the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which Flinders University’s campuses are located. These are the Traditional Lands of the Arrernte, Dagoman, First Nations of the South East, First Peoples of the River Murray & Mallee region, Jawoyn, Kaurna, Larrakia, Ngadjuri, Ngarrindjeri, Ramindjeri, Warumungu, Wardaman and Yolngu people.
Flinders University Student Association (FUSA) represents the rights and interests of Flinders University students. As an independent body, FUSA is governed by an elected Student Council which directs the priorities of FUSA each year with the support of dedicated staff. We provide a welcoming and lively student experience that focuses on campus culture, giving support to students in need, and facilitating opportunities for students to be a part of the wider University community.
• Promote and advance the rights, interests and welfare of students.
• Represent students within and outside the University.
• Coordinate and support activities for students, including support for affiliated clubs.
• Provide the means for effective communication between students, FUSA and the University.
• Oversee the delivery of our student services, which are funded from the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
• Student representation, including in central University bodies and across Colleges.
• Academic advocacy, financial counselling and welfare services.
• Administration of student clubs.
• Events and activities on campus and online.
• Student led media and communication, including the student magazine, Empire Times.
Manager, Flinders University
Student Association
Ben Smith
Administrative Coordinator
Amy Tschirn
Administrative Officer
Sally-Anne Duckworth
Leah Hayward
Joanna Newbery
Administration Casual
Jonathon Allan
Jacob Blokland
Heidi Monkman
Alex Priest
Ishana Somers
Senior Coordinator, Student Representation and Partnerships
Kate Walsh
Student Representation
Support Coordinator
Fletcher O’Leary
Student Representation Support Officer
Liwen Seto
Clancy Westrich
Senior Coordinator Programming and Communications
Caleb Osborne
Media and Communications Coordinator
Steph Walker
Media and Communications Officer
Chloe Phillips
Media and Communications
Assistant
Chelsea Hammer
Kane Midgley
Programs and Events Officer
Alexandra Reid
Angela Vlachos
Program Coordinator, Clubs and Student Communities
David Hopkins
Clubs Assistant
Catherine Frances
Financial Counsellor
Stacy White
Financial Welfare Officer
Liwen Seto
Student Advocacy Officer
Christine Bennetts Gibson
Amy Butler
Ryan Colsey
Ally Drew
Meghan McAllister-Hayward
Student President
Nathaniel Winter**
Sneha Dissanayake*
General Secretary
Sneha Dissanayake
Liam Southern*
Education Officer
Noah Gunness
Women’s Officer
Lily Waltham
Welfare Officer
Liam Southern
Maddy King*
First Nations Students
Officer
Sarahjane Salmon
Postgraduate Students
Officer
Adrian Christianto Katili
International Students
Officer
Linh Thuy Tran**
Tejas Sri*
Queer Officer
Shai Wittles
Environment Officer
Karthik Kamaraj
Disabilities Officer
Honesio Gabriel Alves Pereira
Social Activities Officer
Lachlan Byrne
Mature Age Students
Officer
Chhor Vorn Mon
People of Colour Officer
Ayo Jackson**
Alani Mae Ananoria*
General Council Members
Mikhayla Belkhiati
Jordy Humphrys
Heithal Paul
Haley Wilson
Empire Times Editors
Angel Parker
Evangelia Karageorgos
Nadia Metzger
Sage Haba
NUS Conference Delegates
Lily Waltham
Karthik Kamaraj
Noah Gunness
Nathaniel Winter
Sneha Dissanayake
Lachlan Byrne
*Appointed **Resigned
We are proud to take you back on a journey through FUSA’s achievements in 2025. The FUSA Constitution tells us that the purpose of FUSA is to promote and advance the rights, interests, and welfare of students at Flinders, and FUSA has continued to effectively pursue that agenda. More than ever before our outcomes are the result of collective effort, with student representatives, club executives and other student volunteers leading the way.
Highlights include the growth in our Clubs community, with activity and event registrations having more than doubled since the difficult days of Covid in 2020 to a total of around 1400 events for the year. This wouldn’t have happened without the leadership of an incredibly motivated and gifted cohort of club executives. Research is clear that the availability of social activities and opportunities for development through clubs has a powerful positive effect on student wellbeing and the likelihood that they will complete their university studies. We are looking forward to continued growth in 2026. We are especially pleased to share that clubs are becoming increasingly important partners in the provision of support to students at our rural and remote campuses.
