NO. 1 | FEBRUARY 2021
THE BULLSHEET A JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION
O-Week Finding Your Way LEARN ABOUT JCUSA CLUBS
University is more than study, it’s about community. Clubs are full of friends you’ve yet to meet.
JCUSA ADVOCATES ARE HERE FOR YOU If you run into trouble without knowing it, it’s great to know your options.
A WORD FROM ME TO YOU A JCU Graduate lets you know about his journey and some things he believes you should know.
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Contents
what’s on for the month
04.
From the Editor Karla Destéfani
13.
From the President Emily Mulroy
14.
06.
Get to Know Your Councilors
15.
08.
Cairns and Townsville Oweek Schedules
16.
The Mentor Program Meghan Boland | Stephanie Sullivan Wylie Leeson | Sarah Weeks
10.
JCUSA Sports Update Cairns and Townsville Vincent Gardiner
19.
Joining National Student Organisations Emily Mulroy
11.
Clubs and Societies Where can I find them?
21.
JCUSA Student Advocates
05.
12. Publisher Emily Mulroy Editor Karla Destéfani
Community of Gardeners Sophi Ushay
Contact us
22.
Society of Manga, Anime and Gaming Dawn Henderson
Meditation and Yoga Club Alex Massey
Dive Club Tiffany Duff
A Word From Me To You Travis Wilson
Cairns P (07) 4232 1160 E studentassociation@jcu.edu.au Freecall 1800 330 021 Building A24 James Cook University Cairns QLD 4870
Townsville P (07) 4781 4400 E studentassociation@jcu.edu.au Freecall 1800 330 021 Building 133 James Cook University Townsville QLD 4811
From the Editor Hello established academics, new students and everyone in-between, my name is Karla, and I am the Editor of The Bullsheet.
As a hardcore introvert who has, like many of you, been studying at home for a year, and a Bachelor of Arts student who understands what it means to “exist” less and less every year, I find it difficult to decide how to introduce myself to one person let alone a whole university. Nonetheless, I will give it my best shot. I was born and raised in Australia by an Argentinian family. Meaning I identify strongly with both countries, though it can be confusing at times which I associate with myself the most. My childhood was filled with creative projects, including painting, sewing, sculpting and more. I’ve since evolved into my nerdy self by discovering new creative community hobbies such as Cosplay, Dungeons and Dragons, and LARP. If you speak to me for any length of time, you will pick up a common trend: all my outlets are tied to my love for surrealism and escapism. Do not fear; I don’t intend to turn the pages of The Bullsheet into a mind-numbing experience requiring multiple tutorials to work through. My interest in being the Editor stems from my two majors’ English Literature and Design and Creative Arts. I have studied both historical and modern magazines in Australia throughout my degree. Moreover, I’ve had to learn skills in various design-based software. With this background, I feel confident that I will enjoy navigating the following months. I want The Bullsheet to be a refreshing read whenever you tap in, with a variety of content to entertain and inspire you. If you have comics, memes, photography, fiction, non-fiction, university projects, competitions, and anything else you can think of to share with us for The Bullsheet, I would love to hear about it. Not only will you be contributing to a publication for your peers, but it will look great on a resume, and you will receive payment for your work (See page 1). I look forward to the following months with you all,
Karla Ana-Lía Destéfani Editor E: karla.destefani@my.jcu.edu.au
From the President Hey there! I’m Emily, your 2021 President of the James Cook University Student Association.
