Monash Student Association
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The Monash Student Association (MSA) is located at the Clayton campus of Monash University in the Campus Centre building. The MSA is made up of elected student representatives who represent all Clayton campus students. The MSA represents students on general issues such as education, fees and student welfare, and also specific issues such as wom*n's affairs and queer students. It runs campaigns and rallies to ensure that the student voice is heard loud and clear throughout the university and wider community. MSA also operates a student radio station, SWiCh child care, a Transport service, the Co-op Bookshop, a vibrant Activities department, Lot's Wife, Host Scheme, the Short Courses Centre and Wholefoods Vegetarian restaurant.
Funding
The MSA is funded by compulsory Amenities and Services Fees, collected by Monash University. The introduction of VSU means that students will not be charged from 1 July, 2006. The organisation stands to lose millions in funding.
Services
Activities
The Activities office organises on-campus student activities and inter-campus competitions and events, such as live bands, DJs, movie nights, Union nights, Green Week and band competitions.
Clubs & Societies
Clubs & Societies is a non-political, autonomous division of the Monash Student Association. There are over 95 (non-sporting) clubs and societies at the Clayton campus. The clubs range from academic-based clubs to those that are cultural, political, spiritual, or relating to a hobby or specific interest.
Environment Department
The Environment Department facilitates student involvement in sustainability and social justice, both on campus and in the wider community. They work with the university in order to build more sustainable campuses through minimising consumption of water, paper and energy; purchasing and use of renewable energies, recycled paper and other eco-friendly products; minimising waste and maintaining effective recycling and composting programs. They support and assist wider student campaigns on issues like protection of old-growth forests, fair trade, indigenous justice, refugee rights, and climate change.
DIY Radio
DIY Radio is MSA's radio station, which offers live webstreaming and podcasting. DIY membership offers training to operate the broadcast studio. It is a full digital recording studio and is often used by students as a rehearsal room for bands and musicians.
Lot's Wife
Lot's Wife is the Clayton student newspaper and has been running for over 40 years. It addresses student issues and news, provides a voice for student commentary and reviews. Lot's Wife is autonomous, volunteer based service and contributions are welcome from all students.
Queer Department
The MSA Queer Department exists for all students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or those who are questioning their sexuality and/or gender identity. It provides the queer lounge as a safe space. It works to collectively fight against the discrimination and oppression suffered by queers in society.
Queer Lounge
The Queer Lounge is a queer-only space where students can gather, socialise and discuss queer issues in a supportive environment. It is designed as a safe space where students can openly discuss issues relating to their sexuality or gender identity, meet people who are going through similar experiences, free from society's queerphobia and heterosexism.
Student Theatre
The Student Theatre holds at least one production per semester and is a place for students who want to be involved in acting, directing or backstage work.
Transport
A carpooling service is run through the Transport Department, which also provides public transport information and discounted bicycle parts.
Welfare
The Welfare department runs Free Food Mondays giving struggling students free food every Monday night. It recycles old donated computers by rebuilding them for students. It runs the Survival Centre, which contains free food and secondhand clothing for students in need.
Wom*n's Room
The Wom*n's Room is a wom*n-only environment, a place for women to socialise, study and meet other wom*n. Is a designed as a safe space for wom*n, free from the patriarchal oppression of society.
Wholefoods
Wholefoods is vegetarian restaurant, cafe and grocery service owned and run mostly on a volunteer basis by students since 1977. It runs as an autonomous service with the support of the MSA.
Politics
The Monash Student Association is considered one of the most left-wing student organsiations in Australia. Office bearers are elected at an annual election in the second semester. The executive committee of the Monash Student Association is called the Monash Student Council and all office bearers have voting rights. The MSA is also a member of the National Union of Students and conducts election for NUS delegates concurrently with the MSA election.
Political Groups
There are two main political groups, Go and Activate. Go is run by the Monash Labor Club (Labor Students). Activate is made up of Greens, environmentalists and other left-wing students (Grassroots Left). The MSC is currently controlled by a majority of Go members.
Protests
Monash University has been the scene of many protests, most notably in the 1970s, when the University became a centre of the anti-Vietnam war movement. The student organisations at Monash have always been involved in the university protests.
In 2004 the Monash Student Association backed many large protests at Monash University. In protests against the Federal Government's increase in HECS fees, students made several large protests. On 23 March 2004, students occupied and blockaded the Monash University's administration building, failing to prevent the university from increasing HECS fees by 25 per cent across most of its courses. On 25 March students occupied the former vice-chancellor's house, now the university's marketing department. Another occupation was made on 4 April 2004 in the Monash International building. Many students were arrested, some students were fined, but criminal charges did not stick.
In 2005 students occupied the student bar for several months. "The Bar", previously owned and run by Monyx, Monash University's commercial student services wing, was due to be shut the bar down, with the space to be used as a function centre.
Notable Associations
The Federal Treasurer Peter Costello during his time at Monash University was involved in student politics and was a member of the Labor Party (now member of the Liberal Party). He was elected to the position of the General-Secretary of the Monash Association of Students, the predecessor of the Monash Student Association. He won the position in an election against a radical anarchist lesbian feminist student.
External Links
Articles
- Green, Shane. "Uni blues." The Age, 22 MAR 2004, 14 JUN 2006
- Green, Shane. "Poverty-stricken students reliant on food handouts." The Age, 22 MAR 2004, 14 JUN 2006
- Rood, David. "Students on warpath over HECS hike." The Age, 23 MAR 2004, 14 JUN 2006
- Rood, David. "Monash fee backlash as board member quits." The Age, 24 MAR 2004, 14 JUN 2006
- Smith, Bridie. "Students, police injured in Monash University fees protest." The Age, 26 MAR 2004, 14 JUN 2006
- Green, Shane and Rood, David. "Free market goes to uni." The Age, 27 MAR 2004, 14 JUN 2006
- De Silva, Janet. "Mild in the streets." The Age, 25 APR 2005, 14 JUN 2006
- ABC Online, "Student group slams university pokie plan." ABC Melbourne, 21 MAR 2005, 14 JUN 2006
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