The development of the Student Partnership Framework, led by our own Kate Walsh has been a significant milestone in 2025, providing an aspirational template for staff and student to work together in the tertiary environment. We anticipate this will have a profound effect on the learning environment at Flinders in years to come as we build momentum and bring staff on board.
The academic reps program continued from strength to strength with a record number of reps. We supported over 400 course and topic reps, and look forward to continued engagement with colleges. In an ever more complex study environment, with both student and academics under pressure, our advocacy services are more important than ever, and in 2025 we saw an increase of 8% in students supported.
Our Student Representatives played a key role in 2025 on many of the decision making bodies and reference groups that constitute key elements of University governance structures. These include Academic Senate, Education Committee, Sustainability Committee, Infrastructure Committee, and more, as well as sitting on Boards of inquiry and Student Appeals processes.
We can’t finish without a shoutout to our events and marketing team who has continued to provide a warm welcome to students at Orientation, and a huge diversity of activity and programming over the course of the year, reaching over 13,000 students, with a highlight being our fabulous Uni Ball.
We welcomed a new Student Council in October and look forward to a new year of working together to build a welcoming, supportive and accessible community for students here at Flinders.
Liam Southern, Student President
Ben Smith, Manager
Improvements to FUSA Processes
Representation on University Committees and hearings
The majority of funding FUSA receives is from the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Exceptions include Student Council Honorariums which are funded by the University, and income from events such as the Uni Ball which is allocated internally to offset costs. The SSAF is a compulsory fee charged by the University which supports non-academic services and amenities for Flinders students. Student consultation takes place when considering how the income will be used to provide or enhance these services and amenities.
Every year, FUSA submits a funding proposal to the Flinders SSAF Budget Advisory Committee which provides a recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor regarding how the SSAF income should be allocated across the University.
The funding proposal is prepared in consultation with Student Council and FUSA staff. Student Council then approve the final funding request and budget.
SSAF funds are required to be spent for students in accordance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003, and unspent funds for the year are returned to the University’s SSAF holding account to also be disbursed for students in future years. In 2025, FUSA received 49.8% of total SSAF Funds allocated, more than the minimum 40% legislated.
Internal adjustments are made within the calendar year to account for a range of factors, including increases in demand, staffing changes, or opportunities for service improvements.
Management and administrative costs, including provision of front of house student reception staffing, minor equipment and furniture.
Development Grants, support for student academic representation and voice across all colleges and support for the functions of Student Council.
A wide range of student focussed events and activities to create a vibrant atmosphere and welcoming experience across Flinders Campuses.
Independent and confidential academic advocacy, financial counselling, emergency financial assistance and welfare support to students.
FUSA and Student Council promotion marketing, including website and social media presence, the annual Student Diary, and student focussed campaigns such as Be A Better Human. This includes the staffing component of Orientation expenditure.
Empire Times
The student magazine, with three appointed student editors.
Student Clubs and Associations
Funding for non-sporting student clubs and societies, including social, political, cultural, and academically orientated clubs.
Student Council
Funds for individual Office Bearers to pursue projects relevant to the platforms they are elected on, and for their professional development.
Ben Smith
Engagement
2025 has been a year of growth, connection and impact for the Student Representation (SR) team. Across the University, our work has focused on strengthening student voice, building meaningful partnerships and supporting student leaders to thrive in their roles.
We recruited over 400 hundred Topic and Course Representatives across all Colleges, including new cohorts at the City Campus and in the Northern Territory. Our tailored training programs, delivered by experienced student Associate Trainers, ensured reps were well-prepared to advocate for their peers. Notably, we developed new resources for online postgraduate students, expanding our reach and inclusivity. Our team also supported student members of College committees, ensuring they are better equipped to contribute meaningfully to discussions and decision-making.
Student Council remained a vital part of our democratic structure. We supported Council through governance training, leadership transitions, and project development. The 2025 Student Elections saw a healthy increase in participation, with
6.4% turnout and strong engagement from City Campus students. The Presidential Candidates Debate was once again a highlight, drawing interest both in-person and online.
