Student Representative Council Minutes
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Student Representative Council – 21 April 2020 MINUTES STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL Unconfirmed minutes of the meeting of the Student Representative Council Date: Tuesday, 21 April 2020 Time: 1.00pm, Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) Conference ID: Zoom: 954-8223-2777 PRESENT: Ms E Bryson (Acting Chair) Mr N Patel (Postgraduate International) Ms M Armstrong (Sunshine Coast Region) Ms E Potts (Western Australia Region) Ms S Battula (Victoria Region) Ms S Rose (Indigenous) Ms T Bratt (VET Student) Ms S Sarangi (Undergraduate International) Mr M Dela Luna (Cairns & Far North Queensland 2.00pm Region) Mr G Sheean (Undergraduate Online) Ms N Gilewska (South East Queensland Region) Ms C Sibley (Townsville Region) Mr B Godar (New South Wales Region) Ms S Tinney (Skills for Tertiary Education Ms M Goldenberg (Gladstone Region) Preparatory Studies) Ms J Mitchell (VET Student) Ms R Tumpa (Research Higher Degrees) 2.00pm Mr J Mukherjee (Rockhampton and Yeppoon Ms L Williams (Mackay-Whitsunday Region) Region) 1:30pm IN ATTENDANCE: Ms K Brock Ms D Kelly (Secretary) Ms K Carige Professor N Klomp 3.00pm Ms S Connor Ms J Perry Ms A Croft Ms K Seary Mr A Dawson Mr R Spencer Ms K Harrington Mr C Veraa Ms H Huntly 3.00pm Mr B Young Ms A Kalczynska APOLOGIES: Ms Roksana Tumpa 1. OPENING OF MEETING The Chair declared the meeting open at 1.00pm, acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands, past, present, and future on which the Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting took place. The Chair thanked outgoing members Ms Rhianna Wood (Chair and Townsville Region Representative), Ms Brittany Cheel (Indigenous Representative), Mr Vindhya Raj Pokharel (University Council Nominee), Ms Mechele Negovetic (Western Australia Region), Mr Daniel Hicks (Wide Bay Region), Mr Mark Clarkson (Postgraduate Online), Ms E’Kayla Clarris (TEP Representative) for their service and wished them well for their future endeavours. The Chair also welcomed the following new members: • Gladstone Region – Michelle Goldenberg • Indigenous Representative – Sandra Rose • New South Wales Region – Bikram Godar • Postgraduate International – Neel Patel Page 1 of 5 Student Representative Council – 21 April 2020 • Research Higher Degrees – Roksana Tumpa • Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies – Sarah Tinney • South East Queensland Region – Natalia Gilewska • Sunshine Coast Region – Michelle Armstrong • Townsville & North West Queensland Region – Chloe Sibley • Vocation Education and Tertiary Representative – Jasmine Mitchell • Vocation Education and Tertiary Representative – Tarah Bratt • Western Australia Region – Emily Potts 2. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST The Chair asked for declarations of conflict of interest. No declarations were declared. 3. STARRING OF ADDITIONAL ITEMS AND ADOPTION OF UNSTARRED ITEMS The Chair invited members to ‘star’ any additional items of business that they wished to discuss. ‘Unstarred’ items would then be accepted en bloc. Resolution: The Student Representative Council resolved as recommended with respect to all unstarred items. 4. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES AND ANY BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING The Student Representative Council considered the minutes of the meeting held on Friday, 29 November 2019. Ms Sharon Connor, Coordinator, Student Representative Council, spoke to this item. Ms Connor provided background on the funds received from the former CQ TAFE Student Association and advised funds have been transferred to CQUniCares to provide emergency grants of up to $1000 for VET students affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Mr Francois Gallais, Deputy Director- Philanthropy, is responsible for allocation and approval of grants, and will update the Student Representative Council on allocations of funds throughout the year. Resolution: The Student Representative Council confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on Friday, 29 November 2019 as a true and accurate record of that meeting. 5. REVIEW OF ACTION SHEET Item 1: Suspension of Moodle Access Ongoing - The Chair invited comments regarding proposed changes to Moodle suspension processes. Ms Joanne Perry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience, reported that as a result of COVID-19, Moodle access for students who had not paid fees by census date would not be suspended during Term 1 2020. Ms Perry also advised that additional changes are planned for an improved collection process. It was decided that given current circumstances the item should remain on the action sheet pending a more suitable time for discussion by VCAC. Part A: Reports and recommendations to the University Council and/or University Management Nil. Part B: Matters finalised or