I’m originally from the south-west of Western Australia and am in my final year of studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Marine Biology. My biggest passion in life is fighting for a fair go for all, which drove me to this role, to advocate for each and every student, ensuring that our lives at University are the best they can be! The JCU Student Association is your peak student representation body at the University, and we strive to represent you throughout your time here at JCU. A body of democratically elected student councillors governs JCUSA. We work tirelessly to support you at every turn by advocating and campaigning on various student concerns, from academic to welfare. We are entirely independent of the University. Your SSA fee is our primary funding, allowing us to provide quality representation, advocacy and support all the activities and services to make your life at uni unforgettable. Please read all about our incredible free JCUSA Academic Advocacy service in this edition of The Bullsheet and all the different ways they can help you if you are in a difficult situation during your time at uni. Supported by your SSA Fee, the Student Association runs fun activities and events right throughout the year for you, including the whole O-Week social calendar and our partnership with the Uni Bar. Be sure to come along to O-Week, especially Market Day, to check out all our affiliated clubs, societies, and other community stallholders. Last year as the Townsville Campus Officer, I worked closely with our fantastic range of affiliated clubs and societies. I strongly encourage all students to join a club at JCU, as we have different types to cater to your interests from faculty based, sports, cultural, advocacy and political. We offer SA memberships that provide students with a goodie bag and members shirt. Moreover, members receive discounts around Campus and Town, including but not limited to coffee, food, social sports, the gym, Uni Bar, and 2 for 1 student ferry tickets to Magnetic Island. Memberships are only $45 for new members or $35 for continuing members. Whether you are new to JCU or continuing your studies, we all know how crazy last year was. Nobody could have predicted the impact that the pandemic would have on our lives, especially our education. Thankfully, the Student Association was here to advocate to the University on how best they can support students during the time of complete online uni. We advocated for a push back of Census Date, implementing fairer grade changes for disadvantaged students from the swift changes of delivery modes, free parking during 2020 and overall for the University to increase the speed of transparent and direct communication to all students. Moving forward to a year of covid recovery, the University’s measures due to the pandemic will undoubtedly spark ongoing concerns including an exorbitant focus on online learning for students who have specifically chosen to study a degree internally, not externally. This year, your Student Association will work hard not to let the impacts of this pandemic affect our education quality, which we all have the right to. Please feel free to come by our office and let me or my team know if you have any concerns or feedback,
Emily Mulroy President E: jcusa.president@my.jcu.edu.au
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Get to Know Your Councilors Emily Mulroy (She/her), President 1. 1917 2. Japan 3. ‘This is What a Feminist Looks Like’, it’s a fantastic book on Australia’s post-colonial feminist history 4. Having the patience of a saint when helping my mum with anything technological over the phone. 5. Grab a free JCUSA wall planner to plan out your due dates and speak to someone you trust if things are getting hard as early as you can
Thomas Sherrington, Vice President 1. Probably ‘Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith’ either that, or, ‘Forrest Gump.’ 2. Italy, more so Sicily though. That’s where mum’s family is from. 3. ‘Manufacturing Consent’ by Noam Chomsky. Everyone should read it before they die. 4. Not much of a talent as it is just weird; being able to remember the most obscure things at the most random times. 5. Get involved in a sport while you’re at uni. It’s a great way to stay active while meeting new people and making friends.
Emily Gamze, Townsville Campus Officer
1.‘The Mask’ 2. Bora Bora 3. ‘‘The Walking Dead’ video game. 4. I can’t think of any obscure talents, but I do love to sing! 5. Make friends! It makes the uni experience so much fun and you will have amazing people to work song side to assist each other with assignments
Cherie Lai, International Officer
1. ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ 2. The Good Place 3. The book ‘So much I want to tell you: letters to my little sister’ by Anna Akana 4. Empathy - Quite sensitive to surrounding energy, hence constantly tired. Haha 5.Be open to new ideas, new experiences, new people. Love your neighbour as yourself.
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Questions: 1. My favourite movie is… 2. One day I want to visit.. 3. A book, podcast or game I recommend is.. 4. My obscure talent is… 5. Top university tip is....
Peter Loa, Postgraduate Officer 1. ‘Gattaca’ 2. Japan 3. ‘Crucial Conversations’ 4. Getting people to sign up for courses for some reason... 5. P’s means degrees
Aaminah Khan (They/Them), Equity and Diversity Officer 1. ‘Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang’ (2006) - a clever deconstruction of film noir that also works as a great example of the genre, with a sucker punch of an ending that gets me every time even though I know it’s coming! 2. Every country in the world! 3. ‘Disco Elysium’, my favourite video game that I played last year. Very excited for the updated final cut version. - if only it weren’t coming out in the middle of the semester. 4. I can count to ten in half a dozen languages. 5. Join your student union!
