VOTE 1 IMPACT SRC & NUS

MAKE UNIVERSITY AFFORDABLE

Deliver a second $5 meal canteen and campaign to extend the $5 meal deal to breakfast and dinner. Fight the cost of studying through affordable food. Introduce a 50% subsidy scheme for contraception and emergency contraception!

HOUSING FOR STUDENTS, NOT PROFIT

Defend Affordable Student Housing and campaign to cap rents in University-owned housing at 30% of median student income. Push the University to expand subsidised accommodation and bring Scape back into student control to make sure students aren't priced out of housing close to campus.

DEFEND OUR CAMPUS

Fight to abolish the Campus Access Policy and defend students' right to protest, organise and speak freely. Introduce online voting for SRC elections so students can vote from anywhere, without having to navigate harassment or physical barriers on campus.

FREE PALESTINE & DIVEST

Fight university complicity in Israel's war and occupation by demanding transparency over USYD's investments and divestment from weapons manufacturers. Defend Palestinian students' right to organise and campaign on campus! And demand that the University disclose and divest from fossil fuel investments and reinvest those resources into staff and students.

FIRST NATIONS JUSTICE

Work directly with the Gadigal Centre and First Nations students to develop and advance anti-racist policies, strengthen First Nations representation and ensure Indigenous students have a meaningful voice in University decision-making.

PAID PLACEMENTS & STUDENT SUPPORT

Campaign for USYD to match government placement support with hardship grants for students undertaking compulsory unpaid placements, so students aren't forced to choose between completing their degree and paying their bills.

MAKE THE SRC DELIVER

Strengthen SRC caseworker services by demanding that University surpluses are invested in more caseworkers, more languages and shorter waiting times across academic, welfare and tenancy support. Regularly consult students outside the usual SRC circles and publicly report what the SRC has achieved!

50% SUBSIDY FOR CONTRACEPTION:

Secure a 50% subsidy for contraception and emergency contraception (e.g., Plan B). Birth control can cost as much as $90 for the pill, and copper IUDs can cost upwards of $100. Spending what is the equivalent of ~4 hours of work on a necessary product for one' s health is unjust, so we will mitigate this by covering half of the cost for students. 

BAN META GLASSES: 

We will work with the university to instate a ban on covert recording, using devices such as Meta Glasses on campus to protect students from non-consensual filming. This would allow students to report individuals for recording them, to take measures against perverted, voyeuristic behaviour at university. 

FREE SELF DEFENCE CLASSES:

1 free self-defence / personal safety workshop per semester. This would give students the skills they may need in case they end up in an unsafe situation, and help them feel more empowered when moving about the world. 

INSTATE A SRC SV CASEWORKER: 

Appoint at least one SRC Caseworker with specialised training for victim/survivors of sexual violence to help students navigate the USYD reporting process. USYD’s processes can be lengthy and draining for victims, so having a specially trained caseworker to help students navigate this process, or other avenues, if they see fit, would be crucial. 

ACADEMIC AND CAREER MENTORING:

Create degree-and faculty-specific mentoring and social connection networks for women and non-cis male students. The academic world disproportionately fosters the talents and careers of male students, as historic boys clubs reproduce themselves throughout generations. Actively countering this with networks for non-cis-male students would aid in allowing students to access the academic outcomes and careers they deserve. 

FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS

Distribute free period products across all campus bathrooms, including in male and disabled bathrooms, to ensure all students with uteruses can access the pads and tampons they need. 

CAMPAIGN FOR A NEW INDEPENDENT REPORT INTO SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

The Red-Zone report was published in 2018, and the Broderick Report in 2017. It is time for a new independent report to be taken across Australian universities, particularly at USYD, in order for us to have the evidence we need to advocate for real change at university residences and by university management. 

O-WEEK PANELS ON CONSENT AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Run free informative panels about consent, coercive control and university support during O-Week. This would ensure students new to university life can access the information they need, that isn’t filtered through the university’s corporate language. 

SUPPORT WOMEN LIVING ON CAMPUS

Engage with women living in on campus accommodation and residences to help elevate their voices, and organise against sexual harassment, hazing and sexist culture.

EXPAND THE WOMEN’S COLLECTIVE

Increase engagement and participation with the Women’s Collective to ensure real change for real students. 

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

Reopen International House and push the University to expand subsidised, affordable accommodation places and crack down on price gouging by private student accommodation providers. 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE

Run an annual International Student Career Expo for undergraduate students, connecting international students directly with employers who understand their circumstances. 

INTERNSHIPS WITHOUT BARRIERS

International students are often locked out of internships that don't offer visa compliant work arrangements, even when they're just as qualified. We'll push the University to partner with employers who understand student visa conditions, expand course embedded internships that count as coursework rather than employment, and give students clear upfront guidance on which placements they can actually accept. 

