hope!

Living in a foreign country is not as easy we think, but also not as hard as it appears. Many international students come to western countries like Australia to have a good, secure and free life. They thought their life would be like a Hollywood movie; shiny, colorful and brilliant. After coming, they start to come down to earth from the imaginary paradise. They experience the extremely real world. A city that full of strangers, buzzing with unknown languages, cultures, foods and so on.

On using the word ‘literally’: it has become very common slang, but is only used in normal writing when something that sounds bizarre is actually happening. It is not used often. Couples – is always used as “a couple”. Couples means pairs of people who are dating. Mostly you just struggle with the filler words or “particles” in English, which are very hard! You will get there.

Many international students are feeling isolated, living in shared bedrooms which don’t sound cool at all. It doesn’t end there; the most painful experience is when they start 35

‘HOME COUNTRY’ A review of a play for the Sydney Festival that sets a collision of cultures and struggles against the backdrop of a Western Sydney car-park. Julia Readett Image supplied by: Joshua Morris

It’s 6.30pm on a weeknight in Blacktown and the station is crammed with commuters coming home, mothers carrying their groceries to feed their families and kids gearing up for a big night, probably testing out the new El Jannah that’s just popped up around the corner. It’s the perfect night for the theatre.

played by proud Murri actor, Billy McPherson. Uncle’s story began living up to his namesake with cheeky humour and plenty of hilarious jokes directed at the audience who were clearly from ‘out of town.’ As his story unfolded, he became incredibly vulnerable to audience, revealing his struggle with alcohol and gambling addiction and sharing stories of living in a colonised country. His story was entwined with Angel, played by Shakira Clanton, who haunted him with a half-formed memory where he was complicit with the child abuse she experienced.

When we think of the theatre, we’re probably inclined to think of red curtains, getting dressed up, heading into the city and spending money we don’t have. Home Country was completely unrecognizable from this middleclass imaginary. Instead of a stage, the actors performed in an emptied car park, leading us up each level as the stories continued. Instead of sipping champagne through pursed lips, there was a ginormous communal feast where audience members were forced to shed any pretensions that might have been left and share a vegetarian meal with each other.

We were also introduced to Pita, a young queer Greek boy from Blacktown, played by Johnathon Nicholas. In this story, Pita reflects on the death of his mother, leading him to realised how aligned he was not only with her, but her birth-place Katouna, in the Greek Islands. Steps to Katouna by Peter Polites, is poetic and raw as we follow the thoughts of young Pita through a headset that enriched his dialogue with the sounds of the Greek Islands.

This was theatre and storytelling like I’d never experienced before. Home Country consists of three different plays that are split into three parts, each story culminating dramatically and beautifully on the top of Blacktown carpark. In the first story, Blacktown Angels by Yorta Yorta and Kurnai woman Andrea James, we’re introduced to our guide for the night and star of the first play, Uncle Cheeky

The third play was called Zephora and Ali and incredibly endearing and hilarious story about a pair of Australian colleagues, one Arab and one who’s family are from Sierra Leone. On this journey, an awkward workplace setting provides the backdrop to a clunky and somewhat hurtful exchange between the two. In an effort to bond with 36

TRAIN OF THOUGHT

She rested her head on the train window, embracing a world which never stood still. It was always moving, hustling and bustling. But in doing so she placed all her weight, her burden on the unbreakable safety glass, with a smile. Her life was finally on track.

TEARDROPS TO RAINBOWS Zephora, Ali links their struggles together as People of Colour and children of immigrants to Australia. Their dialogue is a rich exploration of privilege and power today: Arab people are overrepresented and under-consulted in the media, however, African women are made invisible by the media, and demonised by white supremacist society, as Zephora shared. Home Country was a hugely ambitious and awe-inspiring project from the Urban Theatre Project, seamlessly taking over 70 people through an eight-story car-park, feeding us, entertaining us, challenging us and dancing with us. The Performing Arts are alive and well in the Western Suburbs, and Blacktown Arts Centre, the performances’ creative partner, is a great place to start supporting if you’re as keen as I am to dismantle the elitist stereotype of theatre and creativity. Home Country taught me that “home” in Western Sydney is multifaceted. It’s Indigenous ancestral lands, it’s shelter from a country at war, it’s the best grilled chicken in the world (“better than Lebanon,” as Ali says), it’s overprotective parents, it’s heartbreak and awkwardness, it’s growing up where diversity and difference is the norm.

