University of Melbourne Student Union#Farrago
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox legislature|name=University of Melbourne Union|logo_pic=UMSU logo
|logo_caption=University of Melbourne Union logo
|foundation={{start date and age|1884|df=yes}}
|leader1=Joshua Stagg
|leader2=Luv Golecha
|leader3=Sara Pheasant
|leader1_type=President
|party1= Community for UMSU
|leader2_type=Secretary
|party2= Community for UMSU
|leader3_type=CEO
|structure1=Australia_UMSU Council_2024.svg
|political_groups1={{plainlist
|
- {{Color box|38c78e|border=darkgray}} Community for UMSU (11)
- {{Color box|FF4D00|border=darkgray}} Activate (3)
- {{Color box|C41E3A|border=darkgray}} Left Action (3)
- {{Color box|f535aa|border=darkgray}} More! (1)
- {{Color box|1e90ff|border=darkgray}} Rebuild (1)
- {{Color box|b3b3b3|border=darkgray}} Independent Media (1)
- {{Color box|745BA1|border=darkgray}} Independent Southbank Students for Democracy (1)
- {{Color box|b3b3b3|border=darkgray}} Independent (1)
}}
|term_length=1 year
|members=22
|house1=
| seats1_title = Affiliations
| seats1 = National Union of Students
| meeting_place = Building 168, University of Melbourne
| website = [http://www.umsu.unimelb.edu.au/ umsu.unimelb.edu.au]
|constitution={{URL|https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/umsu/constitution/|UMSU Constitution}}
| rules = {{URL|https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/regulations-policy/|UMSU Regulations and Policy}}
}}
The University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) is one of two student organisations at the University of Melbourne, Australia. UMSU, incorporated as University of Melbourne Student Union, Inc. (UMSU) provides representation and services for all current students and the University of Melbourne.
Following the liquidation of its predecessor, The Melbourne University Student Union (MUSU), UMSU was incorporated on 17 November 2005, following approval by the Council of the University of Melbourne in October of that year.{{Cite web |title=History of the Student Union |url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/umsu/history/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=umsu.unimelb.edu.au |language=en-AU}} Its first elections were held in October 2005 under the transitional clauses of the constitution.
Culture
There is a long history of student activities at the University of Melbourne. The Union Band Comp has kick-started the careers of several well-known Australian bands, and an annual comedy review once produced the Working Dog crew. Several Members of Parliament were active within the MUSU, including Sir Robert Menzies (former Australian Prime Minister), Lindsay Tanner (Member for Melbourne) and Sophie Mirabella (Former Member for Indi).{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
=Theatres=
UMSU's Union and Guild Theatres are located within the Arts and Cultural Building on the Parkville campus.{{cite web | title=Arts and Cultural Building | website=UMAC | date=11 June 2024 | url=https://www.unimelb.edu.au/umac/arts-and-cultural-building | access-date=17 December 2024}} The Union Theatre,{{cite web | title=Union Theatre | website=OnlyMelbourne | url=https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/u1nion-theatre | access-date=20 January 2021}} also known as the Union House Theatre,{{cite web | title=Union House Theatre Awards Night | website=UMSU | date=1 December 2020 | url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/2017uhtwinners/ | access-date=20 January 2021}} was founded around 1953, along with the Union Theatre Repertory Company. A large number of notable Australian performers, writers and other notable people did some of their earliest work there, including Cate Blanchett, Barry Humphries, Steve Vizard, Barrie Kosky, Graeme Blundell, and Germaine Greer.{{cite web | title=History | website=UMSU |publisher=University of Melbourne| url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/umsu/history/ | access-date=20 January 2021}} It is on the ground floor of the Student Union.{{cite web | title=Parking & Maps | website=UMSU | url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/studentlife/theatre/maps/ | access-date=20 January 2021}} The Guild Theatre is on Level 1.