We continued our commitment to recognising outstanding contributions through the Student-Led Teaching Awards, receiving over 200 nominations across ten categories. These awards celebrate educators who make a real difference in students’ lives. We also celebrated our wonderful student reps through the Outstanding Academic Rep Awards, where staff are invited to nominate students who have gone above and beyond in their role.
$40,000 in Development Grants allocated.
The Student Representation Network (SRN) met three times in 2025, bringing together over 90 reps to share experiences, build skills, and contribute to University initiatives.
A major focus this year has been the development of the Student-Staff Partnership Framework. Through codesign workshops with students and staff, we explored how to foster fearless and equitable partnerships across Flinders.
Development Grants remained a cornerstone of our support for student initiatives, with $40,000 allocated across three rounds. These grants empower students to pursue personal and professional development whilst also enriching the University community.
“I really appreciated the opportunity to work directly with the topic coordinator, whose enthusiasm and openness to feedback made it feel like student input was genuinely valued.”
-2025 Topic Representative.
• Over 400 Course and Topic Representatives supported across every College.
• 144 Topic Reps recruited across 87 Topics in Semester 1 alone.
• 104 applications received in the Major Round of Development Grants – a record number.
• Over 200 nominations submitted for the Student-Led Teaching Awards across ten categories.
• 80 nominations received for Student Council and NUS Delegate positions –higher than peer associations.
• New resources developed for online postgraduate cohorts in Nursing and Psychology.
• Three co-design workshops held with 40 student and staff participants to shape the Student-Staff Partnership Framework.
Elections held in 2025 for the FUSA 2026 Student Council
Student President
Liam Southern
General Secretary
Breeana Jones
Education Officer
Makeely Jones
Women’s Officer
Lily Waltham
Welfare Officer
Alani Mae Ananoria
First Nations Students Officer
Joshua Andersen-Ward
Postgraduate Students Officer
Hong International Students Officer
Tejas Sri
Queer Officer
Sheyanne Cass-Allard
Environment Officer
Madeline King
Disabilities Officer
Jordy Humphreys
Social Activities Officer
Nakul Tewari
Mature Age Students Officer
Haley Wilson
People of Colour Officer
Akarsh Wanninayake
General Council Members
Vincent Cardone
Omalka Herath
Coca Sreng
Riddhima Vashisht
Rishi
Faria
NUS Conference Delegates
Liam Southern
Alani Mae Ananoria
Jorja Doecke
Lachlan Byrne
Lily Waltham
Lachlan Byrne
The Advocacy and Welfare team provides independent, free, and confidential advocacy services to all enrolled students at Flinders University who are experiencing academic, administrative, financial, or welfare difficulties.
Demand for these FUSA services has climbed again, with a 42% increase in caseload over the past five years. We offer meaningful guidance through appointments as well as support over email.
In 2025, we supported 1,226 students across our academic advocacy and financial counselling services, around an 8% increase from the 1,136 cases in 2024. The complexity of issues we assisted with varied. Some cases involved a single meeting, while others required ongoing support over several months. In these longer matters, we worked alongside students across multiple issues, supporting them to understand their options and
navigate both informal and formal university processes as various outcomes were received.
Our team continued to offer flexible service delivery based on student preference, including in-person, phone, and Microsoft Teams appointments. Approximately 40% of appointments were delivered in person, with the remaining 60% delivered remotely. The number of academic integrity cases we supported increased by approximately 37%, rising from 197 cases in 2024 to 270 cases in 2025. This continued increase highlights
supported1,226 cases in 2025.
ongoing uncertainty among students about acceptable uses of artificial intelligence in the learning environment. Many students reported learning “the hard way” that using generative AI tools to format reference lists can introduce unintended errors, leading to unintended academic integrity concerns and consequences.
During the year, we also advocated for several cohorts of students experiencing issues related to placement availability and delays in grade outcomes. Many of these students expressed significant concern about the potential academic and professional disadvantages that such delays could cause.
• An alernative assessment format for a hurdle task was approved on appeal for an international student, enabling them to pass a core prerequisite topic. Both the student and teaching staff agreed that the student had the required academic understanding to progress, but that the original assessment format did not allow this to be effectively demonstrated.