The world is still as full of wonder as it was when we were younger. You just must look harder. Though it’s not as new, you must gaze at it all with fresh eyes, as if it’s the first and the last thing you’ll ever lay eyes on. In the roundabout of life, with its twists and turns, which road will you take and where shall it lead? Will you drive around in aimless misdirection, or seize every opportunity to break away from the unending cycle of normality?

Sarah Kelly

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s February 25, 2014, my first day as a social work student at Western Sydney University. I remember it well. I hurried to one of the big lecture theatres on campus, amid a crowd of people trying to get in. Being in a wheelchair, I was conscious not to try and run over anyone when entering the room to find a seat, luckily I already had my own! See, you will definitely need a sense of humour because as I found out, settling into university life as a student with a disability, can be anything but smooth at times. One major change that I found difficult to adjust to was having to speak up for myself. On the university orientation, I was required to speak to a disability advisor regarding what type of support I needed at university. I was so anxious that I could barely get three words out. I have absolutely no problem communicating, but all the way throughout high school staff members often spoke on my behalf. It felt like I had been thrown into the deep end and was forced to try and think on my feet. Looking back though, the more times I did speak for myself, the more I became confident in knowing exactly what help I needed to succeed at university. My advice to you is that, you are responsible for yourself at university and being able to articulate what you need and how you want people to assist you will be a massive help as you move into your career path.

UNIVERSITY WITH A DISABILITY Elie El-Khoury Antonios

What I also didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realise when I first started was that the image on the prospectus booklet of the university, can seem like a world away from the reality of being a university student. Instead of sitting on the grass, surrounded by a large of group of colleagues, I often found myself plonked near a silver bench adjacent to the library. I sat there questioning why I picked the course and why it was so hard to meet people and socialise with them. I wished I knew how to show people that I could go out and be like them, On top of this, I was struggling to stay focused and barely passed my first assessment. However, the frustrating start to my degree did provide me with a great opportunity to reflect on what was important: my degree and why I had chosen to become a social worker in the first place. So, I put my head down, went to the library and smashed out my assignments. My marks improved, I became more involved in class, and started to earn acknowledgment from other students for my efforts. Over time, I felt like one of the students on the front cover of the prospectus booklet. It showed me that despite the initial challenges I encountered, I needed to maximise my time at university, in order to get a degree and a job, like every other student. These experiences will shape how I move forward into my career path as a social worker or university lecturer, a far cry from the 18 year old who sat alone near those silver benches outside the library. So, I encourage you to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to you and to learn from each experience whether good or bad. When my first lecture commenced, the lecturer spoke about valuing peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiences and cherishing every moment you have at university to improve yourself and reach your destination. As a student entering their final year, nothing is more accurate than that.

DO YOU WANT TO BE EATING SUICIDE KALE? Review of Suicide Kale by Brittany Nichols, a film screening as part of the Mardi Gras film festival. Julia Readett How would you feel if your monogamous, successful, capital “H” Happy couple friends invited you over to their house for a harmonious dinner and you find a suicide note under their bed?

An anonymous suicide note becomes the catalyst for revealing the sad yet relatable dysfunction and flawed nature of all the characters who feel like four people you could quite easily run into at the pub. One is trapped in a cycle of short relationships which she breaks off before she becomes emotionally committed, another is a sensitive, emotionally vulnerable young teacher who envisages herself marrying all her partners, another is driving herself crazy to make her wife happy while she fails to acknowledge her own feelings and the needs, and the other is a brooding, sarcastic person dissatisfied with her job and perfect life.

This is the premise for the hilarious, raw and real comedy Suicide Kale written, directed and produced by Brittany Nichols. A couple who have been dating for three weeks (or was it a month?), Penny (Lindsay Hicks) and Jasmine (Nichols), attend a dinner party at their married friends’ Billie (Jasika Nicole) and Jordan (Brianna Baker) perfect home complete with Etsy-style homeliness and IKEA flip book interior design. Jasmine finds an anonymous suicide note signed “XO,” and freaks out a little before telling her new girlfriend Penny. The newly formed couple then subtly determines who the owner of the note is through the dinner party conversation.

