Student Services - The Guild

President's Report from Guild Board Meeting 03 June 2009

Welcome to the final Guild Board meeting of the Guild Board 2. There have been many new developments in Student Services over the past month. We have approval to proceed with a number of important projects and refurbishments which will improve amenities on campus as well as providing a number of extra services to students.

Band Room
The equipment has been purchased, the old Radio Station cleared up, and the preparations made for the opening of the new Band Room. This new service will enable musically interested La Trobe students to have a space in which they can rehearse and book in to record their music with our sound technician. There will be a guitar amplifier, a bass amplifier and a drum kit available for students to use. Bookings can be made through the Guild Office, and I will advise the Board on how the service is progressing once it is fully operational.

Kitchenette/Student Lounge
Following from my investigations into the availability of the Guild Reserve monies, I have secured approval from the Vice Chancellor for the transformation of Campus Café North, in      front of Contact, into a student lounge and Kitchenette area. More details will be
forthcoming as the project progresses.

Student Hub
The Student Hub project is progressing well, and has been handed over to the architects; HBO+EMTB; for design development. The Users’ Group will continue to have input into the designs, the fittings and the aesthetics of the Hub right up until construction, which will commence early next year. I have raised concerns in the Group about the reductions in the scope of works which will mean that the courtyards to the east and west of the Thomas Cherry Building will not be landscaped as was originally intended. After seeking funding from the University to re-include these landscaping works, I have been advised that Mike will need to apply to Planning and Resources Committee for extra funding. He has expressed his willingness to make this application, and I will advise the Board as to the outcome.

Agora Theatre Toilets
Following discussions in Finance and Development Committee around the state of the Agora Theatre toilets, I approached Tony Inglis from Buildings and Grounds requesting that their upgrade and refurbishment be made a priority. I have been advised that this project has now been brought forward and that planning works will commence in the near future.

Pings Café Moat/Rod Joyce Room
At the last board meeting, it was noted that the Secretary and I would be purchasing a number of couches for the Rod Joyce Room and Pings Café Moat. These couches have been purchased, and will be delivered within the next week and set up soon after.

Bookshop Benefits
Following from my advice to the board that I would be investigating future sponsorship arrangements for the Guild, the Vice Chancellor has confirmed that he will investigate the fate of the donations in the new contract. Mr David Skinner, the manager of the Co-Op Bookshop, has advised me that negotiations are still underway, and that as soon as he is able, he will give me an idea of the scope of sponsorship available. I will continue keep the board informed as developments arise.

Guild Ball
I have been discussing the possibility of holding the inaugural Guild Ball alongside the Alumni Association as discussed at the last meeting. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and on the 26th of May I met with Ruth Delagas to discuss possible arrangements. We have resolved to hold the Ball in the first or second week back from mid-semester break In Semester Two. We are currently searching for an appropriate venue, and organisation of tickets, advertising and a program will need to happen in the coming months. It would be most helpful if a Member of the Guild Board 3 were able to help me plan this event, and I encourage interested members to let me know of their availability in this regard.

Concourse Seating
An upgrade of the concourse seating is currently underway, with quotes being sought. I encourage Board Members to come forward with any further suggestions they have for improving the amenities in the Union Building or other spaces across the University. 

Student Representative Network
The Student Representative Network will be holding its first training day tomorrow, Thursday 4 June, at 2pm in John Scott Meeting House Room 4. I invite members of the Board to come along and meet the members of the Network and get a taste for what the Network will be doing in the coming months.

Website Developments
I have recently been working with Board Member Ngaere Blair to redevelop the Current Students webpage. In order to make student access to student organisations and their services, I have proposed a series of changes to the structure of the page and the content displayed. With Ngaere’s assistance, we have managed to create a more streamlined, relevant and content-rich page which will hopefully enable more students to become involved with their student organisations and with extra-curricular campus life. The new Current Students site will be launched at the beginning of Semester Two.

Racist Attacks on Indian Students
In recent weeks it has become apparent that racially motivated attacks against Indian students in Australia have been increasing in frequency. Any crime is deplorable, but cold blooded, racially motivated hate crimes deserve to be condemned by all members of the community. It is disappointing and inadequate that no statement has been made by either the State or Federal Governments admitting that these attacks are racially motivated and offering some solution to ease the stress on Indian students around the country. It is unacceptable that so many students now live in fear for their safety, and I will work to ensure that support is provided for concerned Indian students here at La Trobe.

Recommendation 1
That the Board express a belief that the development of the courtyards to the east and west of the Thomas Cherry Building is essential to the success of the Student Hub project as a whole. Further, that the board supports the application by Michael Torney to the Planning and Resources Committee for funding to this end.

                      
Recommendation 2
           That the Guild investigate options to redevelop its website in order to
           make it easier to understand and more relevant to the needs of
           students.

Recommendation 3

            That the Guild Board condemns the recent racist attacks on Indian
            students and offers its support and services  in solidarity with victims of
            the attacks and all Indian students who now feel unsafe living in our
            community.

                                         
Jesse Marshall
President

Date: 

President's Report from Guild Board Meeting 21 April 2009

Welcome to the Ninth meeting of the Guild Board 2. The past month has been a busy one, with the semester beginning in earnest. The reform to VSU still hovers on the horizon, but in the meantime there has been a lot going on in the Guild and around the University.

