Victoria University Student Union
Encyclopedia
Victoria University Student Union (VUSU) is the peak body representing and supporting all students at Victoria University
Victoria University, Australia
Victoria University is a multi-sector tertiary institution based in Melbourne, Australia with 10 campuses.VU offers qualifications in higher education, vocational education , and short courses...

, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. The stated objectives of VUSU are to provide a range of representation and general services to a student population of approximately 50,000 on all campuses of the university.

VUSU provides representation and advocacy to all students. Student representatives often provide support to students when they have to front up to show cause hearings, discipline hearings and also when students have complaints and grievances against Victoria University.

Held annually, the elections are fundamental to the democratic nature of the organisation. Participation rates in VUSU elections vary from year to year.

VUSU uses meetings to facilitate informed discussion with the aim of making decisions.
VUSU utilizes mobile info booths to facilitate the exchange of information between student representatives and the students that we represent.

Forums are another type of meeting that VUSU organizes. Forums are not formal meetings as such, but are used to collectively discuss student's views. The Student Forums are an opportunity for students to come and voice their views on any issues that they face. VUSU use these forums to remain reflective of the views of the student population.

VUSU is affiliated to the National Union of Students
National Union of Students (Australia)
The National Union of Students is the peak representative body for Australian university students. Most student unions in Australian campuses are affiliated to NUS...

 (NUS). The NUS is the peak student representative body in Australia. It has over 600,000 members within Australian tertiary institutions. VUSU is a proud member of the NUS and values the contribution it can make to furthering the interests of students. Each year VUSU sends delegates to the National and State NUS Conferences. Those delegates take part in the democratic process of formulating NUS policy and electing NUS office bearers.

The peak representative body of the organisation is the Student Executive. Members of this committee include the President, Vice President and the General Secretary.

The Postgraduate Association (VUPA) and International Student Association (ISA) are affiliated bodies of the Executive and have representatives on the committee.

Each campus has a Campus Branch Council elected by students on that campus. These committees have a range of positions and meet to discuss issues of general interest to students on campus.

History

Before 1995, there were six different student organisations at Victoria University:
  1. Sunbury Student Union (SSU)
  2. Western Institute Student Union (WISU)
  3. Victoria University Union (VUU)
  4. Student Representative Council (SRC)
  5. International Student Association (ISA)
  6. Victoria University Postgraduate Association (VUPA)


The WISU was formed by the combined efforts of students from the St. Albans and Werribee campuses. This union provided services and was a source of political agitation. The VUU and the SRC were based at Footscray Park campus. The VUU ran the catering, the resource centers and sporting activities. The SRC was a politically active organisation. It was responsible for organising student groups, campus committees and advocating for students' rights.

Victoria University decided that it would be easier for the Vice Chancellor and Director of Student Affairs to deal with only one representative student body. With VSU threatening, it agreed by the various student council/associations/unions that unification of the representative student body and service providers would give student interests more weight. Therefore, the six student organisations took part in negotiations to amalgamate. In 1995, the amalgamation process was initiated and the organisation known as Victoria University Student Union (VUSU) was founded. The Victoria University Postgraduate Association (VUPA) came to the amalgamation process with a certain amount of autonomy and reluctance, as they had always received independent funding, and were highly regarded by Victoria University because of their research status. At the conclusion of 1996, the amalgamation process was complete.

In 1998, VUSU amalgamated with Western Institute of TAFE (WMIT). This amalgamation process took just over 12 months and by mid-1999 the two organisations became one.

In 2001, VUSU was incorporated and became Victoria University Student Union Incorporated. The change of name reflected the fact that VUSU was a 'union for students, run by students'. Thus as elected representatives it is our responsibility to ensure that Victoria University students receive the best service from their student union and that it is provided with openness, transparency & accountability.

Victoria University now has over 50,000 TAFE and Higher Education students on 11 campuses. VUSU has offices located on most campuses.

In 1999,the union executive was faced with mismanagement of its services provided which compelled the university to take away the catering and most of Bldg M (Union Bldg).