Garrett Swearingen, Cairns Campus Officer 1. Always so hard to pick. I liked Tenet but I know that’s a controversial one . haha. 2. Antarctica. 3. ‘Australia Day’ by Stan Grant. really recommend it to anyone who wants . . an Indigenous perspective on how we reconcile and move forward . together as a nation. 4. I can read and write French to a reasonable level. 5. Spend time doing hobbies/extra-curricular activities you like. It’s so . important for your mental health and you’ll learn a lot of life skills you . won’t get in your course.
We look forward to working with you.
SPORTS
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JCUSA SPORTS Written by Vincent Gardiner, Sport and Recreation Programs Officer
JCUSA Sport & recreation could not be more excited about our programs planned over our Cairns and Townsville campus. We are looking forward to 2021 with a jam-packed calendar full of sports and social competitions! In Townsville, the Fisher Shield competition will welcome back the athletics competition and add two brand new sports in AFL 9’s & Ultimate Disc to the calendar. AFL 9s and Ultimate Disc have been added to replace our swimming carnival and water polo competitions due to our pool’s closure in 2020. We are also looking forward to holding the Rugby Union and Basketball competitions this semester as they could not run last year due to COVID-19. Interfaculty sport at Townsville will also have an exciting start to the year welcoming back Table Tennis, Touch football and Interfaculty Soccer for Semester 1! It is not all just sports that we are excited about at the Townsville Campus. The JCUSA Fitness Centre is enjoying 2021 with restrictions easing by reopening certain equipment and allowing more to participate in fitness classes. There is also a fantastic offer with the Welcome Back Deal on sale. If you want to join the JCUSA Fitness Centre, join us today.
Looking over to our Cairns Campus we have many new things happening too! With our brand new gym’s grand opening, JCU Fit 101 located in Building A24 (right next door to our Student Association) expect plenty of exciting promotions to come! JCUSA Sport and Recreation Cairns will be bringing back their loved Gunyarra Cup kicking off with the Basketball competition on March 11th, followed by Soccer, Touch Football and Esports. Whilst also adding Cross country and Crossnet to the schedule, exciting and encouraging times to come for our cairns sports enthusiasts! On top of everything else, don’t forget about our Social Sport, First Aid & CPR Courses and much more! If you are interested in Sports, be sure to follow our new JCUSA Sport & Recreation Facebook page as it is the go-to source for all information Sport & Recreation across both JCU Townsville & Cairns.
welcome back deal 40wk Academic Year
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*ONLY VALID TILL END FEBRUARY - PAY UP FRONT
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AROUND CAMPUS
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CLUBS & SOCIETIES James Cook University is filled with clubs and societies for you to learn about and join. They fall under various categories, including course-based, cultural, religious, political and social. Clubs & Societies play an active role in the University community by providing students with the opportunity to meet people with shared interests and pursue those interests. They hold a range of events depending on what they specialise in. These can be online or in-person, large or small, at JCU or in the broader community and more. You can hear from some of the Clubs & Societies in Townsville and Cairns in the following pages. If you are looking for a more extensive list and how to contact them, the Student Association has it available on their website.
TOWNSVILLE
SCAN ME TO FIND OUT MORE
CAIRNS
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AROUND CAMPUS
COMMUNITY OF GARDENERS Written by Sophi Ushay, Vice President of the Community of Gardeners
Our story begins in 2011 when a JCU student develops a proposal for a community garden on campus as part of their Urban Geography and Design subject. The primary purpose was to help students below the poverty line access fresh produce, a microcosm of the more considerable shifting social and agricultural paradigms. The idea manifested, and it inspired the Sustainability Club who campaigned for the proposal’s fruition. In partnership with TropEco, we established a mini-community garden of four freestanding wicking beds behind the refectory. These were our first, and they have since moved to the current garden site. In 2012, further campaigning pushed to expand the community garden to become a much larger entity, and by 2015 there was enough support gathered from staff and students to begin planning. The fence was built, a shed constructed for both garden tools as well as kitchen and toilet amenities, an old bus stop became a large shelter, and a nursery was installed.
