Student Associations

The University of Wollongong has two Student Associations which exist to represent the interests of undergraduate and postgraduate students. All students automatically have access to representative and professional advocacy services provided by the Associations; however, both offer extra services and benefits for financial members.

Undergraduate Students

The Wollongong University Student Association (WUSA) is a 28 member council elected by the student body each September to take office on the 1st of January the following year. Every undergraduate student is able to run for a position on WUSA.

WUSA is made up of 14 general representatives and 14 office bearers. Office bearers include the President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Event Coordinator, Education Campaigns Coordinator, Media Officer (also editor of the student newspaper: Tertangala), Welfare Coordinator, Womens' Representative, Environment Representative, Queer Representative, Indigenous Representative, Disabilities Representative, External Students Representative, and International Students Representative.

The WUSA offices are located on the ground floor of the Unicentre building (11). Meetings of the WUSA are held twice a month in the Unicentre building. Meeting times and locations are advertised in the WUSA offices. All students are welcome to attend these meetings.

The services provided by WUSA include:

• Organises social events - bands, performance nights, free weekly BBQ's- usually held Tuesdays on the duckpond lawn etc.
• Organises forums on the lawn.
• Produces a student newspaper, Tertangala, to which any student can contribute articles, poems, reviews, etc. The WUSA also produces a student's handbook and a number of other handbooks.
• A second hand Bookbank where students can buy and sell old textbooks.
• Provides funding to assist in student endeavours, eg. Art exhibitions.
• Provides cheap photocopying, faxing and binding.
• An interest-free emergency student loan service (limited to $25).
• Free tea/coffee in the WUSA office.
• Free safe sex products
• Runs various campaigns in conjunction with the National Union of Students around issues of concern to students as well as keeping students up to date on changes to the Federal Government's higher education policies and budgets.
• Provides free advocacy and support for students who are experiencing difficulties with their lecturers, tutors or administration.

For further information, contact the WUSA on:
+61 2 4221 4201 or visit their website at http://WUSA.uow.edu.au/

Postgraduate Students

The Wollongong University Postgraduate Association (WUPA) aims to promote and defend the interests of all postgraduate students. WUPA is situated in two houses (Buildings 115 & 116) in Northfields Avenue. Building 115 contains the meeting room, president's office, publications & outreach office, and lounge & kitchen. Building 116 contains computing facilities, photocopying facilities, advocacy office, manager's office, lounge and TV room.

WUPA has a 13 member council elected by the postgraduate student body each year. It is made up of 5 general representatives and 8 office bearers. The office bearers are the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Activities Officer, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student's Officer, International Officer, Media Officer, and Women's Officer. The term of office is one year from election. WUPA council meets once a month in its meeting room in building 115 Northfields Avenue.

WUPA also employees five staff members: General Manager, Advocacy & Policy Researcher, Outreach Officer, Publications/Promotions Officer and Accounts officer.

The services provided for financial members at WUPA's Resource Centre include:

• Multilingual computers (iMacs & PCs)
• Cheap photocopying (5 cents/page)
• Free laser printing (if you bring your own paper) or 2.5 cents/page
• TV, video, overhead projector & satellite
• Kitchen, microwave & fridge
• Free tea/coffee

Other Services provided by WUPA for all postgraduates include:

• 5 free BBQs per year & 2 functions/parties
• Free confidential advice and support from our Advocacy Officer for students who have complaints or grievances against university policy or procedures (e.g. appeals, university administration, lecturers/supervisors etc)
• Momentum - International student mentoring program
• Emergency student loans
• Submissions in response to government & university policies that affect postgraduates (in 2008 this included a submission on 'The Impact of Voluntary Student Unionism on Services, Amenities and Representation for Australian University Students')
• Affiliation to the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA), which is the national body that represents some 155,000 students. WUPA also hosts some regional and national meetings of postgraduate students

For further information contact WUPA on + 61 2 4221 3326 or visit their website at: http://www.uow.edu.au/wupa/

University Disclaimer

The WUSA & WUPA websites which are linked from this page are developed and maintained by those bodies. The University accepts no responsibility for any of the content of those sites. The views expressed on those sites are not necessarily those of the University of Wollongong.