• Due to an increased volume of academic integrity investigations across the University, advocates worked closely with students and College academic integrity teams to ensure that individual circumstances— including enrolment status, placement timing, assessment load, and student wellbeing—were appropriately considered when determining timelines for academic integrity processes. While extended timeframes remained for many students, this approach helped reduce uncertainty and mitigate potential academic disadvantage during investigation periods.
Of the 918 academic issues supported, the most common were:
• Academic Integrity Matters (270 cases)
• Review of Grade Decisions (168 cases)
• Remission of Fees (133 cases)
Of the 689 financial issues, the most common were:
• Emergency Financial Assistance (443 cases)
• Financial Counselling (73 cases)
• Financial Support Grant (69 eligible cases)
Financial Support Grants: The total amount of funding available for grants in 2024 was $36,500. The maximum grant amount approved was $500, awarded to 69 successful applicants.
Emergency Financial Assistance: Our EFA program distributed food vouchers, food parcels, and transport assistance to the value of $37,545.00 to 443 students. Support offered varies based on individual financial needs, with an average distribution of $85. Surprisingly, Requests for EFA decreased by 15% compared with 2024. This reduction is likely partly attributable to the introduction of Commonwealth Prac Payments for some domestic students undertaking placement.
In 2025, we continued our partnership with the Australian Tax Office, with volunteers on campus between to assist eligible students in submitting their tax returns. We also had a representative from Flinders Living available at FUSA on a weekly basis.
• Total Episodes of Service*: 4,584
• Student Cases: 1,226
• Issues by Advocacy Area: 1,607
• Cases by Equity Group: 60% involved domestic students, while 40% involved international students.
• Cases by Appointment Type: 38% were supported in person, 40% were supported by phone, and 22% were supported via Microsoft Teams. Overall, 62% were delivered remotely by phone or online.
• Cases by Enrolment Type: 82% Full Time Internal, 8% Part Time Internal, 3% Full Time External, 3% Part Time External, 4% Not Enrolled at the time of support
• Cases by Study Level: 60.6% (743) Undergraduate, 34.6% (405) Postgraduate, 2.3% (28) Honours, 1.8% (22) HDR, 0.3% (4 Foundation Studies), 0.2% (3) Non-award, 0.2% (2) Unknown
* This value represents meaningful actions such as appointments, meetings attended in a support role, document reviews, and tailored email advice.
FUSA’s Clubs and Student Communities program remained strong throughout 2025, driven by the commitment and enthusiasm of our volunteer community. More than 400 executive committee members, alongside hundreds of general committee members, volunteer their time each year to engage the Flinders University student body. Their contribution is fundamental to campus culture, creating much of the colour, vibrancy and energy that defines the Flinders student experience.
Through their efforts, clubs delivered a diverse range of student-led initiatives including balls, competitions, academic presentations and workshops, cultural and spiritual activities, excursions, sporting and recreational events, performances, awareness campaigns, environmental projects and charitable initiatives. Together, these activities continue to enrich student life and foster connection, belonging and leadership across the University.
Since 1 January 2025, affiliated clubs have registered a total of 1,424 events and activities with FUSA. These ranged from large-scale social events such as balls, pub crawls and theatre performances to academic workshops, study sessions and quiz nights. This figure represents considerable growth on the previous 12-month period and marks the most active year for clubs since FUSA was founded.
Club activities remain central to building an active and engaging campus culture. They provide students with meaningful
reasons to remain on campus beyond scheduled classes, offering opportunities to socialise, celebrate culture, pursue academic interests and build friendships. The continued increase in activity reflects strong student demand for connection, identity and involvement in university life. With a broader range of events across an expanding diversity of interests, students are more likely than ever to find a club that aligns with their passions, supporting student wellbeing, retention and overall satisfaction.
Semester 1 Orientation activities demonstrated strong growth in club participation across all campuses. Participation figures below include both FUSA and Flinders Sport & Fitness clubs:
• Bedford Park: 83 clubs participated over two days, up from 75 in 2024.
• Tonsley: 16 clubs, up from 6 in 2024.