The JCU Community Garden officially opened in October 2016. The inherited site began as a compacted dirt patch, stripped of topsoil and adorned only by sensitive weed. A four-year journey has seen the land regenerate into an abundant food forest with the help of nitrogenfixing Pigeon Peas, rich compost, and plenty of biomass. The garden draws from permaculture and syntropic philosophies, an ever-evolving ecosystem strongly influenced by the garden members who help create and care for it. It has become a sanctuary for students and the greater community. A place to ground, grow, share food, and come together for our weekly gardening sessions. JCU Community Garden also hosts unique events and workshops every semester, from bee and butterfly workshops, courses in permaculture and syntropics, mushroom workshops, seed plantings, art sessions, barbeques, and film nights. We have held over 50 events at the community garden in the last four years. Our goals and visions reflect the collective desires of our members. We intend to transition from our mulch-based composting system into a mycelium-based one to help break down bioplastics, raise and sell fruit tree seedlings, as well as increase overall food production and the biodiversity of Indigenous food plants. We want to provide more significant opportunities for our members’ involvement, like you, in our goals and running more regular workshops, events and fundraising. The Community of Gardeners (COG) Committee will continue to partner with the Student Association and Estates to see the JCU Community Garden continue to grow. We look forward to seeing you around this year with us.
AROUND CAMPUS
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SOCIETY OF MANGA, ANIME AND GAMING Written by Dawn Henderson, Secretary of SoMAG
Active and sociable, not usually what you would imagine when you first hear the name Society of Manga, Anime and Gaming. However, to those who have attended any of our weekly social screenings on Wednesdays or been deafened by our Monthly Games Nights, it is not a surprise that many view them as innate SoMAG qualities. SoMAG’s purpose has always been to create a safe space for the stereotypically unsocial to be social. To give the creative an audience to show their passions and connect individuals across disciplines. Every Wednesday we have a Screening Night, where we show a range of anime and outside the theatre often chat or play card games. The first Saturday of every month is our Games Night, ranging from a casual smorgasbord of console or PC games to a tournament that anyone can join. Once a semester, we have our very popular Cosplay Night filled with a heap of mini-games and competitions, often attracting close to 80 attendees. For those that like to attend in-costume, we have professional photographers attending. They also make appearances at other photo shoots throughout the year. On top of this, we have a few themed nights such as Cluedo or a Tavern Night which encourage attendees to engross themselves with the world and solve mysteries. We still kept up with our weekly screenings and games nights during the 2020 lockdown – they held on our Discord server. The server managers even organised a digital Easter Egg hunt between the events. During the second semester, with a lot of dedication to enforcing social distancing and hygiene; we got all of our events back inperson with the same spirit we had before.
As one of the longest-running JCU clubs, SoMAG will celebrate its 18th anniversary this year. Our secret to our long lifespan is how entrenched the broader community of Townsville is in our events. We are well-known in the local high schools for our Cosplay Nights. In fact a few of our committee members joined in their first year at JCU, helping plan events they have loved for years prior. We are sponsored from numerous Townsville businesses, expanding our range to outside university events. We have hosted the Townsville region Japanese Film Festival for the last three years at various cinemas and presented at the iFuture conference discussing community engagement. SoMAG also attracted the attention of international sponsors such as Madman and Redbull. On top of the extensive list of events run over the year, SoMAG was also heavily involved in JCU Esports. Passionate committee members spearheaded the JCU esports team and were directly involved with the Esports room’s planning that was unveiled last year. So if you are interested in either casual or competitive gaming, make sure to keep an eye on us. If you are intrigued by any of the above, find us at market day or on our various social media outlets. We hope to see you at our future events!
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AROUND CAMPUS
MEDITATION AND YOGA CLUB Written by Alex Massey
I sat down at a café last year and read “Mind, Body and Soul” on a coffee cup. I reflected on my practices in Yoga, wondering how an essential teaching of Yoga ended up on a cup? A message brought to me on what was a flat white coffee was a message holding the key aspects of human existence that inevitably lead us to enlightenment. Not that people were going to think this way, or even through the effects of coffee wake up to an experience of selfrealisation. The cup would most likely end up in the bin as the next daily routine takes hold of our existence. So, what then is “Mind, Body and Soul”? Well, it’s the three fundamental aspects to being human or in Yoga, being Yogi on the path of bliss. Most people think Yoga means a particular exercise, well that’s a start to the infusion, or medicine that prepares the body for the next stage. Yoga means unification, unification through expansion. Yoga is a science evolved from systematic observations, experiments over thousands of years, and the guidance of elevated masters. Yogis have gained a deeper understanding of, and the relationship between, body and mind functions.
