Newcastle University Students' Association

The Newcastle University Students' Association (NUSA) represents undergraduate students at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. The organisation is one of four student organisations at the university (the others being UoN Services Ltd, Campus Central (a student guild at the university's Ourimbah campus), and NUSport) and focuses on advocacy, political representation and organising as well as providing welfare services and supporting a student based food co-operative.

NUSA publishes the student magazine "Opus" quarterly.

Additionally, NUSA has a generally negative reputation on campus as members of the NUSA council concentrate their efforts on fringe ideological politicking. This generally results in NUSA representing only a fraction of the student body as a whole.

History

NUSA has long been held by the left factions of the National Union of Students of Australia usually by either the National Broad Left or the National Organisation of Labor Students or more often by the two, cooperatively. Both the NBL and NOLS dissolved in the period of late 2005 and early 2006. Despite the Howard Government's Voluntary Student Unionism legislation causing massive cuts to both staffing and service levels at NUSA ^{[1] [2]}, it continues to provide independent representation through independent and university funding. NUSA maintains a strong relationship with the other unions on campus such as the CPSU, NTEU and LHMEU by joining with them in many campaigns^[3].

NUSA Council

NUSA is directed by the NUSA Council which is made up of the NUSA executive, the collective convenors, faculty representatives, first-year representatives and a representative from the colleges. The organisation operates on the basis of student collectives which are convened by office bearers to direct and undertake political campaigns. NUSA is affiliated to the National Union of Students of Australia.

Campaigns

NUSA and its collectives are involved in a number of campaigns at any one time. Violence at the Newcastle Campus has been one such issue that has dominated in recent months^{[4] [5] [6]}. As such the Womens' Collective were heavily involved in the annual Reclaim the Night march this year^[7].

Previously the Association has been successful in getting a train station at the Newcastle campus, preventing the closure of the Huxley library and lobbying the University to purchase up to 25% green power.

References

1. ^ "Student unions on brink of extinction - National". smh.com.au. 2008-01-13. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/01/12/1199988650391.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
2. ^ "Campus tension: uni services are facing the axe - National". smh.com.au. 2008-09-27. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/uni-services-are-facing-the-axe/2008/09/27/1222217592265.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
3. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
4. ^ Branley, Alison (2009-09-15). "Newcastle international students discuss violence - Local News - News - General - Newcastle Herald". Theherald.com.au. http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/newcastle-international-students-discuss-violence/1623273.aspx. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
5. ^ "Boys charged over attacks on students". Brisbanetimes.com.au. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/boys-charged-over-attacks-on-students-20090521-bh7m.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
6. ^ Jerga, Josh (2009-05-21). "Youths attacked foreign students in Newcastle - police | Courier Mail". News.com.au. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25518170-29277,00.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 
7. ^ "Newcastle uni students vulnerable - Local News - News - General - Newcastle Herald". Theherald.com.au. 2009-10-31. http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/newcastle-uni-students-vulnerable/1664138.aspx. Retrieved 2011-01-02. 

External links

• Official site
• Opus site