• Sturt: 13 clubs, up from 8 in 2024.
• City Campus: 28 clubs, marking the first Semester 1 Orientation activation at this location.
Some overlap occurred between campuses as clubs rotated across sites, ensuring students had multiple opportunities to engage. Overall, the increase in club participation at Semester 1 Orientation highlights growing student interest and the effectiveness of FUSA’s support in facilitating engagement.
Semester 2 Orientation activities, held during Connect Week, included Clubs Fairs at Bedford Park and City Campus:
• Bedford Park: 50 clubs
• City Campus: 22 clubs (with registration capped early due to space limitations)
No Clubs Fair activations were held at Sturt or Tonsley for Semester 2 due to lower intake at these campuses. While participation was slightly lower than in 2024, these activations continued to provide valuable opportunities for students to discover clubs and engage with the wider university community.
Throughout 2025, affiliated clubs were approved for $130,042 in grants, representing just under 82% of the total Clubs & Student Communities budget. Remaining funds were allocated toward equipment purchases, software, and program-level costs, including the annual Club Awards evening. A full breakdown of distributed grants can be found in the above table.
In 2025, the @fusaclubs Instagram page continued to grow as a key digital platform for promoting clubs and their activities. The page provides a central space to showcase the breadth and vibrancy of the clubs community and to connect students with opportunities for involvement. A snapshot of how we performed this year compared to 2024 can be found in the below table.
As of the end of 2025, 97 clubs were operating on campus, an increase of nine clubs from 2024. This included:
• 43 academic clubs
• 20 cultural clubs
• 6 social justice and political clubs
• 24 special interest and social clubs
• 4 spiritual clubs
During 2025, 22 new clubs representing a broad range of student interests were affiliated with FUSA including:
• African Scholars Association
• Art Club
• Arts and Crafts Club
• Baha’i Society
• Dessert Society
• Doctor Who Society
• Fibre Craft Guild
• Flinders Fights Cancer
• Flinders Orchestra
• French Club
• Greater Green Triangle Social Club
• Korean Students’ Association
• MBA Association
• Mount Gambier Medical Students’ Society
• Musculoskeletal Society
• Myanmar Students Association
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society
• Operation Smile
• Society for Health, Arts and Performance
• Timor-Leste Student Association
• Vex Team
• Vocal Ensemble
During the same period, 12 inactive clubs were disaffiliated. While this process is unfortunate, it is necessary to ensure FUSA does not promote communities that no longer exist and to create space for new and active student-led initiatives.
The 2025 Club Awards evening was held on Tuesday 28 October and provided an opportunity to formally recognise the dedication and achievements of the Flinders clubs community. The event celebrated the significant time, effort and leadership contributed by student volunteers throughout the year.
The ceremony was hosted at the Alere Function Centre and Wildernest Restaurant, with catering, photography, music and prizes for attendees. For the third consecutive year, an unprecedented number of nominations were received, totalling 204 nominations. This represented an increase of more than 100% compared with the previous year, reflecting strong engagement and pride within the clubs community.
Club of the Year
Indian Students’ Association
Academic Club of the Year
Law Students’ Association
Club Member of the Year
Alex Sutton (Occupational Therapy Association)
Best New Club
English Club
Most Active Club
Evangelical Students
Best Event, Activity or Project Motorsport Team (FM24.5IC Race Car)
Best Club Executive Committee
Medical Students’ Society
Most Improved Club
Business Students’ Association
Hellenic Association
Best Club Marketing Material
Archaeology & History Society
(Raiders of the Lost Bar Crawl’)
Best Club Merch
Motorsport Team (FMT Hoodies)
• Ensuring City Campus is vibrant and engaging for students. A highlight was the Flinders Community Swap Market with over 200 attendees enjoying pre-loved items, free ice cream, snacks and Henna.
• Events celebrating a diverse range of causes and communities to promote education and awareness, helps students feel included in the Flinders community, and impact on student wellbeing. Examples included: Wellbeing Week, International Women’s Day, National Reconciliation Week (NRW), NAIDOC, R U OK? Day, Wear it Purple Day, Sustainability Week, and many more.