By practising Yoga, we experience the expansive potentialities of the mind and realise who we are, drawing closer towards perfecting our human existence. In applying Yoga techniques, we gain a better understanding of our body and being. Thus, strengthening, controlling, and directing our energy towards mental and spiritual achievement ultimately leading to perfection. This process is known as Bio-psychology of Yoga. We can start with the Yoga postures’ Asanas’ (posture held comfortably) which improve the glandular, nervous and skeletal systems, and then learn about the effects of food. The company of inspiring people within the JCU Meditation and Yoga Club, will lead to your University year being positive, joyful and less stressful. So, the next time you are faced with the words “Mind, Body and Soul” on a cup of coffee or elsewhere, look up the JCU Meditation and Yoga club. We’d love to see you on Market Day- sign up for our mailing list so that you can attend our yoga class and experience the true meaning of Yoga.
AROUND CAMPUS
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JCU DIVE CLUB Written by Tiffany Dun, Marketing Manager of the Dive Club
Are you interested in dipping your toes into the vastly unexplored realm under the sea? Do you enjoy blowing bubbles in your spare time, watching turtles swim or searching for nudibranchs under the corals? If you haven’t heard of a nudibranch -Google one, and you can thank us later. And if you’re still reading this now, then you should probably join the JCU Dive Club this semester. With monthly liveaboard trips to the pristine outer GBR, we can guarantee being a part of our club will begin the ultimate journey of your human lifespan. Share a beverage with us aboard the vessel Kalinda, watch the sun touch the sea while the sky turns magenta and listen to the gentle sounds of water lapping while our crew serenade you with soft guitar strings. Dive deeper than the width of a basketball court during the day and bring a torch with you at night to uncover vibrant colours usually hidden by the blue abyss.
This semester we have a plethora of fun activities planned, ranging from SS Yongala Shipwreck and Museum of Underwater Art day trips to a Women’s Dive Day at Maggie, river cleanups and social soccer and volleyball tournaments! Joining us in some (or all) of our adventures will reward you with life-changing encounters, both above and below the water. If you are interested in becoming a fellow bubbler or perhaps undertaking a SCUBA course, visit our stall on market day (17th Feb) or attend our welcome BBQ (Sat 27th Feb) at the Rockpool by the Strand. Anybody who shares our passion for the ocean or aspires to be part of a positive community is welcome to join!
Hope to see you there! Best fishes, JCUDC xoxo
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STUDENT SUPPORT
THE JCU MENTOR PROGRAM Written by Meghan Boland. Student Transitions and Engagment Officer
The award-winning JCU Student Mentor Program matches experienced, successful students (Mentors) with commencing undergraduate students from the same course of study during O Week. It is the longest-running peer-led program of its kind, with 2021 marking its 30th year, and involves trained volunteers who donate their time to help new students through their first study period at university. It is a friendly gesture from a fellow student who remembers the challenges of being new to university. Mentors are not tutors and are not permitted to provide advice about assessments, however, they can offer valuable tips and advice about: ◘ JCU Support services ◘ Finding your way around campus ◘ General queries about university life ◘ Effective strategies to approach your subjects ◘ Getting organised for your study, assessments and exams ◘ Connecting with other new students and forming study groups
Mentoring is a two-way street, and the Mentee is not the only one who benefits from a mentoring relationship. The program is highly beneficial to our peer volunteers. It helps develop and recognise various employability skills such as teamwork, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, time management, negotiation and leadership, amongst others. While Covid restrictions have impacted Orientation activities and how the Mentor Program is typically introduced to students, we have adapted our delivery to support as many new students as possible. As we head into a new Orientation period, there are 211 Mentors supporting students based in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Mt Isa and externally, across all courses. If you would like to find out more information about joining the program, please visit jcu.edu.au/mentors.
