PRESIDENT:
TYSON HOLLOWAY-CLARKE
As the semester comes to a close we still have a great deal to look forward to. We have already started preparations and plans for next year! We have some grand plans for O Week next year that we can’t talk about yet but stay tuned! In the same vein we have been hard at work looking toward the future of a rapidly expanding UMSU and preparing to induct next year’s representatives. As this will be my last report I’d just like to finish with a thanks. Thanks to all the amazing staff at UMSU for your tireless work behind the scenes to keep us afloat. Thanks to all the representatives that have trusted me when the chips were down to pull us all through the year. Thanks especially to our General Secretary James Bashford for holding down the fort and going above and beyond in your role and as a friend. Best wishes to the team for 2017, UMSU’s future is in your hands.
GENERAL SECRETARY:
JAMES BASHFORD
I’m coming to the end of two years as an UMSU OB and I’m freaking out. UMSU has basically been my life for the past two years, now what am I supposed to do? Probably actually graduating would be a good first step… It’s been a fab two years as Gen Sec and Welfare Officer before that, from starting up a foodbank to all the early starts for the free breakfast and the constitutional changes this year. Most of all it’s been the greatest privilege to work alongside some amazing people who’ve made all the other bullshit worth it. Special thanks to our OB lord and saviour, Goldie, office glue, Tyson, heart of UMSU, Adriana, the amazing Stand Up! Team: Akira, Sarah & Dom & Hana, Allie, Shanley, Declan & Kara for getting me here. I’d write more about my Gen Sec work but Farrago cuts off our reports at
ACTIVITIES:
MEGAN POLLOCK & ITSI WEINSTOCK
Hello dedicated readers. Unfortunately, this will be the last time we’ll be appearing in this wonderful magazine. We’ve loved our time and we hope you have too. It has been such a pleasure, no an honour, to be given the task of running Farrago. We can hardly believe how the time has flown by. Eight amazing magazines, and us blessed to be labelled as their creators. We’d like to extend a warm thank you to all our amazing sub-editors and contributors. Your reporting has been insightful, your poetry beautiful, your stories warming and your art illuminating. We are so sad to be leaving this position, but we’re sure that next year’s officers, Jacinta and Lydia, will do an excellent job of editing Farrago.
Valete, sweet readers. Valete.
BURNLEY:
ERANTHOS BERETTA
Trying to (re)build student representation for an entire campus, both on our satellite botanic island and at the mothership that is Parkville, while being a great challenge, is entirely rewarding. Even facing some of our hardest battles and biggest cuts to our campus, we have had greater student involvement than in any previous years and I am sincerely proud of what the Burnley Student Association has achieved. Plus, we are totally chuffed to announce current BSA committee member Jessica Peeler has been elected the new campus coordinator! So while I am sad to be leaving this incredible campus, I have a whole lot of confidence it is going on to bigger and better things. Congratulations Jess! I don’t know if you heard it on the grape vine but after our fruitful winery and viticulture tour last month we will be finishing off the year with a four day trip to Wilson’s Prom with overnight hikes, tent times and general bushland immersion. So with my last words to the UoM empire; you haven’t made it easy but it’s been real, don’t get too caught up in your #parkvilleprivilege and remember: there’s life beyond the world uni rankings. Adieu.
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
RYAN DAVEY & YASMINE LUU
AND THE AWARD FOR BEST OB REPORT IN A FARRAGO GOES TO… CLUBS & SOCIETIES! You love us! You really love us!
But in all seriousness, we had our first ever Clubs & Societies Awards Night, and although we had our doubts and fears it wouldn’t be a good night, it turned out amazing. Clubs from across the category spectrum were in Grand Buffet Hall listening to the crazy stories that had developed this year and all the hard work clubs put in. We look forward to seeing its continued success in the upcoming years. Speaking of the future, we’d love to welcome Kayley and Gulsara to the Clubs Department! They will be taking over for 2017 and have some great ideas! It’s been a great year for C&S and we are so proud to see what our amazing clubs have achieved. Thanks for everything Clubsters! xoxo Gossip Gunter.
CREATIVE ARTS
JOSH LYNZAAT & JEAN TONG
“Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see,” or so we thought. After years of commitment to accessibility, we’ve seen one of our most inclusive years ever. We’ve had: a curated season of public art works; Tastings; Above Water; four Auslan-interpreted events; the resurrection of the Creative Arts Collective; a radio show (thank you Harriet & Guy!); Life + Botanic Drawing; five audio described events, five tactile tours; the inaugural Melbourne Uni Film Festival (MUFFest) (thank you Hayley, Kim & Sara!); a public blackboard; Talking Out of Your Arts; three captioned events, and two relaxed performances; Ensemble Assembly; and $10,000 worth of arts grants distributed. We’re looking forward to Harriet + Sara taking over our department for what we’re sure will be an extravaganza of brilliant, inclusive, accessible art in #Mudfest2017. Look out, world: art’s for everyone and it’s coming for you.
EDUCATION (ACADEMIC)
TOM CROWLEY & PAUL SAKKAL
What a big year it’s been in Education (Academic) Affairs!!! Whether it be incessantly pestering those stubborn lecturers who refuse to record their drivel or fighting hammer and tong the introduction of the Big Brother-esque Cadmus technology, we’ve been out there fighting the good fight to ensure your navigation of the University’s academic terrain is as smooth and enjoyable as possible. The FlexAp could pose massive changes to the way our Uni works and rest assured this Department has its backside firmly placed on a seat in the all of the rooms where big decisions are being made; there are now student members on all University committees and working groups, including all of the FlexAp workstreams. We’ve been keeping the bastards honest and it’s been a pleasure doing so.