The Open Stage was part of the original Drama Department, and the name was kept when it moved into the new Arts Centre on Swanston Street, Carlton, in late 1973.{{cite web | title=The Open Stage | website=Melbourne University Student Theatre Archive | url=https://must.unimelb.edu.au/article/the-open-stage/ | access-date=17 December 2024}} A flexible "open stage" performance venue, it is now located at the 757 Swanston Street building, on the corner of Swanston and Grattan Streets, and used for many purposes. These include performance-based teaching by faculty of the VCA as well as various other university courses, such as cinema and cultural studies; special events such as short courses, symposia, and media launches; and student theatre productions and cultural performances on campus, organised by students officially affiliated with one of the student associations.{{cite web | title=Open Stage Theatre | website=OnlyMelbourne | url=https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/open-stage-theatre | access-date=17 December 2024}}
= Student clubs and Societies =
Over 200 student-run clubs and societies are affiliated to UMSU, which supports these organisations though financial grants and administrative assistance. The groups affiliated with UMSU range from the Fotoholics - Photography Club to the Pirates, but the largest and most notable of these societies are the faculty clubs (Arts' Students Society & Science Students' Society{{Cite web|url=https://www.melbunisss.org/|title=The Science Students' Society (SSS)|website=www.melbunisss.org|access-date=2015-08-11}}) which have the largest balls and parties on campus.
====Theatre clubs====
{{hatnote|See also Theatres, above.}}
Union House Theatre is the facilitator of student theatre at the Parkville campus, and runs two theatre spaces available for use by student theatre groups.{{Cite web|title=Theatre|url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/studentlife/theatre/|access-date=2020-07-29|language=en-US}} Student theatre groups include the Melbourne University Absurdist Theatre Society (MUATS), the University of Melbourne Music Theatre Association (UMMTA), the Throwback Players and the Union Players, as well as groups for the Colleges. Faculty theatre clubs include the Law and Medical Revues. Theatre clubs from culturally diverse backgrounds include Chinese and Sri Lankan theatre groups.{{Cite web|title=List of Theatre Groups|url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/studentlife/theatre/groups/|access-date=2020-07-29|language=en-US}}
==Faculty clubs==
There are seven notable faculty clubs at the University of Melbourne: The Melbourne Arts Students' Society,{{cite web |url=http://m-ass.org |publisher=The University of Melbourne Arts Students' Society |title=Homepage |access-date=24 July 2022 |archive-date=12 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712164501/https://www.m-ass.org/ |url-status=dead }} The Science Students' Society,{{cite web |url = https://www.melbunisss.org/|publisher = The University of Melbourne Science Students' Society|title = Home}} The Engineering Students' Club,{{cite web |url=http://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/clubs/engineering-students-club/ |publisher=The University of Melbourne Engineering Students' Club |title=Home}} The Commerce Students' Society, The Biomedicine Students' Society,{{cite web |url=http://www.bssunimelb.com/ |publisher=The University of Melbourne Biomedicine Students' Society |title=Home}} The Environments Students' Society (ENVi),{{cite web |url=http://benvs.unimelb.edu.au/enrich/envi-student-society |publisher=The University of Melbourne Environments Student Society |title=Home |access-date=13 July 2020 |archive-date=30 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630234816/http://benvs.unimelb.edu.au/enrich/envi-student-society |url-status=dead }} and the Music Students' Society (MSS).{{cite web |url = https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/buddy-up/clubs/clubs-listing/join/7237/|publisher = The University of Melbourne Music Students' Society|title = Home}} All clubs run events throughout the year aimed at integrating new students into university life, running social activities and liaising between the faculties and the current students to enable and encourage their studies and enable opportunities for future employment.
==Political clubs==
File:Student Protest. University of Melbourne.jpg
Political clubs in 2020 include [https://www.melbourneir.com Melbourne International Relations Society (MIRS)] Liberals, the ALP Club (Labor Left), Labor (Labor Right), Greens, Socialist Alternative and Solidarity, as well as clubs representing Amnesty International and the Political Interest Society.{{Cite web |title=Clubs Listing |url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/buddy-up/clubs/clubs-listing/ |access-date=2020-07-29 |language=en-US}}
A number of activist campaign groups are affiliated to the student union, including the Campus Refugee Rights Club and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.{{cite web |url=http://archive.union.unimelb.edu.au/tag/politics/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140622005745/http://archive.union.unimelb.edu.au/tag/politics/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 June 2014 |publisher=MU Student Union Online |title=Articles tagged with politics |year=2012 }}
== Cultural and linguistic clubs ==
==Debating society==
The Melbourne University Debating Society is one of Victoria's oldest student organisations, founded in 1876.{{cite web|title=Melbourne University Debating Society: About Us|url=http://www.mudsonline.net/|access-date=1 January 2013|publisher=Melbourne University Debating Society}} MUDS holds weekly debating competitions, as well as larger annual invitational competitions for other universities in the lead-up to the World Universities Debating Championships, and the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships. Historically, the University of Melbourne has been very successful, hosting the 1993 World Universities Debating Championship, and making it to the Grand Final of the 2003 WUDC. Additionally, MUDS were the champions of the 2019 Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships. The Society also hosts Public Debates, and is one of the largest student groups on campus.