STUDENT SUPPORT
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Stephanie Sullivan, Mentor Leader (DHE) B. Medicine / B. Surgery (3rd year) Hello, I’m Steph! I am studying medicine, and I am the mentor leader for the Diploma of Higher Education (DHE). Coming into my 5th year as a mentor, I have loved every opportunity to meet students who were once in my shoes (I started in the diploma myself) and show them how far the course can take them when they put in the effort. O-week activities and tours are always my favourites! You can feel the excitement. During this time, I hear about what brought each person here and what their individual goals are. It’s pretty incredible to think that I am one of their first introductions to the massive life-event that is University – I hope I can help each mentee’s first semester be as positive as mine was. Getting through the first semester is a huge mental hurdle, here are a few tips that got me through it (+ the 4.5 years to follow): ◘ Find a group of people in your course with similar study habits (Silent study, discussion, present to
each other) ◘ Buy a planner, use your planner, love your planner, live by your planner. Make sure to include social and free time in your schedule. ◘ Most importantly - make friends!! The university experience is about more than grades and assignments. When I am old and grey, reminiscing my time at University… I will not be fondly thinking about the essays I wrote but instead remembering all the amazing people I met and the memories I made with them.
Wylie Leeson, Mentor Leader (Medicine & Surgery) Medicine / B. Surgery (3rd year) My name is Wylie Leeson, and I am a 3rd year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery student. My motivation for joining the program is to help new students navigate University life. Having moved from a small rural town out in the sticks to a City, my first year at University was a massive culture shock. I attribute the fact that I am still here studying today to my mentor. So now, here I am volunteering to pay it forward, and hopefully help someone else ease into University life. I’ve now been within mentor programs for three years and will be the 2021 Medicine Mentor Leader. If you’re thinking about becoming a mentor, I highly recommend it. One of the best things is getting to see the people you’ve helped over the years being some of the most adventurous and successful students at the University. My top tip for University is to be kind to yourself; it is a crazy, exciting and stressful journey when you first start, full of ups and downs. So, please do not forget to take a “you” day and get back to doing hobbies or things you like.
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STUDENT SUPPORT
Sarah Weeks, Mentor Leader (Science) B. Environmental Practice G’day, my name is Sarah Weekes. I am the Mentor Leader for Science and in my final year of a Bachelor of Environmental Practice. I have a passion for gardening, and my indoor plant collection grows by the week. When I first enrolled in JCU, I studied Education, and my mentor Jess was an absolute legend. Her support and the friendships made within our group of mentees helped immensely during the transition from school to university. In my final year at JCU, I wanted to impart some of the things I’ve learnt to others. This is my first year as a mentor and mentor leader. My favourite memory from the mentor program is when I was a mentee in 2016; my mentor Jess was full of energy and excitement. Her joy helped set aside any nerves and inspired excitement to start this new journey. My top tip for university life is to get an online calendar and PUT EVERYTHING IN IT. Assign colours to your subjects, work, personal and social responsibilities. Scheduling all of your commitments - to-do’s and social gatherings, helps you to become organised. Having a calendar you can access on your phone and laptop to view at any time, anywhere, will help you know where you have to be and when. There are already so many things university students need to remember having everything in one place gives you one less thing to worry about. It also helps with knowing your free time and scheduling in time to study.
NATIONAL STUDENTS
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JOINING NATIONAL STUDENT ORGANISATIONS Written by Emily Mulroy, President of JCUSA
The JCU Student Association is proud to become members of the three largest peak student representation organisations in the nation this year. These are the National Union of Students (NUS), the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) and the Council of International Students Australia (CISA) so check out what they are about below!
