University of Sydney Union
Encyclopedia
The University of Sydney Union (USU) is the student-run services and amenities
provider at the University of Sydney
. The Union's key services include the provision of food and beverages, live music and other entertainment, the Verge Arts Festival and other cultural activities, Orientation week (O-Week) and Clubs & Societies.
The University of Sydney Union provides student services and amenities and supports the university's strong debating, dramatic, and cultural traditions, through over 200 clubs and societies. It is the 2007 World Debating Champion and 2008 Australasian Debating Champion, and in recent years has dominated the finals of the Australian and Australasian Championships. Former debaters include the former Prime Minister John Howard
and Justice Michael Kirby.
USU also boasts some of the oldest political clubs in the country. The Labor Club is the oldest political campus club in Australia and Sydney University Liberal Club
was established in 1933 well before the founding of the Liberal Party of Australia
.
, at a time when the University had fewer than a hundred students; graduates and staff were thus dominant. In 1884, the University's Senate provided a common room for the union, and in 1906, it decided to provide a building for the union's use. This building is now known as the Holme Building.
A separate Sydney University Women's Union (SUWU) was formed in 1914. The Senate also agreed to fund a building for the Women's Union; Manning House was opened in 1917. It was at this time that the University made membership of one of the two Unions compulsory.
Until the 1970s, the Unions' headquarters were an important meeting place for staff and students; however, with the establishment of a University of Sydney staff club and the growth in size of the university population, the influence of staff in the activities of the Student Union decreased. The amalgamation of the two student unions came after the decision in 1971 to jointly fund the construction of the Wentworth Building, named after William Wentworth
, one of the leading figures in the colony of New South Wales. The two unions amalgamated on 1 January 1972 to form the University of Sydney Union (USU).
(or "O-week") program, centering on stalls set up by Clubs and Societies. The clubs and societies programme is a key part of the union's activities, with over two hundred clubs to cater for the university's diverse student population. The union also has an extensive art collection, and until 2006, it maintained the Sir Hermann Black Gallery. In July 2009, the Verge Gallery opened in the Jane Foss Russell Plaza as a new student art space on main campus.
Today, the union is operated as a business, with a board of directors
elected by the students at the university. Consisting of 14 members, the board is composed of:
The magazine Hermes was first published in 1886, and the Union Recorder was first published in 1921. At least in recent years, the Recorder has been a monthly publication; however, due to rationalisation in the face of VSU, it was announced in the November 2005 issue that it would become an annual publication , with The Bull taking its place as the primary repository of student content.
For one month during each semester, USUFM broadcasts from a studio on campus on the 90.9FM frequency. The union is issued a Temporary Community Broadcast License which allows them to broadcast at full power to most of metropolitan Sydney. The USUFM license is administered by the Sydney University Radio Group (SURG), which is funded through the Clubs and Societies programme. Like The Bull, USUFM is wholly staffed and operated by University of Sydney students. All content is provided by students and members of SURG
Amenity
In real property and lodging, amenities are any tangible or untangible benefits of a property, especially those that increase its attractiveness or value or that contribute to its comfort or convenience...
provider at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. The Union's key services include the provision of food and beverages, live music and other entertainment, the Verge Arts Festival and other cultural activities, Orientation week (O-Week) and Clubs & Societies.
The University of Sydney Union provides student services and amenities and supports the university's strong debating, dramatic, and cultural traditions, through over 200 clubs and societies. It is the 2007 World Debating Champion and 2008 Australasian Debating Champion, and in recent years has dominated the finals of the Australian and Australasian Championships. Former debaters include the former Prime Minister John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and Justice Michael Kirby.
USU also boasts some of the oldest political clubs in the country. The Labor Club is the oldest political campus club in Australia and Sydney University Liberal Club
Sydney University Liberal Club
The Sydney University Liberal Club is student association, operating under the auspices of the University of Sydney Union . The club hosts a range of policy debates, social events, campaign workshops, student election campaigns, and guest speaker events with Member of Parliament . It is an...
was established in 1933 well before the founding of the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
.