== Special Interest ==
Funding
File:University Of Melbourne Student Union House.JPG
The student union had been funded by compulsory Amenities and Services Fees since 1911. The introduction of VSU saw a significant loss of funding for the union, as the ASF was no longer charged from 1 July 2006. On 11 October 2011 the SSAF{{cite web|url=http://education.gov.au/student-services-and-amenities-fee |title= Student Services and Amenities Fee}} was introduced which led to a large increase in funding to the Union, though not as high as in the pre-VSU era. In 2014 the Union was allocated just under $4.5 Million by the University, or 34% of the total SSAF revenue collected.{{cite web|title=SSAF|url=http://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/ssaf/|website=University of Melbourne Student Union|publisher=UMSU Inc.|access-date=19 January 2016}}
The union funds a range of services including: the Rowden White library; the Student Union Advocacy and Legal Service; the campus information centre; the Union House Theater, Clubs and Societies, Farrago, Student Representation and common areas in Union House. This allocation also covers staff salaries, and office bearer honorariums. UMSU additionally collects a small amount of revenue from event ticket sales, AV and BBQ hire, sponsorship and other sources.
History
{{Expand section|date=July 2020}}
File:National Museum and lake University of Melbourne 1885.jpg National Museum building designed by Joseph Reed in 1863 became the first home of the Student Union. Mostly demolished during 1960s renovations, parts of the interior and exterior remained embedded within its later namesake.]]
File:University Of Melbourne Student Union House.JPG.]]
The University of Melbourne Union was founded in 1884 to promote the common interests of students and assist in social interactions between its members.{{Cite web|date=2019-06-18|title=UM… What? A comprehensive guide to the history of our Student Union|url=http://farragomagazine.com/2019/06/18/um-what-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-history-of-our-student-union/|access-date=2020-07-29|website=Farrago|language=en}} It set up headquarters in the 1863 Joseph Reed designed gothic revival styled National Museum building which was renamed Union House by 1885.[https://omeka.cloud.unimelb.edu.au/constructing-change/exhibits/show/architecturalstyles/item/15 Constructing Change: the evolving Parkville campus - Union House] The Melbourne University Students’ Representative Council was formed as an independent, unincorporated association at a special general meeting called by the Sports Union Council on 19 September 1907.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
= Renovations and additions to Union House =
In 1935, the Union proposed to replace its building with a larger 3 storey free gothic design that would incorporate the shell of the 1863 building.[https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/research/digital-studio/archive/projects/visualising-venues/union-house-tour-accessible History of Union House] However the works did not proceed. Instead, in 1938 a new theatre, the Union theatre, designed by Philip Burgoyne Hudson, was added.
In 1964 the Union and university sought to modernise its image and proposed demolishing the majority of the 1863 gothic building. Architect Eggleston MacDonald & Secomb was commissioned to redesign Union House including a new concrete forecourt and new theatre known as the Guild theatre. The result was a modern blonde brick and concrete brutalist design which retained the name of Union House. To save on demolition and construction costs, a small section of eastern facade of the original building and part of the large wooden roof structure of the main hall were integrated into the new building which was completed in 1970.
= Incorporation =
The Associations Incorporation Act (1981) allowed incorporation of student bodies, among others. The Students’ Association was incorporated in 1987 as the Melbourne College of Advanced Education Students’ Association-Carlton Incorporated, and the Students’ Representative Council was incorporated in 1988 as Melbourne University Students’ Representative Council Incorporated. In October 1988, the two merged to form Melbourne University Student Union Incorporated (MUSUi).