NUS The National Union of Students (NUS) is the peak representative body for tertiary students, including universities and TAFEs, representing over 1,000,000 students nationwide. Established in 1987, the NUS advocates for the sole purpose of fighting for students, to ensure that every student regardless of background, gender, ethnicity or class has access to a fair and fully funded education. Over the last few years, the NUS has been responsible for increases to Austudy during the pandemic, lowering the Age of Independence, and leading the push for safety on campus following the 2018 RedZone report. The body is democratically elected and run by elected student representatives. At the annual NUS National Conference delegates from each accredited university vote on their national platform, which influences the following year’s campaigns. JCUSA is proud to ignite our partnership with NUS this year, as we have a strong history of past JCU students being involved in the NUS as office bearers and on the National Executive. Accrediting with NUS allows JCUSA to be a part of a national network of campuses to come together and fight against the constant attacks from government cuts to courses and university management interference and bring students issues to the national stage. Zoe Ranganathan, NUS President
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NATIONAL STUDENTS
CISA The Council of International Students Australia (CISA) is the national peak student representative organisation for international students studying at the postgraduate, undergraduate, private college, TAFE, ELICOS and foundation levels. CISA was inaugurated by 52 student associations in 2010 at the University of Tasmania through the joint efforts of the National Union of Students (NUS), Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) and the Australia Federation of International Students (AFIS) to form a unified voice for all international students.
CAPA
CISA has successfully organised eight national, international student conferences, with one in Cairns in 2018. CISA interacts with international education organisations in other countries, and at a national level, lobbies the federal government and peak education sector bodies. On a state level, the CISA Divisions lobby the education providers, state and local government and interact with campus-level student organisations. There are eight main advocacy goals that CISA strives to fight for in 2021, including safely returning stranded offshore students, welfare support, raise awareness on workplace exploitation, maintain a high quality of education, gender equality, end discrimination and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.
Written by Errol Phuah, National President
The Council of Australia Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the peak representative body in Australia for coursework and research postgraduate students. We are the oldest running national student organization in Australia at 41 years, with alumni office bearers going to future successes like Dr Cathy Foley, the new Chief Scientist of Australia. Over the years, CAPA has stood for a better quality of education and accessibility. We have done so with a long tradition of representing our constituents through well-developed ideas and evidence-research. We have stood alongside other peak bodies of representation. Supporting the National Union of Students (NUS) and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) who have raised concerns over cuts to public funding to universities over the years.
To make up for the funding cuts, universities became increasingly reliant on international student fees, a concern that higher education will slowly become less about education and more about expansive profiteering. This volatile market was called out and exposed for all of us to see. We saw a reform last year in the form of the JobReady Graduates, and this came with course cuts, SSAF cuts and job losses in the university sector. It’s not a great time for the sector, and the problems it faces won’t be fixed tomorrow or the day after. It will take years to get back what we have lost, but we have to start somewhere, and we have to stand together. We are looking at the long game to getting higher education back to what we need it to be, better student engagement on-campus and more recognition for HDR students for their contribution in the research community. We hope you will all join us.
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STUDENT SUPPORT
JCUSA STUDENT ADVOCATES JCUSA Student Advocacy and Welfare Officers provide a free, confidential & non-judgmental service to all James Cook University students. Our position is funded through the mandatory SSAF paid by you, the students. JCUSA has 4 Advocacy and Welfare Officer’s across the various JCU campuses (2 in Townsville; 1 in Cairns; and 1 in Brisbane). You do not have to be a member of the JCU Student Association to access our advocacy service. We provide student support, assistance or representation as needed across various academic and welfare areas. If you have any issues or concerns regarding JCU, please contact us for a free and confidential conversation about your rights and options. The JCUSA Advocates wish to take this opportunity to welcome all new and continuing JCU students to 2021! We hope to see you around the University and at JCUSA events throughout the year. Please feel free to say, “Hello!” when you see us around. If you would like to book an appointment with one of our friendly advocates or learn more about us, visit www.jcusa.edu.au and click on “Student Support” button located at the top centre.
