Handbook

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Student organisations

Bendigo Student Association (BSA)

The Bendigo Student Association is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping students get the most from their University experience. Our mission is ‘making student life better’ and we strive to achieve it by helping studentsbalance their academic demands with their social life while studying.

We think it is important for students to finish their time here with a qualification in one hand and a suitcase full of life skills and great memories in the other. The BSA provides services on campus designed to do just that, but the benefits of a vibrant university experience go far beyond tertiary education. Research shows that graduates with good supplementary skills and experiences stand a much better chance of getting the job they want.

The BSA is a student based organisation independent of the university. Current students are elected annually onto the BSA Board of Directors. They are responsible for outlining the general objectives for the organisation. There is a small team of professional staff that provide the services, administration and management expertise designed to meet the Board’s objectives.

BSA events and social activities are important opportunities for students to meet each other and form the support groups that will help get them through their time at University. O Week activities provide the first chance for students to do this in a safe environment and without spending a lot of money.

Clubs & Societies give students the chance to meet others with similar interests and introduce them to committee work and event management. Not only is it good for balancing a uni student lifestyle, being involved in a club committee is also an impressive inclusion on a resume.

Our fantastic trips program gives students the chance to experience Victoria’s best holiday destinations at a fraction of the normal price. It’s also a great way to recharge the batteries and meet students from all walks of life.

Students can participate in a variety of national awards and competitions that extend their skills beyond academic learning. Competitions such as the National Campus Bands Competition and the National Tertiary Art Prize not only give students the chance to win prizes and credibility, they are challenging and fun to be part of.

Sometimes students have issues with a lecturer or a university procedure that they find hard to resolve by themselves. The BSA provides free, independent advice to students and can help represent their interests in meetings or through the written word. This is particularly helpful for students with Academic Progression or Academic Misconduct issues.

The BSA own and operate 3 commercial businesses on campus. Prices are kept down to allow for limited student budgets. Any profits are channelled back to the BSA to help fund other services. These businesses also provide important casual employment for uni students.

The BSA Gym is great for helping students to maintain a balanced mind & body while at Uni. Memberships are substantially discounted for students and include a huge range of facilities and fitness solutions. On-campus sports include indoor mixed netball and soccer held on the courts at Evolution Sports & Fitness Centre. This student based competition is run 4 nights per week during semester and is a great way for students to meet friends and stay fit.

The BSA website features an online marketplace. Students can browse for off-campus accommodation, or buy and sell things like 2nd hand textbooks, computers, furniture, bikes, cars - even jousting sticks.

Membership of the BSA is free. Log on to our website to learn more or to sign up online.

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE ASSOCIATION INC (LUPA)

A committee of management, which represents the interests of postgraduate students, governs the La Trobe University Postgraduate Association Inc. (LUPA). A team comprised of the committee, staff and friends of LUPA works together to provide services and support for postgraduates. LUPA provides a range of services including academic seminars, advocacy, representation, a monthly e-newsletter, and social events.

Our academic seminar program is one of our most recognised and utilised services, providing essential information to help postgraduates complete their degrees. La Trobe academics and other experts who are fully conversant with their particular topic present seminars. Topics include writing a literature review, quantitative, qualitative research methodologies, and thesis examination. Special seminars are also held specifically for postgraduate coursework students.

LUPA offers an advocacy service to all postgraduate students who need advice or support concerning their academic degree. The service provides an avenue for students to address concerns when they arise such as thesis writing, supervision, submission requirements, and examination. LUPA advocates can direct you to suitable officers within the University who can assist you or they can liaise with people for you.

Representation on University committees is one of the ways that the postgraduate voice can be heard. LUPA has a number of postgraduate representatives who sit on key University committees, including the Academic Board and the Research Services Higher Degrees Committee (Research). These forums enable LUPA to present postgraduate views to the decision-making bodies of the University.

The team at LUPA knows the importance of having some fun to balance all that academic activity. LUPA holds a number of social activities throughout the year for this express purpose. Events such as the annual cultural night and the wine tasting and cheese evening allow students to unwind with people who share common goals and experiences and to talk to other people who understand the postgraduate experience.

LUPA is increasingly utilising electronic means of communication to both distance and local students. The website contains useful resources such as articles as well as online membership application (see www.latrobe.edu.au/lupa). LUPA members can choose to receive a monthly e-newsletter that contains information about postgraduate issues, upcoming seminars and events and a feature article aimed at assisting postgraduates in some part of their studies.

Like all community organisations, the success of LUPA is dependent on the input from the postgraduate community. If you are interested in becoming a member of the committee, feel that you have the skills or enthusiasm to assist LUPA, or just wish to put forward an idea, please contact us.

SPORTS CENTRE

Fun, Fitness, Health and Wellbeing.

A visit to the La Trobe University Sports Centre is one of the best ways to get involved in uni life and meet new people.

The Sports Centre on the Bundoora Campus has many facilities including a 25 metre indoor heated swimming pool, a fully equipped gymnasium, a dance studio, squash courts, tennis courts, table tennis facilities and a multipurpose stadium that hosts basketball, netball, badminton, volleyball and indoor soccer. In addition to this diverse range of facilities, the Sports Centre offers many programs such as Group Exercise, Dance, Yoga, Pilates, social sports, Uni Games and clubs.

With over 20 affiliated sporting and recreational clubs there is something for everyone, from social to competition. These clubs include Snowsports, Australian Rules, Basketball, Cricket, Hockey, Mountaineering, Netball, Soccer, Surfing, Tennis and Water skiing to name a few.

Additional services include First Aid training and accreditation, squash and tennis coaching, adult swim lessons and massage.

A complete list and further details can be found on the website www.latrobe.edu.au/sport or email sport@latrobe.edu.au

Students’ Representative Council Inc. (SRC)

The La Trobe University Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is the voice for students on a variety of issues that affect the Bundoora campus. It is independent of the University. The SRC represents the views and opinions of La Trobe students in a diverse range of forums both on and off campus, as well as providing services that are prompted by student need.

At the SRC annual elections, nine students are elected as the SRC office-bearers, as are the editors of the student newspaper Rabelais. These students are elected to specific portfolios for a period of 12 months. These portfolios cover President, General Secretary and seven activist offices comprising of Welfare, Women’s, Indigenous, Education, Environment, dis (Ability) and Queer.

Each of these departments has evolved over the past 40 years to create an effectively run student organisation that promotes and upholds the ideals of student control of student affairs.

The SRC is the primary way for students to get involved in extracurricular activities and to work for progressive change in the university environment. The SRC is affiliated with the peak student representative body, the National Union of Students (NUS).

The SRC also provides the following services for students: which are either free or incur a low cost: bookbinding, faxing and subscriptions to The Age.

As part of its goal to combat student poverty, our Welfare department provides a free breakfast for students every Wednesday during semester. SRC Inc. meetings are held once a month to discuss policy and debate issues, and are open to students. The SRC also funds and administers:

• clubs and societies
• Rabelais student media
• student advocacy (details below).

Clubs and Societies

If you have ever eaten lunch alone, you have probably wondered how some people have managed to find stacks of friends within five minutes of their first day. The answer is clubs and societies. Social, cultural, spiritual and political clubs at La Trobe are organised by the Students’ Representative Council Inc. (SRC). There are more than 40 SRC clubs and societies and any enrolled student may start a new club.

So, how do clubs and societies help you to make friends? Clubs and Societies contributes to a vibrant campus culture through activities, social events, displays and performances and enables students to meet up with like-minded others and find their niche on campus. Filling in those gaps between classes becomes a lot easier with the help of a few friendly faces. With all clubs on campus overseen by the Clubs and Societies Council, it is one of only two bodies on the whole campus that is run entirely by students. All of the clubs on campus exist because there were students who desired to start them, and other students wanted to be part of them. Information on individual clubs can be found at the Student Representative Council (Level 2 Agora, behind Campus Café). If you want to start your own club, drop by the SRC office and we’ll give you all the information and help you’ll need to set one up!

Rabelais student media

Rabelais is the independent student newspaper for La Trobe University. Based in Bundoora it has a circulation of 6000 and has a long and proud history of presenting current issues and items of interest for the students of La Trobe.

Established in 1967, all contributors are students and the editors are elected to their positions through the SRC.

The newspaper is one of few opportunities for students to publish while they are still honing their journalism or creative writing skills.

Rabelais enables information to be reported directly to the student body, including details of University changes, important dates and events, social gatherings and other campus life information.

In addition to the regular editions of Rabelais, there are also five special editions particular to various departments of the SRC. These are Rebellious (Women’s), Rebel Q (Queer), Green Rab (Environment), Indig Rab (Indigenous-Australian), and an election edition. These special editions are coordinated and produced by the relevant collective on campus, with the assistance of the Rabelais editors.

Student advocacy

The Student Advocate is the first point of contact for all students with academic and/or campus life problems. One well-recognised example of academic concerns addressed by the Student Advocate is the area of ‘show cause’ applications arising from allegations of unsatisfactory academic progress. Apart from attendances at hearings where the Student Advocate provides an active advocacy role, there are also a large number of applications made by students, where students are provided with advice about procedures and prerequisites for applications. This advice and assistance can be provided without fear or favour due to the current independence of the position. The students advocate can be contacted by phone on 9479 2976 or email: mandy.johnston@srclatrobe.org.au