remaining for discussion Page 2 of 5 Student Representative Council – 21 April 2020 6. STUDENT SERVICES AND AMENITIES FEE FUNDING REVISED BUDGET ALLOCATIONS Ms Joanne Perry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience and Governance, spoke to this item. Ms Perry reported that the allocation of Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) for 2020 would be adjusted due to a reduction in projected student numbers for the year. It was noted that SSAF allocation might vary from term to term based on student numbers. Ms Perry also confirmed it would be possible to reallocate unused funds previously allocated to events such as CQUni Games, UniSport Nationals and the Student Leadership Conference. Members discussed and noted: • The importance of maintaining services such as Studiosity • Why CQU continues to charge SSAF while other universities do not • The preference for SSAF fees to be spent in the year received rather than rolling over to the following year • International student fees and available assistance for those continuing to study in Terms 2 and 3, 2020 • The possibility of utilising SSAF funds to assist individual students experiencing difficulty transitioning to online studies. Ms Perry noted that legislative requirements preclude the allocation of SSAF funds to individual students. However, Ms Perry reminded members of CQUni Care funding and confirmed that other way to provide assistance would be investigated, including discounted textbooks at the bookshop, and waiving printing and other costs incurred as a result of the transition to online study. Resolution: The Student Representative Council discussed the updated allocation of Student Services and Amenities Fees for 2020 and unanimously endorsed the recommendation. 7. CHAIR AND DEPUTY CHAIR ELECTION Ms Sharon Connor, Coordinator, Student Representative Council, spoke to this item. Ms Connor advised that the positions of Chair and Deputy Chair positions for 2020 are now open for election. SRC members interested in the positions are to self-nominate. Ms Connor provided an overview of the timeline for the nomination and election process and the duties of the Chair and Deputy Chair, including additional volunteer hours and reporting to VCAC on behalf of all SRC members. Ms Connor advised that elected members will commence at the next SRC meeting, to be held on Tuesday, 26 May 2020. 8. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL ACTIVITY REPORT TERM 3, 2019 Item not starred. The Chair took the report as read and approved it. 9. OTHER BUSINESS 9.1 International and Domestic Student Support Ms Perry and others provided an overview of student support initiatives across the University, including: • other areas are assisting Student Services to contact students and ensure they understand and are coping with new study requirements • newly arrived international students on Melbourne campus were provided with food/care packages to assist them through their isolation period Page 3 of 5 Student Representative Council – 21 April 2020 • ongoing food relief is currently being provided to approximately 400 students weekly on the Melbourne campus; it is hoped to implement similar initiatives on Brisbane and Sydney campuses • the Melbourne campus has provided students in need with access to laptops and internet to enable them to continue with their studies online International students experiencing financial hardship have been offered the opportunity to undertake a part time study load and access to payment plans during Term 1. Members discussed: • the possibility for students to apply for study and other emergency grants to aid with study/loss of income • making calls to students to make them aware of available assistance and how to access it • targeted campaigns for ongoing call outs to students to ensure that no one is being forgotten • ongoing flexibility with study loads and payment plan options • virtual sessions to keep students engaged with the University • SRC members reaching out to their cohort to see what assistance the University may offer as many students are unsure where to turn to • Mailouts to advise students about available support services and how to access them. Members raised the following concerns: • Mr Jeet Mukherjee, Rockhampton and Yeppoon Region Representative, noted that regional international students felt unsupported. Mr Spencer advised that care packs distributed were available to all students who had arrived in Australia and who were required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival, and recommended he meet with Mr Mukherjee offline to discuss any other perceived gaps for international students • Ms Tarah Bratt, VET Representative, enquired how domestic students were being contacted by the University and noted students are feeling inundated with emails and are unsure where to access relevant information. Ms Perry confirmed that emails are the preferred method for student