EQUITY FOR EVERYONE ON CAMPUS 

Extend equity and hardship schemes to international students facing the same financial pressures as everyone else. USYD's current support is capped, restricted to select faculties or final-year students, and often built around eligibility that international students can never access. We'll push the University to expand these schemes to actually reflect what it costs to survive in this city. 

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT THAT ACTUALLY WORKS 

Push for more accessible, multilingual mental health support and counselling services, with shorter wait times for students in crisis. No one should struggle alone because of a language barrier or a six-week wait. 

AN ORIENTATION GUIDE THAT ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

Produce a dedicated, multilingual International Student Orientation Guide covering renting, transport, healthcare, employment, academic appeals, SRC services, legal assistance and emergency contacts,  published as its own standalone resource, so this critical information isn't buried or diluted elsewhere. 

$15 FREE PRINTING CREDIT FOR EVERY STUDENT, EVERY SEMESTER 

In 2027, students will pay up to $193 each semester in SSAF. We will fight to secure a $15 printing credit for every student, every semester. This will cover up to 15o pages of free printing and ensure that students see real benefits from their SSAF. 

A4 “CHEAT” SHEETS FOR EVERY EXAM

Allow students to bring one, double-sided A4 sheet of notes into every exam. This will reduce reliance on rote memorisation and reward students who can identify and apply the most important course material. 

STREAMLINE ACADEMIC PLANS

We will work with USYD management to end the requirement for students with chronic conditions to re-prove their DIAP status every semester, streamlining academic plans. 

CAP LATE PENALTIES AT 2.5% PER DAY

We will advocate to implement a hard cap on all late penalties at 2.5% per day, as well as work to reduce the number of assignments that fully disqualify late submission. 

STAND WITH UNIVERSITY STAFF

We will ensure the SRC supports all NTEU campaigns and actions for better working conditions and pay. This directly benefits students by creating a positive working environment, ensuring teachers are able to do their best work for students. 

PROTECT THE 5-DAY SIMPLE EXTENSION AND EXPAND TO ALL STUDENTS

We vouch to protect the 5-day simple extension, which is constantly under threat by USYD management. We will also ensure it is expanded to all students, including Visual Arts students who cannot currently access it.  

LECTURE RECORDINGS FOR EVERY LECTURE

With limited exceptions for privacy or teaching concerns, lecture recordings will be guaranteed for every lecture and rooms will be equipped with automatic recording equipment if they don’t already have them. 

BAN WEEKEND EXAMS

Weekend exams can create awkward timetabling situations and long unnecessary commutes for students living far from campus. We will call for weekend exams to be banned and rescheduled. 

BETTER COMMUNAL LEARNING SPACES

We will advocate for an increase in the number and quality of communal learning spaces on campus. This includes introducing more BHB-style learning hubs and equipping all spaces with whiteboards. 

PROTECT TAKE-HOME ASSIGNMENTS

Push back against replacing take-home assignments with exams and quick release assignments simply because of generative AI existing. Some assignments require sustained thought over a long period of time for students to achieve their best work. 

FIX ASSESSMENT SCHEDULING

We will work with management to improve assessment scheduling systems so students aren’t given multiple assessments on the same day or within unreasonably short periods. 

CLEAR EXAM GUIDELINES

Require that students receive clear exam guidelines and information about content, format and structure, well before the exam. 

Impact Campus Essentials

Expand access to free menstrual products, condoms, basic sanitary products and other essentials through SRC and USU spaces. 

Overturn the Campus Access Policy

Stand up for students' rights to protest, organise and campaign on campus without restriction.

Revitalise End-of-Week Campus Culture

Host regular Friday afternoon acoustic sets, local student DJs, food trucks, and free fortnightly outreach BBQs.

Campus After Dark

Work with the USU to keep Courtyard Cafe open until 8 pm for after-class summer socialising.

Affordable Drinks before 12pm

Collaborate with the USU for $2.50 hot drinks and $3.50 iced drinks.

Free Pill Testing

SRC Partnership with qualified harm-reduction organisations to provide free, confidential drug-checking services to students. 

Free Fortnightly BBQs

Take the SRC to students with regular free food, outreach and opportunities to raise issues directly with their representatives.

Campus Clothes Swap

Launch a student-run exchange hub for textbooks, lab coats, art materials, etc and housing equipment to cut waste and lower upfront semester costs.

Better Communal Learning Spaces

Advocate for more whiteboards and upgraded communal learning hubs across faculties.

Moonlight Cinema

Run a free outdoor movie night during Welcome Week, with more free SRC events throughout the year.

Student Arts & Culture 

Support student-led exhibitions, performances, screenings and cultural events on campus through initiatives such as Radical Education Week!

Free Welcome Week Packs

Expand SRC Welcome Week Packs to include useful campus essentials and SRC hoodies.