Student Advisory Council (SAC)

The Student Advisory Council will:

1. Advise, consult and make recommendations to the University on matters affecting the academic and social wellbeing of students, including:
   • The effectiveness and comprehensiveness of student service delivery;
   • Teaching and learning matters of concern to students;
   • Policies and procedures affecting students;
   • Campus life and activities; and
   • The potential uses of SSAF funds that align with the student lifecycle and priority support categories as permitted under the legislation.
2. Provide an occasion for student representatives to be proactive and engage with one another to formulate common and group-specific student issues for presentation to the University.
3. Provide an occasion for University representatives to respond to issues raised by student representatives or issues requiring student consultation.

Other non-faculty student representation

2019 Key Agenda items

The SAC discussed a large variety of topics in 2019 and the following is a brief description of key 2019 agenda points.

• Annual Presentation to the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Group (VCAG) 2018/19. The SAC Executive presented objectives of the SAC at VCAG and provided an update on the activities of the SAC for 2019. 
• Lead the push for increasing the recording of lectures via the ECHO360 project. The SAC were part of a working party for the recording of more live lectures via ECHO360 at UOW.  The working group presented guiding principles of lecture recording to the Academic Senate and as a result a policy and procedures are being developed.
• Participated in the consultation of informal learning projects 2019/2020. The SAC provided feedback to Facilities Management Services regarding student infrastructure projects across campus.   The SAC identified that the campus required more covered learning places and that student feedback has an impact on project funding and approval of these spaces.
• Consulted on the Safe and Respectful Communities (SARC) 2019/2020 Action Plan. The SAC provided feedback on the SARC video campaign that highlights the services provided by UOW Security across campus.  Part of the Action Plan was to engage with the SAC and student leaders about creating student led programs to encourage the conversation around Safe and Respectful Communities.
• Reviewed and commented on the SARC Review of 'Consent Matters'. The University currently offers the SARC Consent Matters module which is optional for students to complete.  The University sought feedback from SAC as per the SARC Action Plan whether UOW should make this module compulsory.
• Reviewed and commented on the UOW 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.The University sought feedback and comment from the SAC on the draft UOW 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.  SAC were able to ask questions and provided valuable feedback regarding the strategic direction of UOW with the focus on Goal 1 of the strategic plan: Empowering students for their future.
• Consultation of the Student Service @UOW strategy. The University sought feedback from the SAC regarding current UOW student service environment, the intended roadmap strategy and its impact on students.
• National Student Voice Summit. As a part of the ongoing collaboration of the Students as Partners working group, SAC representatives attend the summit.  The objectives of the summit was to further develop an understanding of a partnership approach to student engagement and to explore how students can be effective partners in decision making and governance at UOW.

2018 Key Agenda items

The SAC discussed a large variety of topics in 2018 and the following is a brief description of key 2018 agenda points.

• Safe and Respectful Communities (SARC). Representatives have received SARC first responder training and have provided feedback and recommendations on the UOW SARC action plan. The SAC continues to support the efforts of the University in this initiative.
• 100th Armistice Day Commemorations. The SAC acknowledged the sacrifice made by so many others in World War One and unreservedly supported a representative initiative to send SAC members to take part in commemorations at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and locally in Wollongong. A UOW media release was also created in support of the event.
• Digital Literacies. Representatives have worked with UOW Library to provide user feedback and support on the “Manage, Use, Create” program which is a series of self-paced Moodle modules and resources designed to improve the proficiency of student’s digital capability.
• Student Services Amenities Fees (SSAF) Working Group. The SAC SSAF Working Group reviewed the student SSAF survey results and project submissions for SSAF monies, this is integral in student consultation process for SSAF. The SAC provided recommendations on all SSAF funded projects for 2019 to meet SSAF legislated requirements.
• Students as Partners (SaP) Working Group. A SaP Working Group has formed to develop a Student Partnership Agreement with the University. Working group participants have had the ability to create the wording, direction and scope of the agreement which will impact all aspects of student involvement within UOW.

Other areas of feedback and discussion have been UOW Wifi capability, accommodation services fees, Unilife membership prices, UOW support services and representative engagement.

2020 meeting (dates to be confirmed)

• 15 October
• 17 September 
• 18 August
• 21 July
• 19 May
• 23 April meeting minutes (pdf)
• 16 March meeting minutes (pdf)

2019 meetings

• 17 October meeting minutes (pdf)
• 17 September meeting minutes (pdf)
• 13 August meeting minutes (pdf)
• 16 May meeting minutes (pdf)
• 18 April meeting minutes (pdf)
• 12 March meeting minutes (pdf)

2018 meetings

• 24 October meeting minutes (pdf)
• 18 September meeting minutes (pdf)
• 15 August meeting minutes (pdf)
• 28 May meeting minutes (pdf)

University Council Representatives

Academic Senate Representatives

Student Associations Representatives

Faculty Representatives

Campus Representatives

University Wide Representatives