‘We’re your voice’: DUSA President Emily on why you should take part in the Student Elections
Campaign fever is about to hit our campuses with the annual Deakin University Student Association (DUSA) Student Elections!
The right to express your interest via ballot is a crucial part of Australian society, and Deakin is no different. As a DUSA member, your vote highlights your ability to create a positive change at University.
DUSA’s organisational structure comprises a President and Student Council Representatives, who are actively involved with the University on all matters that affect students, including:
- organising campaigns on important issues
- addressing social issues
- negotiating with senior University staff
- organising social events
- leading university sports teams, and helping to foster clubs and societies.
Remember to vote
The DUSA 2021 Elections run from Monday 30 August to Friday 17 September. Only student members of DUSA are eligible to vote for the Student Representatives for the campus for which they are enrolled.
We’ll provide more information soon on how and where you can vote in a COVIDSafe way.
How to become a Student Rep
For the 2021 Elections, nominations are now open for a number of electoral delegates and student representative positions. Find out the full list of available positions, eligibility criteria and other info on the DUSA Elections webpage.
You can nominate for a position until 4pm on Friday 13 August. You must be a current DUSA member to nominate. Cloud Campus students do not need a seconder for their nomination.
Nomination forms are available on the DUSA Elections webpage or by contacting the Returning Officer via email at [email protected].
Why you should get involved
The Student Council is here to advocate for you – the students. Current DUSA President Emily Sagolj has helped to bring about some positive recent changes, such as securing hardship support and assignment extensions without medical certificates.
We asked her why it’s so important for students to participate in the upcoming election, and what it’s really like to be an elected representative.
Students should vote in the elections because DUSA is your student union and peak representative body, so we’re your voice in all realms of the university! We do a lot to advocate for students and ensure your time at university is a smooth journey. Even if you don’t know anyone running for a position, check out who is running and use your vote to support the platforms you’re passionate about DUSA pursuing.
Student Council has made a difference during COVID-19. We advocated for extensions to census date and Withdrawn Late dates to ensure students had sufficient time to adjust their course loads, secured more leniency for students requiring extensions/special consideration, standardised extension criteria across faculties and standardised assignment submission times. We’ve also made a difference through some fun things such as maintaining online and on-campus engagement, and providing more free food on campus!
Being an elected representative is a lot of fun, but also a big responsibility that can sometimes eat away at your study time. There are different types of elected positions available with varying degrees of time commitment. Positions range from Campus Committee Representatives, who are expected to dedicate a few hours per week, to Executives of Student Council, who commit around 15–20 hours per week.
The tasks involved mainly include assisting with DUSA events, but a big part is being proactive and enacting your own ideas to help make student life better at Deakin. Although it can be daunting, all the information is on the DUSA website – plus you aren’t expected to know everything straight away!
When I first started it was incredibly nerve-racking, but I learnt a lot along the way and taking that leap helped me to grow a lot too. It’s definitely a good experience for anyone who wants to challenge themselves. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to DUSA or a previously elected representative to hear about their experiences.
Having a Student Council with students from a range of different backgrounds, experiences and courses of study, as well as being well connected with the Campus Committees, helps to ensure we effectively advocate for a diverse student body. Every elected rep is also encouraged to reach out to their own networks outside of DUSA to get a better understanding of all issues and the changes that need to be made.
I interact with the governing body of the university through meetings with the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Education, Dean of Students, Chief Operating Officer and other senior staff. Through these meetings, I’m notified of key changes occurring within the University and I have the opportunity to advocate for changes in areas such as education, welfare and student engagement.
Naturally, we don’t always agree on everything, but they genuinely want to hear from DUSA’s elected representatives. I also liaise with the student representative on University Council and the Academic Board representatives to ensure that all sides of Deakin are hearing about the key issues faced by students.
Remember: nominations close 4pm on Friday 13 August. Are you ready to flex your rights and play a role in shaping student life at Deakin?
*Approved by DUSA Returning Officer.