History
The Sydney University Union (SUU) was established in 1874 for debatingDebate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
, at a time when the University had fewer than a hundred students; graduates and staff were thus dominant. In 1884, the University's Senate provided a common room for the union, and in 1906, it decided to provide a building for the union's use. This building is now known as the Holme Building.
A separate Sydney University Women's Union (SUWU) was formed in 1914. The Senate also agreed to fund a building for the Women's Union; Manning House was opened in 1917. It was at this time that the University made membership of one of the two Unions compulsory.
Until the 1970s, the Unions' headquarters were an important meeting place for staff and students; however, with the establishment of a University of Sydney staff club and the growth in size of the university population, the influence of staff in the activities of the Student Union decreased. The amalgamation of the two student unions came after the decision in 1971 to jointly fund the construction of the Wentworth Building, named after William Wentworth
William Wentworth
William Charles Wentworth was an Australian poet, explorer, journalist and politician, and one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales...
, one of the leading figures in the colony of New South Wales. The two unions amalgamated on 1 January 1972 to form the University of Sydney Union (USU).
The USU today
The USU operates numerous programs, from facilities in located in three main buildings, Manning House, and the Wentworth and Holme Buildings. These buildings house the large proportion of the university's catering outlets, and provide space for retail outlets, an art gallery, meeting rooms, student lounges, game rooms, bars and function centres. One of the more prominent activities organised by the union is the Orientation WeekOrientation week
Student orientation or new student orientation, is a period of time at the beginning of the academic year at a university or other tertiary institution during which a variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students. The name of the period varies by country...
(or "O-week") program, centering on stalls set up by Clubs and Societies. The clubs and societies programme is a key part of the union's activities, with over two hundred clubs to cater for the university's diverse student population. The union also has an extensive art collection, and until 2006, it maintained the Sir Hermann Black Gallery. In July 2009, the Verge Gallery opened in the Jane Foss Russell Plaza as a new student art space on main campus.
Today, the union is operated as a business, with a board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
elected by the students at the university. Consisting of 14 members, the board is composed of:
- 11 directors elected for overlapping two year terms by members of the union, with 5 elected in even-numbered years and 6 elected in odd-numbered years;
- 2 directors appointed by the University of Sydney Senate; and
- The immediate past president, who is non-voting.
| Executive | Sibella Matthews (President) Zachary Thompson (Vice President) Rhys Pogonoski (Honorary Treasurer) Jacqui Munro (Honorary Secretary) |
|---|---|
| Directors |
Astha Rajvanshi Brigid Dixon James Flynn Mina Nada Shane Treeves Nai Brooks Vivienne Moxham-Hall |
| Senate Representatives | Mr Sam Weiss Ms Kaye Dening AM |
| Immediate Past President | David Mann |
Student media
For one month during each semester, USUFM broadcasts from a studio on campus on the 90.9FM frequency. The union is issued a Temporary Community Broadcast License which allows them to broadcast at full power to most of metropolitan Sydney. The USUFM license is administered by the Sydney University Radio Group (SURG), which is funded through the Clubs and Societies programme. Like The Bull, USUFM is wholly staffed and operated by University of Sydney students. All content is provided by students and members of SURG
Presidents & Office Bearers
Notable past Presidents & Office Bearers of the University of Sydney Union include:- Edmund BartonEdmund BartonSir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....
(1884–1885), Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia. - H.V. Evatt (1916–1917), Australian jurist, politician and writer.
- Michael Kirby (1964–1965) , former Justice of the High Court of Australia.
- Adam SpencerAdam SpencerAdam Barrington Spencer is an Australian radio presenter, comedian, and media personality. He first came to fame when he won his round of the comedic talent search Raw Comedy in the mid-1990s...
- Australian radio presenter. - Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm TurnbullMalcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...
, politician, former Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament.