#LIVE from the SECOND REGULAR MEETING OF THE SRC, April 4th 2018
The following provides a stream of conscious report of the SRC meeting occurring Wednesday, April 4th.
5:55pm - I'm already going to be late. Fantastic, this is like going to a lecture.
6:07pm - Arrived, inappropriately dressed, Excellent. Barely anyone is here though so that's nice.
6:09pm - I don't know anyone well enough to chat, going for a water break.
6:17pm - People are starting the pour in. Awesome. There's a typo on the agenda! Shame!
6:18pm - Fun fact, this is the 90th council. It hasn't been specified since when so I'm assuming since forever.
6:24pm - We have been addressed, the evenings agenda kicks off! Excellent Welcome to Country delivered.
6:25pm - Someone is chewing so loudly, this is going to be a long evening.
6:29pm - A lot of acronyms are being thrown around right now. I'm sure these will be explained.
6:31pm - Undergrad fellow of senate report
6:37pm - The 7th of March meeting didn't occur. Increase in merchandise went well sales wise! Apparently the SRC bookshop has shut down. To quote Imogen Grant it was among the last of it's kind in terms of student union run bookshops.
6:38pm - No books were thrown away! Hooray!
6:40pm - Red Zone report brought up. Statistics from the report: 1 in 8 attempted or completed rapes during o week. 1 in 17 women in college experience attempted or completed sexual assault.
6:42pm - "Broderick Third Report". Student media has previously reported that this portion of Elizabeth Brodericks Review 2017 into the colleges were not revealed for public examination. The third portion of the report incorporated case studies of students that we're subject to sexual assault, hazing and harassment while at College.
6:45pm - Just heard about the possibility of increased HECS rates?? Excuse me, but can someone please destroy my debt.
6:46pm - Update, this only applies to 'vertically integrated' degrees (like that's any better). I don't know what that means but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to save any money on my arts degree. From 2019 onwards, students will be FULL FEE PAYING if they elect to do a 'vertically integrated' degree.
6:48pm - ANONYMOUS MARKING - in 2016, lobbying for these marking procedures were pushed. There have been changes to CANVAS and BLACKBOARD to ensure marking is done by student ID numbers, in order to avoid 'biased' or 'deliberate' marking conducted by tutors and lecturers in the past. UK's OFSTED study found students with African or Asian names received 12% lower marks in institutions without anonymous marking.
6:56pm - General Secretary Nina Dillon Britton sharing the Financial Report.
7:04pm - I don't understand what's happening anymore. Lot of stats.
7:08pm - shocking news - apparently the SRC used to give $750 loans to students in need. Now they've decreased to $50 due to a change in funding.
7:11pm - SRC gave out 1500 bags (vs. 500 in 2017) during O-WEEK. Signed up 400 students to Newsletter. Popularity is ~booming~ For the first time at O-Week, SRC Case Workers had their own stall as well, as a means to speak to students.
7:16pm - Mention of Honi Soit to get salary increases. As a PULP editor I won't comment, as a human being, I will agree and support. 4k a year is cooked.
7:26pm - Apparently the presidents of SUPRA get 58k a year??? For those who are unaware of office bearer salaries across Student University positions, that is a LOT. I can't talk because, as mentioned by Nina, Pulp editors earn far more as well, but the need for the leaders of student organisations to be recognised and appropriately compensated for their efforts is crucial, across the board.
7:28pm - Wom*n's Officers unable to give their report. More to come on the information mentioned in the transcript.
7:33pm - "We Must Act Against Anti-Semitism". I really hope no one in this room is against this, I don't have the patience for that.
Just to catch anyone who missed the anti-Semitic actions that occurred on campus, here's a rundown:
- 2017 = 9/5% rise in recorded anti-semitic incident in Australia, including on campus activity (Executive Council of Australian Jewry 2016 - 17 Report)
- 27th April 2017: Man was seen handing out leaflets featuring anti-Semitic and Holocaust-denying content outside the Brendan McCallum Learning Hub
- Students have reported being verbally abused, spat on and harassed for being of the Jewish faith.
7:45pm - an ammendment has been made to disassociate criticsm of Israel (in support of Palestine) with anti-Semitism. This meeting has descended into a very interesting discussion of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Clarification that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are two very different things has been raised.
"We do conclude that critcism of Israel is not necessarily anti-Semitic, but there are examples in which anti-Zionism does blur this boundary.... I don't think it's necessary to include an ammendment and we would like to pass this motion as it stands."
7:57pm - going to have to tap out soon.
8:04pm - tapping out early. Great work SRC! Don't change a thing (except the University of Sydney of course).