The relationship was on a decline since 2001 between the executive and the University Staff over funding objectives. The staff failed to respect the principle of Student Control of Student Affairs and constantly denied the executive to take decisions in relation to clubs and societies, sports, recreation and marketing of the union. This led to a hamstrung which left the union nearly non-existent.

In 2003 negotiations with the university to solve the outstanding problem of the distribution of the GSF and its expenditure led to stripping of clubs and societies, sport and recreation, Education and Welfare Services, Advocacy, resource centres, dental service, housing from the union to a university controlled administration still bearing the same title of VUSU, however since 2004 the staff of these departments had abandoned the name VUSU and thus called themselves the Student Leadership Branch. The union resulted in gaining only 13% of the total GSF of $295 colelcted every year from each student.

Since 2001 , the union was never allowed or barred from maintaining reserves thus pumping back the remainder of funds to university accounts. Post VSU the union fought hard with the university council to secure a $500,000 funding agreement by the university which was in fact the portion of VUSU's share of GSF collected for 2006.This fund of $500k has been allocated for 4 years thus cutting down a massive number of representation based departments, staff and other student organisations.

VUSU Executive Committee

The Executive Committee of VUSU is responsible for the strategic vision and future direction of the organization. It sets the overall policy and takes responsibility for expanding its own funds and for distributing funds to the VUSU Campus Branches. The VUSU Executive is also recognized by the University as the body that officially represents students.

USU Executive Committee

The Executive Committee of VUSU is responsible for the strategic vision and future direction of the organization. It sets the overall policy and takes responsibility for expanding its own funds and for distributing funds to the VUSU Campus Branches. The VUSU Executive is also recognized by the University as the body that officially represents students.

2011 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Jon Barlow, Queen St, Unity
General Secretary Ryan Mathews, Footscray Park. Unity
Vice-President Saxon Woodroffe, Flinders Street, Unity
Education Welfare Joy Soundias, Footscray Park, Unity
Equity Officer Marshall Nichols, Queen Street, NLS
Events & Activities Dania Dabliz, Footscray Park, Unity
Multimedia Officer Lauren Kidston, Flinders Street, Unity
ISA President Wang Ru, Footscray Park, Unity
VUPA President Susan Bird, Independent

2010 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Leon Burger, Queen St./Footscray Park, Unity
General Secretary Jonathon Barlow, Queen St./Flinders St. Unity
Membership & Planning Bianca Hallinun, St.Albans, Independent
Education Welfare HE Joy Soundias, Footscray Park, Unity
Equity Officer Lauren Fernando, Footscray Park, Unity
Events & Activities Dania Dabliz, Footscray Park, Unity
Multimedia Officer Saxon Woodroffe, Flinders St. Independent
ISA President Garry Kuan, Footscray Park, Unity
VUPA President Yuhanis Adnan, Independent

2009 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction
President Leon Burger, Footscray Park/Queen St. Unity
General Secretary Michael DeBruyn, Footscray Park Unity
Membership & Planning Penelope (Penny) Antoniou-Libreri, Queen St. Independent
Education Welfare HE Sam Walsh, Queen St. Liberal Party
Education Welfare TAFE N/A
Equity Officer Binda Bartkowski & Lauren Fernando, Unity
Events & Activities Thomas D'Souza, Unity
Multimedia Officer Simon Walliker & Marshall Nichols, Unity
Cross Campus Board N/A
ISA President
VUPA President Garry Kuan, Independent

2008 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction
President Nadike K. Edirisinghe, Footscray Park Unity
General Secretary Savio Domingos, Footscray Park Unity
Equity Officer Aksay Seetaloa, Footscray Park Unity
Events & Activities Dania Dabliz, Footscray Park Unity
Multimedia Officer Andrey Prokhorenko, Footscray Park Unity
Cross Campus Board N/A
ISA President Mohammed Ulfat Toaha Footscray Park Independent
VUPA President Anil Nair, Flinders Street Independent