= Relocation to New Student Precinct =
After over 100 years in Union House, UMSU was relocated to the New Student Precinct in 2022.{{fact|date=December 2024}} UMSU is now housed across neighbouring buildings in the precinct, with most of the organisation residing in Building 168 (formerly Doug McDonell Building). Union House Theatre and George Paton Gallery are now located in the Arts & Cultural Building, while the Rowden White Library can be found in the Student Pavillion.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
= Voluntary liquidation =
From 2002, some of the union's unprofitable commercial services were terminated, including U-Bar, and a property deal was entered into with Optima Property Development Group.{{fact|date=December 2024}} A draft report from auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers warned in June 2003 that this could potentially create obligations beyond MUSUi's capacity to pay.[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/09/1057430274455.html "Student union urged to abandon deal"] - The Age 2003-07-09[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/20/1058639666549.html "The deal that threatens to send a student union broke"] - The Age 2003-07-20 The deal was for MUSUi to sublease student apartments to international students from the Optima Group.{{fact|date=December 2024}} It did not proceed.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
On 30 September 2003, Vice-Chancellor Alan Gilbert informed MUSUi that the University was terminating the 2003 Funding Agreement, effectively stripping it of any future money, citing "evidence of breaches by MUSUI of its obligations under the Agreement" (the agreement being "providing facilities, services, or activities of direct benefit to students at the institution").{{fact|date=December 2024}} He also cited a "serious breakdown in governance, financial management, and accountability structures within MUSU."{{fact|date=December 2024}}
On 6 February 2004, the union was placed into liquidation by the Supreme Court of Victoria after a vote by the Student Union Executive.{{fact|date=December 2024}} MUSU's liquidator, Dean Royston McVeigh, said in his provisional liquidator's report that the union owed debts of $4.3 million (mainly to the University of Melbourne) but only had assets of $3.5 million.{{fact|date=December 2024}} McVeigh acknowledged that these "debts" were the result of creative accounting by the university, with the university ultimately relinquishing any claim to such "debts".{{fact|date=December 2024}} As a result, it was no longer student-controlled (a prerequisite for affiliation to NUS) and was in any case unable to pay affiliation fees.{{fact|date=December 2024}} A new constitution was approved.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
Master Ewart Evans, who was presiding over the hearings of the liquidators' examination until his retirement in 2005, was critical of the "somewhat precipitative" timing of civil court proceedings, which McVeigh quickly settled out of court after much adverse publicity about his own fees and expenses believed to total more than $8 million[http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Landeryou-threatened-me-says-liquidator/2005/05/25/1116950754154.html "Landeryou threatened me, says liquidator"] - The Age 2005-05-25 prior to producing a liquidator's report and convening a meeting of creditors.{{fact|date=December 2024}} The downfall of MUSU was satirised by the Union Players in the play Friday Night at the Union in 2004.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
= Recent political history =
File:Student Protest. University of Melbourne.jpg
Following the 2004 annual election, a coalition between the Liberal Club and the Labor Right was defeated by a cooperative left made up of National Labor Students (ALP Club), Socialist Alternative, and a group of progressive students who are not involved in other politics called Activate.{{fact|date=December 2024}} The positions won by the left groups were for an interim student representative committee established by the university to oversee student representation and advocacy until the incorporation of UMSU.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
UMSU saw few changes in its power dynamic from 2005-07. In 2007, National Labor Students held the President, Secretary, and Education (Academic) Offices.{{fact|date=December 2024}} The makeup of the 2007 Student Council had no ALSF presence (due to the Liberal Student tickets withdrawing from the annual elections prior to the opening of the ballot).{{fact|date=December 2024}} The 2007 UMSU budget, due to funding cuts caused by VSU, was reduced from just over $2 million in 2006 to $1.23 million in 2007.{{fact|date=December 2024}} This resulted in reductions in funding for departments, particularly those that traditionally have been considered high, such as the Activities, Clubs, Societies, and Media Departments.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
In 2008, the National Labor Students and Grassroots tickets, running as StandUp! and Activate, respectively, won most of the paid positions in the Student Union.{{fact|date=December 2024}} Their tenure in 2009 was highlighted by difficulties in passing budgetary support towards the National Union of Students and Students for Palestine organisations.{{fact|date=December 2024}}
2009 saw nearly all major elected positions won by a Labour Right-Liberal coalition called Synergy.{{cite news | last = Crook | first = Andrew | title = Young Liberals find their campus saviours: the ALP | newspaper = Crikey | date = 15 September 2009 | url = http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/15/young-liberals-find-their-campus-saviours-the-alp/ | access-date = 17 October 2009}} On Student Council, Synergy were elected to four positions (two Liberals and two Student Unity), and five positions were won by iUnion, a newly established ticket run by international students and former StandUp! office bearers.{{cite news | last = Summers | first = Chris | title = Left and right? Just the beginning of the complexities of student politics | newspaper = Crikey | date = 16 September 2009 | url = http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/16/left-and-right-just-the-beginning-of-the-complexities-of-student-politics/ | access-date = 17 October 2009}}