This queer indie film is mostly improvised and was shot on a low budget over a series of just a few days. As if you didn’t need any more reasons to see Suicide Kale, this movie makes queer women of colour, their lives, struggles and humour front and center. I can’t wait for you to try Suicide Kale, an acerbic, witty film that explores the ongoing journey of finding your feet in relationships and in your life.

It’s ridiculous and almost insensitive to think how this could be a comedy, especially when you consider LGBT youth and adults have one of the highest rates of suicide in Australia and the US today. This movie is incredibly dark, however, the humour is in the awkward and relatable navigation of friendships and romantic relationships. The newly formed couple worry that they’re becoming “co-dependent,” the married couple argues about their matching, hand-made aprons, and discusses the dog they co-parent with another couple at length.

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Make your online application today, visit:

westernsydneyuv.com.au on-campus student accommodation email live@westernsydneyuv.com.au phone 02 8760 0012

SURVIVAL GUIDE: HAWKESBURY Campus Council Office: Stable Square K4.G.82 Student Kitchenette: G1.G.46A in the Learning Commons, M3.G.02, H7.G.02, K4.1.14 Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Room: K4.G.79 Queer Room: K4.G.74 Parents Room: K4.G.20 Muslim Prayer Rooms: P22.G.02 Prayer & Meditation Facilities: P23.G.01 Badanami Centre (ATSI): Building K8 Parking: Next to G block for lectures, not on the grass (snakes). Never really any other issues. Public Transport/Shuttles: Train to Richmond station or East Richmond station and the shuttle that goes past both is pretty convenient, with multiple stops in and outside campus. Otherwise a fairly flat 20-30min walk from East Richmond. Current Construction: None Best Coffee: Shae at Jamaica Blue Best Lunch: Jamaica Blue Gym: K27

RESPECT. NOW. ALWAYS. Julie Xiberras - Counsellor, Respect. Now. Always. project Officer Have you heard of the Respect. Now. Always. project, but not really sure what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about? There has been a lot of media coverage regarding the responses of Australian universities to reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Western Sydney University is working on preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment on our campuses. The University takes a zero tolerance approach to all forms of sexual violence and will ensure all reports of sexual assault or sexual harassment are investigated.

Sexual harassment and sexual assault ...No excuses, never, ever! 44

prepare lesson plans and engage students. He was finding it difficult to sleep, sometimes waking from sleep up to 8 times per night, and as a result he was experiencing high levels of fatigue during the day and had missed 7 days of his placement.

It takes a lot of courage to reach out for support. The University and Respect. Now. Always. want to assure you that any student or staff member impacted by these crimes will be provided with supportive and compassionate responses.

Tim started to worry that he wouldn’t get through his placement and graduate with his friends. Tim spoke to another university student about what had happened during his placement and together they were able to seek support from a University Counsellor. Tim spoke with Police to assist him in determining what legal options were available to him.

How? 1. The University has developed guidelines for all staff in responding to allegations of sexual assault. In addition, the University has clear policies for responding to allegations of sexual harassment.

The University Counselling Service provided Tim with a confidential space to heal and access to external support services.

2. Staff across all University Campuses are receiving briefing sessions to ensure all staff are confident in applying the guidelines and are aware of the importance of providing consistent and compassionate responses.

Tim was able to speak to a Counsellor at 1800Respect (1800 737 732) and they really helped him develop strategies to assist him in his recovery. Over time Tim was able to regulate his sleep and heal.

3. Key members of your student leadership team and key staff have joined together to form a working party aimed at addressing sexual harassment and sexual assault and to implement preventative programs, to make sure our campuses are safe spaces for all.

1800Respect (1800 737 732) available 24/7. With support from the University Counselling Service and the School of Education, Tim was able to complete his Master of Teaching and graduate with the other students in his class. (Fictional narrative for educational purposes only).

Our campuses need to be places of safety and respect for all. You can help.

Support at University: The Counselling Service is here to support you in any way it can. Counsellors are either Psychologists or Social Workers with experience working with trauma and recovery.

How? Check in with each other and make sure you are ok. This can be as simple as asking “Do you need help”? or “are you ok”?

