Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association
The University of Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association (known as WUSA, and its governing body the WUSA Council) is the peak undergraduate student representative organisation at the University of Wollongong, New South Wales.
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Full name | University of Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association |
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Founded | 1960s |
Affiliation | National Union of Students (Australia) |
Office location | Northfields Avenue, University of Wollongong |
Country | ![]() |
Website | www.facebook.com/uowwusa |
Background
WUSA is the UOW Student Union and as such claims to fight for student interests on campus and in the broader community, aiming to keep both the University administration and Australian governments accountable on student-related issues. WUSA also provides advocacy and welfare services for students on campus.[1]
As of 2017, the UOW Allsorts Queer Collective is the only collective in existence and they are run independently of WUSA.
WUSA was affiliated to the National Union of Students (Australia) and has participated in national campaigns including the fight against upfront course fees, Voluntary Student Unionism, and the struggle to reinstate free Higher Education in Australia. WUSA has also called upon the national body and other student organisations to support its local causes in the past.
The sister student organisation for WUSA is the Newcastle University Students' Association.
In 2016, WUSA held a referendum to end affiliation with the National Union of Students.[2] The campaign to disaffiliate, led by a group called WEXIT 2016, saw the motion passed. However, only 27 votes were cast in total causing significant controversy.[3] WUSA reaffiliated with the NUS in 2019.
In the years since WUSA has actively participated in a number of campaigns, including leading the opposition to the controversial degree in Western Civilization.[4][5][6]
Current Council Members
President- Taani Hendriks (NLS)
General Secretary- Imogen Draisma (Unity)
Treasurer- Elizabeth Caddy (NLS)
Education Officer and Assistant Secretary- Dylon Tomasi (SA)
Disabilities Officer- Alexander Hall (NLS)
Tertangala Coordinator- Kal Slater (Unity)
Welfare Coordinator- Jamie Caulfield (SA)
Women's Representative- Katherine Minns (Unity)
Environment Representative- Claire Dunning (SA)
Ethno-Cultural Representative- Ramanan Mathisuthanan (Unity)
International Students Representative- Avantika Binani (Ind)
General Representatives (5)- Aish Cowgill (Ind), Kaia Cox (SA), Liam Douglas (Unity), Jye Langley (NLS), Darcy Turner (SA)
NUS Delegates (7) - Liam Douglas (Unity), Jasmine Duff (SA), Claire Dunning (SA), Alexander Hall (NLS), Juan Petrozzino (NLS), Nick Rogers (NLS), Dylon Tomasi (SA)[7]
Key:
Unity= Student Unity
NLS= National Labor Students
SALT= Socialist Alternative,
Lib= Liberal Students; student wing of the Liberal Party,
Ind= Independent
Presidents
1994 - Peter Knox
1995 - Jo Kowalczyk
1996 - Laura Wilson
1997 - Carol Berry
1998 - Erin Cahill
1999 - Kane Gleeson
2000 - Nadine Torney
2001 - John Finlayson
2002 - Amanda Craig
2003 - Michael Szafraniec
2004 - Michael Szafraniec (removed from office at an extraordinary general meeting following allegations of corruption)/Ben Jones (from May 2004)
2005 - Ben Coughlin
2006 - Jess Moore
2007 - Elizabeth Larbalestier
2010 - Chris Monnox
2011 - Eloise Young
2012 - Peter Hughes
2013 - Samantha Dixon
2014 - Mitchell Bresser
2015 - Peter Munford
2016 - Samuel Tedeschi
2017 - Jasper Brewer
2018 - Tim Piert (Resigned 16/05/2018), Mia Watson (acting)
2019 - Chloe Rafferty (Resigned 11/08/2019), Madison Lord (acting)
2020 - Alexander Hall [8]
2021 - Taani Hendriks
See also
References
- "About Us". wusa.uow.edu.au. WUSA. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- "Will WUSA Part Ways With The NUS".
- "Provisional Results Indicate WUSA Splitting From The NUS".
- https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/fight-against-racist-ramsay-centre-continues
- https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5932071/protests-on-campus-as-uow-ramsay-centre-fire-still-burning/
- https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6036182/student-rep-locked-out-as-uow-council-decides-on-ramsay-deal/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20201207014502if_/https://documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@gld/documents/doc/uow266916.pdf
- http://www.tertangala.net/wusa-2020-whos-who/