2012 saw the union criticised for the decision to not lay a $200 wreath at the ANZAC dawn service, with President Mark Kettle stating that "participating in the ANZAC Day service would be ‘glorifying war’".{{Cite web |url=http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/melbourne-university-student-union-anzac-day-merrygoround/20120423-1xftr.html |title=Melbourne University student union refuses to lay ANZAC wreath | 3AW Neil Mitchell | |access-date=23 April 2012 |archive-date=25 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425170539/http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/melbourne-university-student-union-anzac-day-merrygoround/20120423-1xftr.html |url-status=dead }} There was also a publication in a major daily newspaper that student resources had been used to support "a live and extreme sex show performed on campus for "sex education" purposes."[https://archive.today/20121230122614/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/university-of-melbournes-live-sex-act-furore/story-fn7x8me2-1226347682735 University Of Melbournes Live Sex Act Furore]
2013 again saw the union criticised when they passed a motion to unreservedly celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher,[https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/melbourne-university-union-officials-pass-motion-to-celebrate-the-death-of-margaret-thatcher/news-story/6632e08cba8f4063bbc46f053908a332 Melbourne University 'We celebrate Thatcher's death'] resulting in media coverage from the Herald Sun and a large student backlash against the union over Facebook.{{Cite web|url=http://unimelbadventures.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/umsu-vs-margaret-thatcher-round-2-bing/|title = UMSU vs Margaret Thatcher. Round 2 *bing!|date = 14 April 2013}}
= Presidents =
Affiliation to NUS
UMSU is an affiliate to Australia's peak representative body for students, the National Union of Students (NUS). With the University of Melbourne having over 30,000 students of an Equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL), UMSU is the largest union to affiliate to NUS. Due to this, at the yearly National Conference of NUS in December, UMSU is the most represented student organisation. UMSU holds 7 delegate positions, and a grand total of 182 votes on conference floor.{{Cite news|last=Pitt|first=Ed|title=NUS National Conference 2018|work=Farrago|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Z_0Ma0P6y6Eo_1BpK6pTL5Wjn0nIS2q0i3WgQwoO6L4/edit#gid=1326333511|access-date=13 December 2018}} The election of NUS Delegates is undertaken during the general elections in early September of each year.{{Cite web|title=Elections|url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/getinvolved/elections/|access-date=2020-07-29|language=en-US}}
Initial constitution
The Constitution of UMSU was drafted by a Student Representative Working Group, members of whom were elected in 2004 by electronic ballot; the University Secretary was appointed Returning Officer. The University was closely involved in the drafting process and provided free legal advice to the Working Group.{{cite news
| url = http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_1289.html
| title = Elected student working group will form a 'constitutional convention'
| work = UniNews Vol. 13, No. 4
| date = 22 March – 5 April 2004
| publisher = University of Melbourne
| access-date = 5 March 2006
| archive-date = 24 August 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060824055827/http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_1289.html
| url-status = dead
}}
These student Working Group members consisted of both undergraduate and post-graduate members, and the overall composition of the Working Group was factionally diverse, with the incumbent Student Unity/ALSF coalition being reduced to opposition status. Due to a large number of inquorate meetings, the Working Group instituted a drop-off rule.
The Working Group persisted until mid-2005, when the final draft of the Constitution was presented to the Council of the University.{{cite news
| url = http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_2658.html
| title = Council gives go-ahead to student body's constitution
| author = Christina Buckridge
| work = UniNews Vol. 14, No. 15
| date = 22 August – 5 September 2005
| publisher = University of Melbourne
| access-date = 4 March 2006
| archive-date = 24 August 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060824015140/http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_2658.html
| url-status = dead
}} In September 1052 out of 1240 students voted in favour of accepting the new constitution.{{cite news
| url = http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_2724.html
| title = Yes vote on new student body sets scene for elections
| work = UniNews Vol. 14, No. 16
| date = 5–19 September 2005
| publisher = University of Melbourne
| access-date = 5 March 2006
| archive-date = 23 August 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060823233916/http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_2724.html
| url-status = dead
}}
The Constitution itself was largely based on the MUSU Constitution, with a number of innovations, including affirmative action provisions, pay-parity and strict accountability mechanisms curbing the powers of the President and Secretary in particular. It also created the Clubs & Societies Department (which in the past had been a part of the Activities Department) and the Indigenous Department.