For appointments please phone, (02) 9852 5199 or ecounselling: ecounselling@westernsydney.edu.au

If you witness something that you are concerned about ...do something, don’t do nothing.

westernsydney.edu.au/counselling Students who need afterhours counselling support are encouraged to call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). This line is available 24/7 and is staffed by qualified counsellors.

For your safety and the safety of others, getting someone else’s help like Campus Safety and Security (1300 737 003 available 24 hours) or contacting Police (000), may be the most important step you take to help keep our campuses safe and free from sexual violence.

Campus Safety and Security: 1300 737 003 available 24 hours Complaints Management and Resolution: 02 9678 7900 or complaints@westernsydney.edu.au

For information on what constitutes sexual assault or sexual harassment please go to:

External supports:

westernsydney.edu.au/respectnowalways and westernsydney.edu.au/equity_diversity/equity_and_ diversity/gender_equality/sexual_harassment2

There are many sexual assault services through NSW who provide free counselling to persons impacted by sexual assault including those provided by NSW Health. For access to these numbers visit NSW Government Health Sexual Assault (health.nsw.gov.au/sexualassault).

It was something awful that happened to Tim and with courage he was able to tell someone. Tim was completing a Master of Teaching. He had developed many close friendships with other students in his course and they all hoped to graduate together in the near future. During his final educational placement Tim was indecently assaulted by a supervising teacher. Tim became uncomfortable and distressed during his placement. He was finding it increasingly difficult to

Free 24/7 counselling for sexual assault is available at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline on 13 11 14. NSW Police: 000

STARS Who is your start-of-semester spirit animal? Emma Del Dot, Alley Pullen and Mitchy Green

Aries 20th March - 20th April

Taurus 20th April - 20th May

Gemini 20th May - 20th June

Spock, Star Trek - The Original Series

The Doctor - Doctor Who

Doogie Howser - Doogie Howser M.D.

Cool, calm and collected (well most of the time). Like Mr. Spock, you are an emotionally mature, logical thinker with sharp ears.

Like the doctor you have broad interest areas; science, technology or even history. Don’t feel like you need to stick to one field of study.

Just like Doogie you’ve faced some pretty tough obstacles along the way but you’ve remained grounded and determined.

There no doubt that you’ll be attentive and dedicated this semester but don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.

Explore your interest in electives if you can. If you can’t, why not dedicate some of your free time to finding out something new or learning a new skill.

Leo 20th July - 20th Aug

Virgo 20th Aug - 20th Sept

Libra 20th Sep - 20th Oct

MacGyver - MacGyver

Hermione Granger - Harry Potter

You’re the kind of person that can “MacGyver” your way out of almost anything, you can solve big problems with the little you have.

You are amongst the brightest in you cohort which can be a double edged sword. On one hand you’re smart and know most of the answers, but that can sometimes come across as knowit-all-ish.

Temperance “Bones” Brennan - Bones

But sometimes that can be a little stressful, challenging or just plain time consuming. Don’t forget that student support services can give you resources, tips and tricks to help you during those times when your Swiss Army knife and duct tape can’t solve the problem.

This is your year to shine, but don’t take things for granted. Remember to work hard, be grateful and give credit where credit is due (and we’re not just talking about referencing).

Like bones you are always thinking about work or study. Dedication is great but obsession can sometimes get on other people’s nerves.

To avoid this impression, try letting other people have a chance to weigh in and be sure to introduce yourself to the people around you.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your family and friends about your interests but don’t forget to give them a chance to return the favour and try not to correct them or talk over the top of them.

Sagittarius 20th Nov - 20th Dec

Capricorn 20th Dec - 20th Jan

Aquarius 20th Jan - 20th Feb

Malcom - Malcom in the Middle

Sherlock Holmes - from everything ever

Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory

You are a problem solver, which is great, but you tend to overfill your plate and take too much on at once.

Like Sheldon you have a deep understanding of a lot of different topics. But sometimes you forget that not everyone is as quick as you.

Just like Malcolm, you’ve felt judged for being different and sometimes that is a little disheartening. The good news is that at uni there is a place for everyone. The diverse nature of our university means you’ll easily find friends in no time. Don’t forget to say hi to the people you sit next to, ask them about their interests and keep going until you find someone you can let your freak flag fly around.

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends, family, academics and classmates for help. Even Sherlock has John and Mrs Hudson to help him.