Supporting student led events and initiatives:
• Fourth year partnering with students in the Managing and Evaluating Events (TOUR2103) topic. The students delivered six on-campus events including disco Pilates, nostalgic school sports day, board games, drag karaoke, cultural quest games, and bracelet charm making. Around 398 students attended these events.
• Partnered with Bachelor of Creative Industries (BCI) students to host a showcase for student music and films, with over 150 attendees filling the Flinders Tavern.
FUSA’s media and communications team plays a central role in keeping students informed, amplifying student voices and celebrating student life, helping to build a stronger sense of belonging on campus.
They provide media assistance and spearhead various initiatives, projects and campaigns for Student Council, Empire Times, student clubs, staff, and other stakeholders. Work spans across graphic design, strategic communication and marketing, promotional materials, web, and project development.
In 2025 we continued to prioritise studentled content, with more images and video of current students, particularly through Instagram Reels, with short, authentic clips being a key way that students engage with FUSA.
FUSA’s website recorded approximately 453,000 total visits, confirming it as a primary channel for students to access services, events and support. Instagram drove the strongest audience gains across our digital channels. Followers increased by 20 per cent, with posts reaching an average of 1,500 accounts a week and often peaking above 3,000 during major campaigns. More than 200 posts averaged a 6 per cent engagement rate, with the strongest results coming from content that combined advocacy, campus life and humour.
FUSA’s Google Business Profile also remained an important touchpoint for students seeking practical information. Between 1 January and 29 November it generated 190 calls, 1,432 direction or map-based clicks and 248 website clicks from 10,917 views on Google Search and Maps. Events
FUSA offers a diverse program of events and activations that create community, help make the campus feel welcoming and vibrant, and facilitate connection between students. They combine fun, information, awareness, education, and help build our profile as a student focused and student-led association.
The program of events and activations include awareness campaigns, music, food, games, and events that celebrate the diversity of our student community. Many of these are conceived, developed, and run in partnership with students.
13,447 students attended our events.
• Supported the student led Neurodiversity Community of Practice to host four sensory friendly events on-campus including clay play, community garden planting, zine making and a petting zoo event with over 200 attendees.
• Supported students to host a Pink Ribbon Brunch to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The event was hosted in Alere and featured a free bunch, live music, guest speakers, raffles and games.
• FUSA Newsletter - launched our first all-student newsletter, an important avenue for students to hear directly from their student association. Across 10 newsletters, more than 177,000 emails were delivered, with average open rates around 43 per cent providing insights into which information resonates with students.
• Be a Better Human - began the rollout of the finalised campaign, to educate students about consent and respectful relationships, and reporting and support options. The launch began in Sem 1 with a new website, all-student email, social media, digital screens, posters and a series of campus events.
• Content Ambassador Program - a new opportunity for students to act as ambassadors in a range of student led and created content. A group of 4-6 students were selected to take part.
• Student Planner - FUSA took over ownership of the planner including design, production and distribution, with 12k units produced.
• Empire Times - shifted from an ‘election’ to an ‘appointment’ based model with the goal of attracting a higher number of applicants, and a broader set of skills.
Orientation fosters a sense of belonging, builds campus culture, and improves wellbeing for students. FUSA Events manage the social aspects of Orientation including campus activation, welcome events, and introduction to services and clubs. FUSA Media manage the brand rollout across digital and physical assets including posters, banners, social media, signage, wayfinding, and more.
Orientation continued to expand with activations at Bedford, Sturt, City and Tonsley campuses. FUSA managed our largest program of activations, stallholders and student clubs. The program featured a wide range of activities, entertainment, and experiences for new and continuing students.
Highlights include:
• Fair Day’s (Bedford, Sturt, City, Tonsley) - events included clubs, stalls, music, entertainment, free lunch, games, plus a range of giveaways, and freebies. Approx. 4,900 students attended across campuses in S1 & S2.
• Drag Bingo (Bedford) - a new event to complement the existing program and provide further opportunity for students to socialise with peers, with 80-100 students taking part.
• FUSA Awareness Email - dedicated FUSA email to commencing students, with 3846 opens, open rate 61.2%.
• O’Week Competition - 840 students entered our online competition.
• Distributed the free Student Diary and Student Planner, with 10,000 diaries and 12,000 planners produced.