= Paid officers =
UMSU has a number of paid officers, which include: the President; the General Secretary; Media Officers; Education (Academic Affairs) Officer; Education (Public Affairs) Officers; Activities Officers; Creative Arts Officers; Clubs and Societies Officers; Welfare Officer; Environment Officers; Indigenous Officers; Disabilities Officers; Queer Officers; Women's Officers; People of Colour Officers; the Burnley Campus Coordinator; the Southbank Campus Coordinators; the Southbank Activities Officer, and the Southbank Education Officer.
Aside from the positions of President, General Secretary, the campus coordinator of Burnley, the Southbank Activities Officer and the Southbank Education officer, all other offices can be shared between two people.[https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UMSU-Constitution-passed-27.5.21.pdf UMSU Constitution] The Media Office must be shared between three or four people.{{Cite web|date=17 September 2019|title=UMSU Constitution corrected|url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/UMSU-Constitution-passed-17.09.19-ABN-corrected.pdf}}
UMSU has a pay parity provision in its constitution which stipulates that all full-time officers must be paid an equal wage and that all part-time officers be paid at a .6 fraction of the full-time rate of pay. The Burnley Campus Coordinator is paid at .5 fraction of the full-time rate of pay and the Southbank Activities and Southbank Education Officers are paid at .6 fraction of the full-time rate of pay.
Elections and current factions
= Elections =
Elections for positions within UMSU are determined through direct election during the first week of September each year. This sees the election of 32 paid office bearers of 17 representative departments, as well as 22 students who sit on UMSU's peak decision body, Students Council. The election of representatives onto department committees and seven NUS delegates also occurs at this time, with the election of a student representative onto the University's Council occurring every two years.
As of the 2016 election, the UMSU constitution has applied Affirmative Action to the election of positions held by more than one representative. This mandates that in all Office Bearer positions, at least 50% of elected representatives must identify as a woman, with the Women's Department having to elect at least one officer that identifies as a Woman of Colour. This is extended to Students Council and department committees, which must elect women into 50%+1 of all positions. In the election of roles within autonomous departments, as well as the election of restricted autonomous positions on Students Council, only those who identify with the represented group are eligible to run.
The Students' Council, the peak body for the union, is made up of 22 student representatives. There are 15 General Representatives, plus 7 for special constituencies – Queer, Indigenous, International, Graduate, Students with Disabilities, Students at the Southbank Campus, and Students of Colour.
= 2024 election results =
class="wikitable"
|+2024 Student Council Election{{Cite web |title=UMSU Annual Election 2024 |url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/make-difference/elections/2024-election/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=umsu.unimelb.edu.au |language=en-AU}} ! colspan="2" |Party !Faction !Votes !Percentage !Seats !Change |
bgcolor="#38c78e"|
|Community for UMSU |Labor Right/Independents, SDA aligned |1,504 |36.7% |11 | {{decrease}} 2 |
bgcolor="#FF4D00"|
|Activate |Labor Left, Greens, UniMelb for Palestine |885 |21.6% |3 |New |
{{Australian party style|Socialist Alternative}}|
|Left Action |841 |20.5% |3 | {{steady}} |
bgcolor="#f535aa"|
|More! |Labor Right, TWU aligned |342 |8.4% |1 |New |
bgcolor="#1e90ff"|
|Rebuild |297 |7.3% |1 |{{steady}} |
bgcolor="#b3b3b3"|
|Independent Media |Independent ticket that encompasses around campus newspaper Farrago |130 |3.2% |1 |{{steady}} |
bgcolor="#745BA1"|
|Independent Southbank Students for Democracy |Independent ticket based around Southbank campus |N/A |N/A |1 |{{steady}} |
bgcolor="#b3b3b3"|
|Independent | |95 |2.3% |1 | {{increase}} 1 |
colspan="3" rowspan="2" |Total
! colspan="2" |4,094 !22 ! |
---|
colspan="2" |Quota
| colspan="2" |257 |
= 2022 election results =
At the 2022 election, no nominations were received for the position of Indigenous Representative.{{cite web |title=Student Council Membership |url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/studentscouncil/student-council-membership/ |publisher=UniMelb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513024832/https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/about/studentscouncil/student-council-membership/ |archive-date=13 May 2023 }}
class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; margin-bottom:0"
! style="width:10px;" colspan=3 | Party ! style="width:250px;"| Faction ! style="width:40px;"| Seats ! style="width:40px;"| Change |
bgcolor="#38c78e"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Community for UMSU | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Labor Right/Independents | style="width:40px;"| 13 | style="width:55px;"| {{steady}} |