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STUDENT INTEREST
A WORD FROM ME TO YOU Written by Travis Wilson, James Cook University Graduate
A friend asked if I wanted to write a piece for JCUSA’s illustrious student paper of life after graduation, I said “Yes”; but wasn’t sure what to tell you. I could go down the line of my personal experiences and make it intimate, or make it utterly unrelated to myself going by what other students have experienced. It’s not really in me to write about myself, I hate it, but they say do things that make you feel uncomfortable like making a life after bouncing from education to education. I never stopped studying from when I started school to the end of my uni degree. Yet, I detested school. I used to dread the mornings. If I waited it out, I might be able to extend the time a little between when I open my eyes to when I’m eying another student as their parents drop them off. Instead of learning, I’d spend the days drawing worlds, writing lore, creating silly little romances in my head or my book. So you can guess it was a pretty big shock when I said to my parents I wanted to study further. My sister chose to do tertiary study off to the side, my close cousins all chose trades. I wanted to become a technical nerd and engineer, helping the world build technology for the future. We were drawn in with the flashy ads of “What you can do in the future!” I got into the world of Information Technology in 2015, thinking it would open up the world of engineers and higher-level programmers to me. It inspired me to push toward my original plan of building smaller UAV and UGV for law, fire and rescue; that was a long term professional investment into my study. Previously I had the childhood dream of becoming a game developer. I’m writing this almost five years later, and hopefully, soon I will attend my graduation ceremony. I finished my degree in the first semester in 2019; we had to wait ‘til the end of 2020 to graduate. A week before the ceremony, we were forced into lockdown, and all JCU events called off. I’ve always been pretty unlucky, but I never called for a 2-year break between degree and graduation. But as I’m writing to you, 26th of March, cross your fingers!
Let’s hope Covid doesn’t take a massive u-turn in 2021. Well, that’s a little about my life in the study frontlines, not much different from anyone else, hard fighting and studying. Now we are all sort of drilled into at a young age, that uni will be our decider, school will determine your life. Like the cartoons we used to watch where kids would fill out a test and be told “WHO YOU ARE!” Receiving the exact opposite of what they hoped. This viewpoint is not entirely true. Tertiary education paves the way for you to branch. While I may not be a qualified engineer, I am a self-proclaimed engineer and programmer. I have studied cars, planes, boats, engines, motors, turbines, light, radar-lidar, satellites, you-name-it; for months on end after my degree. Where you take your study is where you are going to take yourself. For someone who never really understood how to stand in the right lane, going to uni has helped push me a direction and taught me the basics of taking the steps. When I left school, the subjects I aced were: English and Art, and if I got better grades, science would be there too. I passed below B average in every other subject, just enough to get my Overall Position to get into uni. I had no idea where I wanted to go. Writer, Artist, Game developer, so many opportunities, but in the artistic industry it takes a backup to keep you on your feet for the time being while to work up to your project. I knew deep down I had a drive for storytelling though.
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STUDENT INTEREST
My first ever essay I wrote and submitted caused my teacher to call my parents in. I had written a short story instead! The experience never stopped me from writing extensively during primary and secondary. I wrote and wrote instead of working in class. I can write a short story, but to this day, I suck at writing essays. Eventually, after completing my degree, I found the time once more to write non-fiction while I was looking for a job. I was still very iffy on if I wanted to be a writer. I got a little chaotic naughty and thought of the most taboo thing I could write, so I got a little drunk and started writing erotic fiction- it was terrible. It wasn’t smashing the dolls together that made me realise “Wow, kid, you have some talent!” It was after those moments, when the characters were themselves. It was an intimate scene of the two characters waking and getting ready to head out, he was being a pain and what was a cheeky slap on the bottom from his missus, evoked a chaotic paragraph of a battleship crew going down. From that moment, I thought of myself as a writer, and that is always going to be on my priority of jobs to complete.
I am a storyteller; I love telling stories. The point is, I was so hellbent on believing that to inspire the world as an engineer, you have TO BE AN ENGINEER by trade. The literary world of Science Fiction inspired a large percentage of inventions in the world. And maybe in the future, I could be working on some incredible innovations, but to inspire the world with the written word is still such a remarkable achievement that I am grateful to be a part of. I didn’t want to make this about me and where I’m going, but my experiences formed my understanding. I want this to be a lesson for anyone who reads, do not throw away your dream career cause’ you don’t think you are gonna be able to achieve it. You have the time, and you can do it, School and Uni is only your first step. You hold the reins. I have had so much time to pursue more of my projects and activities since leaving uni. I am a professional photographer, a fulltime technician, I have a book in progress and a video game I am putting together, plus various cosplays and art pieces. Within all this, I am still finding myself the time to socialise. You’ve got to make the time as time won’t make it for you. Good luck out there.