2007 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Jenny Barboza Melton independent / Labor Club
General Secretary Lauren Fernando Footscray Park independent / Labor Club
Membership & Planning Jason Sorrenti Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Education Welfare HE Shaun Connell Footscray Park independent
Education Welfare TAFE Kylie Moxon Footscray Park independent
Equity Officer Michelle Scholefield Werribee independent/ Labor Club
Events & Activities Jason Sorrenti Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Multimedia Officer
Cross Campus Board
ISA President Mohit Masand Footscray Park NLC
VUPA President

2006 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Millicent Lang Queen Street independent / Labor Club
General Secretary Simon Walliker Footscray Park independent / Labor Club
Vice President Jenny Barboza Melton independent / Labor Club
Education Welfare HE Christian Farrelly Queen Street independent
Education Welfare TAFE Lambros Tapinos  Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Women's Officer Joan Webley Queen Street independent
Cross Campus Board HE Jason Sorrenti Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
ISA President Svetlana Prokhorenko Footscray Park NLC
VUPA President Ateev Dang Flinders Street NLC

2005 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Jodie Parsons Werribee Independents
General Secretary Shannon Fernie Queen Street Liberal
Vice President Sumeet Oberoi Flinders Street NLC
Vice President HE Yasser Bakri Queen Street NOLS
Secretary HE Kieran Gill Queen Street NOLS
Vice President TAFE Jacqueline Moon/ Paula Di Ciocco Footscray Nicholson independent / Labor Club
Women's Officer Bobbi Slattery Werribee Independent
ISA President Julian Ipsen NLC
VUPA President Sumeet Oberoi Flinders Street NLC

2004 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
General Secretary Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
Vice President Patrick Slattery Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Vice President HE Jeremy Kelly Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Secretary HE Hamish Brown Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Vice President TAFE George Longos Footscray Nicholson independent / Labor Club
Secretary TAFE Suresh McKenzie Footscray Nicholson independent / Labor Club
Women's Officer Jodie Parsons Werribbee Independent
ISA President Sumeet Oberoi Flinders Street
VUPA President Neville

2003 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
General Secretary Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
Vice President
Vice President HE Patrick Slattery Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Secretary HE
Vice President TAFE
Secretary TAFE
Women's Officer Jen Edge St Albans Independent Left
ISA President
VUPA President Neville

2002 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
General Secretary Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
Vice President Michaela Pelevaniuc
Vice President HE Lambros Tapinos  Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Secretary HE Patrick Slattery Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Vice President TAFE Aruovure "Louis" Asanughwa-Onodjamue
Secretary TAFE Matthew-Paul Fowler
ISA President Mau Simanu
VUPA President Thinh Nguyen

2001 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
General Secretary Peter Travlos St Albans Independents
Vice President Elena Hornjak Werribee Independents
Vice President HE Lambros Tapinos Footscray Park Student Unity / Labor Club
Secretary HE Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
Vice President TAFE Adrian Di Peitrantonio
Secretary TAFE Tim Best
ISA President
VUPA President Kylie Bartolo

2000 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Andrew Perry (Resigned) Footscray Park independent
Nick Murray (Acting) Footscray Park NOLS
General Secretary Nick Murray Footscray Park NOLS
Vice President
Vice President HE
Secretary HE
Vice President TAFE
Secretary TAFE
ISA President
VUPA President

1999 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
General Secretary Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
Vice President
Vice President HE
Secretary HE
Vice President TAFE
Secretary TAFE
ISA President
VUPA President

1998 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
General Secretary Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
Vice President
Vice President HE
Secretary HE
Vice President TAFE
Secretary TAFE
ISA President
VUPA President

1997 Executive Committee

Position Name Campus Faction/Club
President Goran Gambiroza Werribee Lady Teflon
General Secretary Klaus Lang Footscray Park Lady Teflon
Vice President
Vice President HE
Secretary HE
Vice President TAFE
Secretary TAFE
ISA President
VUPA President
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