EDUCATION (PUBLIC)
AKIRA BOARDMAN & DOMINIC CERNAZ
Wow! What a fantastic year it’s been. But the year isn’t over and we are continuing to push for a better education standard with the Keep the Quality campaign. If you haven’t yet, check out Keep the Quality on Facebook. We want to keep people informed about what the University has planned. Additionally we keep pushing for better worker’s rights, working with key groups to ensure wide engagement with our campaign. If you haven’t picked up one of the orange Working While Studying booklets do it! There’s heaps of important information. To finish, we’d like to say we’ve had a fantastic time in the role as Education Public officers. We’ve continued to fight for an accessible education system, combatting government attacks and the University administration as they attempt to devalue degrees. We’ve had such a great time fighting for student’s rights on campus and will continue our work.
ENVIRONMENT
ANISA ROGERS & ZACHARY POWER
The Sustainability Plan is now is due to be passed through Chancellery Executive on 11 October, so stay tuned to see if it is passed this first level of approval. Fossil Free MU will be holding a morning tea of that Tuesday to discuss where to from here depending on the result, so make sure you are there! The bike co-op is getting more popular as the sun comes out and our Tuesday morning free breakfast with the mechanic is very popular. The space is also open on other days so come by and say hi and learn to fix up your bike! Enviro Docos are going great, check out this week’s Another Country. And finally it’s been a great year and I would like to welcome Lizzie and Kate to the office!
INDIGENOUS
EMILY KAYTE JAMES & WUNAMBI CONNOR
This year the Indigenous Department has seen plenty of change. Firstly, a change of Office Bearers, with Wunambi joining Emily following the election of Tyson as president. Next, the changes to Under Bunjil, including a design update thanks to our newest editors, Serena, our soon to be Head Editor, and Hope who joined for the upcoming edition. Additionally, the changes for the Indigenous University Games ensured that the largest team ever from Melbourne Uni competed in Brisbane. With the academic year almost complete we are starting to celebrate the collective achievements which you can do with us at the Under Bunjil launch party and the Murrup Barak gala night (see our social media for more details). Lastly, while it is sad that Emily is leaving the team we are very proud to have Marley taking on the role to continue the work we have achieved in the Indigenous Department this year.
Find us on Facebook and Instagram @UMSU_Indigenous.
QUEER
FRANCES CONNORS & LOTUS YE
Hello! I’m sure it’s been a busy year for all of us. We hope you all had a bangin’ time at Pride Ball and aren’t panicking too much as the semester draws to a close. In these stressful times remember you are welcome to come to Queer Lunch and other events for free food and relaxation in the Queer Space! Frances and Lotus will now be moving on; Frances on her quest to pet the dog that was in The Room and Lotus to fulfil their dream of becoming a swamp hag slash cryptid and terrifying locals. However, we have left you in capable hands: we are proud to present Evelyn Lesh and Blake Atmaja as next year’s Queer Officers. We both know they will do an amazing job and wish them and the Queer Department bountiful prosperity for years to come.
VCA
VAN RUDD
It was great to be involved with the small but punchy pro-marriage equality activists on Wednesday, 14 September at the State Library – a rally called by the National Union of Students. After great speeches, we all marched around the block in the CBD, demanding marriage equality immediately be passed in parliament. “What do we want? Marriage equality. When do we want it? Yesterday!” was one of our catchy chants. We’ll keep VCA students in the loop for the next protest. The next major event to happen at the VCA will be the Spoken Word event planned for 18 October. We’ll be postering for that one soon and spreading the message on social media.
WELFARE
SARAH XIA & YAN ZHUANG
It has been an immense privilege serving as your Welfare Officers for 2016! Our free breakfasts have been a big hit this year and Sarah will be ordering extra food for our last BBQ on Thursday 20 October. Sarah has been hosting the Anti-Racism Workshops with the UMSU Women’s Department on Tuesday nights and the last workshop will be held on 11 October at 5:30pm. The People of Colour Collective will be holding a Big Hero 6 film screening in Week 12. This is one of the last events that Sarah and the collective are organising ahead of the new People of Colour Department next year and we encourage all students to come along! Sarah is also organising free study packs for SWOTvac, so keep an eye out. Thank you for such a great year in UMSU Welfare, it’s been lovely!
WOMEN’S
ADRIANA MELLS
Get excited because Judy’s Punch 2016 is coming out this week! Be sure to pick up a copy in the Women’s Room. A massive thankyou to the wonderful Amie Green and the Judy’s Punch collective for their hard work and enthusiasm. The work for safety on campus continues, with the sexual assault information guides to be released soon and distributed on all University of Melbourne campuses. This is my final OB report back for 2016 and I would love to thank all the wonderful people from the Women’s Department who I had the absolute pleasure of meeting over the past four years, it’s been an honour to be Women’s officer this year. Good luck to Hannah and Anju as they take on the Department in 2017. The Women’s Room is an incredibly special place and I hope that the Department continues to grow. See you all in the Women’s Room!