{State of the Union} By Rob Meredith This is a fairly auspicious moment for me, writing what will be my last ever report to Togatus as President of the Tasmania University Union. As such, I feel that I can legitimately use this opportunity to share some of my own thoughts in an extended ‘goodbye’. It’s been an amazing opportunity for me, and I am eternally grateful to the student body for giving me the opportunity to serve as Activities President, Vice-President, and two consecutive terms as President of the TUU. In many ways it’s probably spoilt me as a graduate, because this job is so diverse, challenging, and fulfilling that I suspect it’s unlikely that I’ll manage to find anything nearly so interesting in the immediate future. Having said that, the experience, knowledge, confidence and resourcefulness that I’ve gained over the past few years are skills that can be applied to any professional situation, and by the time my term ends I’ll have one hell of a CV. I toyed with the idea of putting down some of my best memories from the past few years, but there have been WAY too many to mention (except maybe for my first major event as Activities President; the 2006 O-Week concert on the oval, Faker, True Live, fireworks, 3000 people, and a generator that ran out half way through the show!).
across the state leading up to the amalgamation in April last year, we’ve rebuilt the three Student Representative Councils to have 39 out of 45 filled positions, not a bad effort!), and there’s a few in particular whose passion and hard work has inspired me many times (you know who you are, no free plugs!). As a word of parting advice from someone who has been a student forever (I started in 2003), take your education seriously, but keep in mind that the classroom isn’t the only place you get an education. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to and work with many graduate employers, and they’ve said that while your marks will take you so far, without fail they’ve consistently told me that what makes applicants stand out is a history of engagement, teamwork, and service to others. Studying at University is an opportunity to learn, but it’s also about meeting people, having fun, and personal growth and development. Rob Meredith President Tasmania University Union Inc.
I’ve said a few times that I’m lucky enough to be elected to a position where I get to take the credit for all of the hard work that people around me do. There’s a few people that I would have been completely lost without, particularly the staff of the TUU and UTAS, who have time and time again showed me not only how hard they work, but how genuinely committed they are to supporting the student experience. These include all of the student reps who I’ve had the opportunity to work with (from having three reps 10