{{Australian party style|Socialist Alternative}}|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Left Action | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Socialist Alternative | style="width:40px;"| 3 | style="width:55px;"| {{increase}} 2 |
bgcolor="#b3b3b3"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Independent Media | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Independent ticket that encompasses around campus newspaper Farrago | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| {{steady}} |
bgcolor="#745BA1"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Independents for Student Democracy | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Independent ticket based around students engaging with elections | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| {{steady}} |
bgcolor="#1e90ff"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Rebuild | align="left" style="width:70px;"| | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| {{increase}} 1 |
{{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Stand Up! | align="left" style="width:70px;"| National Labor Students/Labor Left | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| {{decrease}} 4 |
{{Australian party style|blank}}|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Vacant | align="left" style="width:70px;"| | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| |
colspan="3" style="text-align:left;"| Total
!style="text-align:right;"| !style="text-align:right;"|21 !style=text-align:right;| |
---|
= 2021 election results =
class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; margin-bottom:0"
! style="width:10px;" colspan=3 | Party ! style="width:250px;"| Faction ! style="width:40px;"| Seats ! style="width:40px;"| Change |
bgcolor="#38c78e"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Community for UMSU | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Labor Right/Independents | style="width:40px;"| 13 | style="width:55px;"| |
{{Australian party style|Labor}}|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Stand Up! | align="left" style="width:70px;"| National Labor Students/Labor Left | style="width:40px;"| 5 | style="width:55px;"| |
bgcolor="#b3b3b3"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Independent Media | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Independent ticket that encompasses around campus newspaper Farrago | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| |
bgcolor="#745BA1"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Independents for Student Democracy | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Independent ticket based around students engaging with elections | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| |
{{Australian party style|Socialist Alternative}}|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| Left Action | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Socialist Alternative | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| |
bgcolor="#000000"|
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="2"| UniMob | align="left" style="width:70px;"| Indigenous students | style="width:40px;"| 1 | style="width:55px;"| |
colspan="3" style="text-align:left;"| Total
!style="text-align:right;"| !style="text-align:right;"|22 !style=text-align:right;| |
---|
Notable associations
Several Members of Parliament were active within Melbourne University student life, including Sir Robert Menzies (former Australian Prime Minister), Gareth Evans (former Australian Foreign Minister), Lindsay Tanner (former Member for Melbourne), Michael Danby (former Member for Melbourne Ports), Richard Marles (Deputy Prime Minister of Australia), Alan Tudge (Member for Aston), and Sophie Mirabella (former Member for Indi).
Notable past presidents include:
- Robert Menzies (1916–17)
- Evan Thornley (1987)
- Richard Marles (1988){{Cite web |date=2010-10-01 |title=Crikey List: which MPs were involved in student politics? |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2010/10/01/crikey-list-which-mps-were-involved-in-student-politics/ |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=Crikey |language=en-US}}
- Andrew Landeryou (1991)
- Alan Tudge (1991){{Cite news |last=Whinnett |first=Ellen | author-link=Ellen Whinnett |date=26 March 2016 |title=Swearing in to family drama all in a day's work for Health Services Minister Alan Tudge |work=Herald Sun |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/swearing-in-to-family-drama-all-in-a-days-work-for-health-services-minister-alan-tudge/news-story/1eed5cea175ee32714509856d9181e6e |access-date=1 June 2022}}
See also
External links
- [http://www.umsu.unimelb.edu.au/ University of Melbourne Student Union Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620185237/http://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/ |date=20 June 2014 }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{NUS}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:University Of Melbourne Student Union}}
Category:Students' unions in Australia
Category:University of Melbourne
Category:Student organizations established in 1884