Be a pal and offer to help a classmate by pointing them in the right direction or repeating something they missed in a calm friendly tone.

FIERCE Cancer 20th June - 20th July Abby Sciuto - NCIS Like Abby you know who you are, but at times it can be hard to show it. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Why not take a look at the clubs on your campus (or at the campus you live closest too). You might find a friend or two around which you can be truly you.

Accept defeat, Don’t give up. No time to quit, Just look up. No more games, Luck offered. Ended in flames,

Scorpio 20th Oct - 20th Nov Yoda - Star Wars Experienced you are, wise you be, expressing yourself, not so good at you. You are a very knowledgeable person but occasionally you have a little bit of trouble getting the message across. Remember to slow down, take your time and get it out clearly rather than quickly. A slow response is better than a sloppy one.

Almost butchered. Stood still, It wasn’t over. Cried last meal, It’s already summer. They strike, Take cover. Gave them a spike, It was over. I am fierce more than ever.

Pisces 20th Feb - 20th Mar Daria - Daria You’re the type that needs sarcasm and highbrow humour to survive. Whilst that can be fun, don’t forget that random laughter at the back of the room can freak out others who aren’t in the loop. Be sure to crack some “public” jokes so that they realise that you’re the sarcastic type and can feel like they’re in the loop as well.

Angelico D. Aputen

Love Guru By Jesse Tran

Dear Love Guru,

Hi Love Guru,

My boyfriend and I are going to different uni’s this year and I’m a little bit worried because his going into the same course at the same uni with his ex-girlfriend. They have a lot more in common than we do and I’m worried that they will be close again. I feel a bit stupid for being so jealous but I can’t stop myself from thinking about them. I need some advice about handling this situation.

I’m worried about juggling uni, work and my love life. Like how do I even? Do you have any tips for keeping my relationship alive whilst also trying to make money and survive uni? Time Poor Romantic -Hi Time Poor Romantic,

Anonymous

University years can be tough when you’re caught in the twine of daily life and responsibilities. Here are some steps you can follow:

-Hi Anonymous, Who cares if he is moving to another university where his ex-girlfriend also attends. The relationship between them are over. Just because they are doing the same course doesn’t mean they would be in the same classes. The chance of them walk down the same corridor is just as minimal. I know couples residing in different states and even countries that are growing stronger than ever. As long as you keep communication strong and make frequent times to see each other, you can be sure nothing can come between the relationship.

The night before write down what you want to do and accomplish the next day. Prioritise them from most to least important. Fit them into your phone’s calendar with the highest priority item first. Use the lowest priority items (such as seeing friends) as a reward for having done the higher priority things.

Queer Corner By Jules River-Dates Dear Queer Corner,

Dear Queer Corner,

I have a crush on my best friend and I don’t think she realises it. I feel like it’s gotten to the point where I need to say something but I don’t want to ruin the friendship. We’ve also just agreed to move into a share house together so I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable but I would love her to know.

I’ve just finished high school and had to keep my sexuality pretty quiet. Now that I’m starting Uni, I’d like to be more open about it, however, I don’t want to grab the mic and sing “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross to the whole world. What should I do? AS

Guilty Roomie

-Hi AS,

-Hi Guilty Roomie,

Being open or ‘out’ about your sexuality is entirely up to you and should definitely be your choice! I think a great place to start would be the Queer Collective on you campus, you could start by participating online and when you start to feel more comfortable you could attend meetings or events. The Queer Collective is very welcoming and would respect your personal journey of being open with your sexuality. Good luck starting Uni this year!

first of all you don’t need to feel guilty about how you feel, especially because you haven’t done anything yet! It seems like you’ve weighed up the importance of telling your friend and you’re keen to let her know. I would start with a few trips to Women’s Coogee baths, make sure you’re comfortable and you’ll appear less awkward. You might want to prepare for her not wanting to live with you, however, if she is your best friend I’m sure she’ll listen to you and not blame you for feeling so amorous!

In loving memory of

Werrington South Campus 1987 to 2016

Decommissioned by the School of Humanities and Communication Arts for a younger, hotter, supposedly more convenient, â&#x20AC;&#x153;student centredâ&#x20AC;? location.

Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts Read the eulogy on page 29 50