Student Affairs

  Image 1: NTEU protesters at the Monash University Chancellery speaking against the proposed changes. Photographer Mandy Li. Teachers at the Monash Arts Faculty are under pressure over the proposed new cuts by the University. While not yet confirmed, Monash has proposed changes to expand class sizes to over 70 students, reduce consultation hours and cut staffing levels, which could result in greater job insecurity for staff. The Australian government introduced new labour laws in August 2024, with the aim of reducing the casualised workforce of universities. Called the ‘closing loopholes’ law, the original intent was to provide a more

Note: This is the full version of the shortened interview that came out in Lot's Wife Edition 6 2024. It's very long. If you’ve been keeping up with Lot’s Wife on any of our social media pages (plug at end of article alongside NTEU socials), you might have noticed something that pops up every so often: our coverage and support for the Monash NTEU members. Earlier this year, we received and published an article titled Teaching Conditions are our Learning Conditions in Edition one that goes back to the basics of what Monash NTEU members have been fighting for and

Note: The full interview is available here. If you’ve been following Lot’s Wife this year, you’d be aware of our coverage and support for Monash NTEU members. From publishing articles, to covering their stop work action on March 20th and more recently their rally on October 7th. Whilst we’re proud supporters of the NTEU, why should other students care? To answer these questions Sam and I had the pleasure of interviewing Monash Branch Committee members Blair Williams, Carol Que, and Tony Williams. Sam: First of all, what is the NTEU? Tony: The NTEU is the National Tertiary Education Union. Basically,

Woodside is terrifying.    When I say Woodside, I’m not talking about the Engineering building– the Woodside Building for Technology and Design, on our own Clayton Campus, is an energy-efficient architectural masterpiece with a slew of design awards. Built in 2019-2020, and opened at an online launch in between lockdowns, it’s the only building on campus that doesn’t use gas for power. That isn’t the ‘Woodside’ I dread.   I’m talking about the name plastered on its side, Woodside, standing for the mining company known as Woodside Energy, formerly Woodside Petroleum (before they merged with BHP). The oil and gas-extracting

What is the Academic Board? The Academic Board serves as the principal academic body of the University, responsible for maintaining high standards in teaching and research. It operates under the Monash University Statute and Council Regulations. Membership of the Board includes the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Faculty Deans, Deputy Deans, Heads of Department, and elected staff and students.   The Board establishes Standing Committees to assist in its functions, including the Steering Committee, University Education Committee (UEC), Monash University Research Committee, and the Graduate Research Committee (GRC). These committees oversee various aspects of academic affairs, from managing urgent business to ensuring excellence

Thomas (Tio) White (he/they) is one of the MSA Environmental and Social Justice Officers When most people think about student activism, they think that they don’t know enough to participate. They think that the issue is too complicated, isn’t about them, or not a part of their direct university experience.  Somewhat predictably, as one the 2024 Environment and Social Justice Officers, I don’t think it has to be this way. I want to offer an alternative way of viewing this space of student empowerment and advocating for change. Student activism and student experience are not necessarily mutually exclusive, where an

When the Academic Board met, and voted on the proposed extension of the Academic Safety Net back on 16 June, they split it into three separate components: Vote 1 – Component A: The Satisfied Faculty Requirements (SFR) provision, whereby a student could convert all of their passing grades to a blanket ‘SFR’ grade. Vote 2 – Component B: Withdrawing fail marks from your transcript completely. Vote 3 – Component C: Unlimited supplementary assessments. With a considerable lobbying effort – and against the official recommendation from the Board’s Education Committee – the five student representatives managed to salvage Components B and

Studying at university is already an incredibly challenging experience. It only gets harder when you do it while living away from the comforts of home. Then imagine undertaking your degree during a global pandemic which brings to a halt society around you. This one takes the cake. For countless first-years living at Monash, 2020 was supposed to be their year to start one of the biggest adventures of their life. They were to fulfil this rite of passage in what should have been a year filled with new friends, memories, and personal growth.  Our first-year living on campus at Monash

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Tensions simmered as pro-Beijing activists mounted a counter-demonstration and tried to break up a pro-democracy student demonstration at Clayton Campus today. By late afternoon, approximately 40-50 Monash students had gathered on the walkway between the Religious Centre and Guzman y Gomez to protest the recent attempted extradition bill in Hong Kong. Members of the pro-democracy group stated they had been protesting at various locations across campus since 11:30am, and were being followed by a smaller pro-Beijing student group. Protests have reached fever pitch in Hong Kong yesterday as tens of thousands filled Hong Kong’s streets for the fifth consecutive day,

Last year, there were cuts to the arts faculty. Staff were laid off, contact hours decreased, class sizes increased, and learning content was moved online. The dramatic changes were obvious to everyone; and thanks to the public posters, meetings and protests on campus throughout the year - difficult to ignore. Quietly, the cuts made their way into the halls of the loudest faculty on campus, the music school. This is where I study Classical Composition. During October last year, near the end of the second semester, students in the Classical Composition stream and the Creative Music Technology stream were notified

It’s Week 9 here at Monash. We’re getting to the stage where students feel increasingly isolated. Exams are creeping closer, and major assessments are being submitted and returned. Study consumes our daily life, and most of our work is done solo and online, without the help of peers and without physical interaction. This is a tough time for many students. Issues frequently arise such as the late return of assignments, lack of substantive feedback, limited practice questions and study spaces. Tens of thousands of Monash students believe they have not been provided with the resources and assistance necessary to prepare