Student Consultative Committee (SCC) Statement – November/December 2022
On behalf of the Student Consultative Committee (SCC) I would like to offer a thanks for your patience to all students and staff who have been working closely with us over the last few months.
The change in governance structure of the University has brought with it many challenges, and the circumstances in which it has been occurring is deeply hurtful to many. We have welcomed the opportunity to work with Professor Evans to further advocate for our fellow students and ensure our voices are heard as the university goes through this period of change. We are excited by the prospect of UNE undergoing a culture review and are grateful to be involved in the process.
We are excited to announce a few changes to our Committee!
Firstly, as part of our constitution redevelopment, we are changing from the Student Consultative Committee (SCC) to the UNE Student Council (UNESC). This change is a great strive forward, and is more than simply a change in name. Within the university and its governance structure, the UNESC will allow for greater autonomy in advocating for the best interest of all students.
Our committee has been struggling this year with limited support from some areas within the University. Behind the scenes, we have been working closely with Professor Simon Evans (Interim VC & CEO) and Professor Michael Wilmore (Interim DVC) to implement better supports for our Committee, so we can better represent and advocate for you going into 2023.
Two of our biggest priorities are Student Mental Health and Student Safety. Issues have previously been brought to our attention by several groups of students with concerns on a lack of support in these areas. Other key areas we are focusing on include SSAF services, disparities in online and on-campus teaching, materials and support systems, and difficulties with placement organisation and degree progression. Several other projects are in motion, updates of which will be shared going forward via our new social media (SCC@UNE Facebook Group) and our new website.
In T1 2023 we plan on publishing our new website, which we are currently finalising. As part of this we plan on re-establishing the Student Blog and incorporating this into a monthly newsletter to the University community, to improve communication within and between students and staff at UNE.
In the interest of improving partnership and communication we plan on holding a university wide Student Forum in 2023. This will involve a spotlight and discussions on issues raised directly by students. Details on this and our other projects will be promoted via our website and social media.
We look forward to what we can accomplish for our students in the coming year!
Please don’t hesitate to contact us at scc@une.edu.au.
Sincerely,
Ms Emma Wellham
Chair of the UNE Student Consultative Committee
Elected Student Representative on UNE Council
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