Yesterday marked a significant moment for UMSU and all of us as members of this community. During our Special General Meeting, we successfully passed historic constitutional changes that are set to strengthen UMSU's ability to address sexual misconduct and better support those impacted by it.

Our guest speaker, Sharna Bremner of End Rape on Campus (EROC) Australia, spoke to us about the importance of these changes and emphasised how crucial it is for student organisations like ours to take action. She also noted that UMSU is the first student organisation in Australia to implement such changes.

The constitutional changes ensure UMSU stays aligned with legislation including the Respect@Work reforms andincoming national standards such as the Department of Education’s Action Plan addressing gender-based violence in higher education. We’ve introduced new trauma informed and person-centred processes for handling sensitive workplace conduct and ensuring reporting is accessible to all students. Our members, by voting to enact these changes to our Constitution, have made sure UMSU remains a place where victim-survivors and bystanders feel empowered to come forward, as we work towards eliminating discrimination, sexual misconduct and victimisation at UMSU.

As your President, I’m incredibly proud of this achievement. It speaks to the power of student voices and the strength of our collective efforts. Our union has always fought for the rights and safety of students, and yesterday’s vote solidifies that commitment.

But these changes are just the beginning. We’ll be working hard to ensure they’re implemented smoothly, with accessible pathways for complaints and greater protections for all students. I encourage all of you to stay engaged with UMSU and continue supporting the work we do to make our university a safer and more supportive environment for everyone.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about these changes, feel free to reach out to me (or visit our website and link.?)

Thank you all for being part of this important moment in our student union’s history!

Disha Zutshi
President