NUS National Days of Action
On the 18th and 25th of March, Students from La Trobe participated in the National Union of Students’ National Days of Action. On the 18th, the SRC organised a speak out, a free barbecue and musical entertainment for students in the Agora. The event was well attended. On the 25th, students were taken by bus to Melbourne University where they met with students from around Victoria. They heard speeches from various student leaders and demonstrated against VSU and inadequate levels of income support.

NUS National Sleepout
On the 23rd of April, in two days’ time, students around Australia will participate in a sleep-out to raise awareness of student poverty. In Melbourne, the venue is the State Library. The sleepout will begin at 5pm and dinner will be provided. I would encourage students to consider participating in this event to help to raise awareness of student poverty and the inadequacy of Youth Allowance.

Deregulation Forum
On the 7th of April, University of Melbourne Student Union hosted a forum for students from around Victoria to discuss the effects of the Government’s proposed deregulation of places in higher education. I spoke at the event alongside other student organisation Presidents and a representative from the University of Melbourne Vice Chancellor’s office. The forum proved useful in beginning some discussion about the potential outcomes of deregulation.

Bookshop Discounts/ Vouchers
On Tuesday 31st March I met with the Manager of the Co-op Bookshop, David Skinner. We discussed the practice of the previous bookshop, which paid a dividend of $25,000 a year to the Guild in the form of book vouchers.  Initially, David was unsure as to whether there was any provision in the contract for money to be directed to the Guild. David later indicated that the dividend was included in the contract with the university and as a result, the bookshop will be providing money to the university for students. In the period since, the CEO has received word that the university will be using the money for scholarships. I will attempt to clarify this issue with both the bookshop and the university. In the absence of any success in getting the contracted amount payed to the Guild, I will pursue alternative sponsorship arrangements.

Student Hub
The Student Hub Users’ Group has been presented with an updated architectural floor plan of the proposed Student Hub (attached). The plan is for the ground floor of the Thomas Cherry Building. Included in the student space are a retail outlet, a café, study space, accessible computers, an information booth (triage), toilets, showers and student meeting rooms. The counter will allow students to access cashier, concession card stamping, legal service, financial aid, accounts and information about services.

I believe that the Student Hub will be a valuable addition to La Trobe University. It will simplify the processes of orienting oneself with the campus, and provide students a point of contact with the university which they know will be able to give them accurate answers or and point them in the right direction.

I invite any submissions by members of the board or students generally around these draft plans for the hub. Please contact me either by phone on 9479 2886 or email pres.guild@latrobe.edu.au with any suggested amendments or ideas.

Academic Quality
I have been involved in the Academic Quality Steering Group, a body which is preparing the university for an upcoming audit by AUQA. Lachlan Batchelor and I have met with Dr Julie Jackson, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Quality Enhancement), to discuss student input into the review process.

Together we developed a student survey, which was sent to every student’s La Trobe email address. This survey aimed to gauge what issues are most important to students when it comes to education at La Trobe.

The results will be useful in advocating for better educational outcomes, better facilities, better curriculum and better student support at La Trobe. The survey will also assist the Guild Board in developing and delivering the amenities and services which students want and need.

VSU Reform
The House of Representatives has passed the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and other measures) Bill 2009. This is good news for the Guild and for students at La Trobe. If the bill is passed when it arrives before the Senate in the coming months, campuses will see services and amenities improving in quality and number. I will continue to keep the board informed about the progress of this legislation and its impacts on the Guild and other student organisations at La Trobe.

Union Building Refurbishment
I took a number of proposals for refurbishment of the Union building to Finance and Development Committee for consideration. The majority were accepted by the committee, and I will be working with both Mike and Kev over the next month to implement these upgrades.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1
That the Guild investigates the possibility of holding a Guild Ball in Semester Two.          
Recommendation 2
That the Capital Works Program recommendations of the Finance and Development Committee be adopted by the board and further investigations be made into proceeding with the projects.
Recommendation 3
That the Board express a view:

That the new Student Services and Amenities Fee be used to fund existing student services run by student organisations, and that a modest amount in surplus of this be allocated for disbursement by Student Services Committee to student organisations for use on new projects, services and infrastructure.        

Jesse Marshall
President

3 April 2009

My name is Jesse Marshall and I am a second year Law/International Relations student. I am currently studying one subject; Law of Torts. I completed secondary school at Brunswick Secondary College in 2007. I enjoy acting in theatre productions, music, playing soccer and cricket, and writing. The main reasons that I have put my hand up for the role of Guild President in 2009 are:

• To improve services and amenities at La Trobe. Many of the facilities available to students are poorly maintained, and in some cases lacking in number or missing altogether.
• To contribute to the development of social activities and opportunities at La Trobe. The Guild is well placed to expand the activities which it offers throughout the semester.
• To support and encourage students who wish to be involved in extra-curricular activities such as sports clubs and student theatre, and to advocate for greater funding of such activities.
• To be involved in the planning of the new Student Hub and to provide input into the Master Plan process and other long-term renewal initiatives.
• To ensure that student voices continued to be heard and heeded when the university formulates policy.

Throughout my term, I will continue to update this page with information about what I have been doing to achieve these outcomes. After each meeting of the Guild Board, my President’s report will be available to read as well.

In solidarity, Jesse Marshall