2025 UTSSA Election Guide by UTS Vertigo

Election Guide UTSSA 2025

Polling Locations and Times

Polling for the 2025 UTSSA elections opens on 14 October and closes on 16 October. Polling stations are open across campus, located at: Building 1, Building 2, Building 10, Building 11, and Building 6.

On each day, there are three voting periods:

• Morning Voting: 10:30AM - 1:30PM

• Quiet Voting: 1:30PM - 2:30PM

• Afternoon Voting: 3:30PM - 6:30PM

During the quiet voting period, campaigners are not permitted to campaign near the booths.

2025 UTSSA Nominations

Below is the schedule of nominations received for this election. Candidates are identified by the name that will appear on the ballot paper, and are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot paper. Lists for General Councillor and NUS are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot paper and within each List candidates are listed in the seniority order provided by the Lists. This schedule remains subject to change before the election.

Position

President

General Secretary

Assistant General Secretary

Education Officer

Welfare Officer

Candidate Status

Dhruv D Thakkar

Neeve Ann Nagle (FIRE UP!)

Daewah Thein (ENGAGE)

Schazain Babar

Salma Elmubasher (FIRE UP!)

Dhruv D Thakkar

Cam Perez (FIRE UP!)

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Dhruv D Thakkar

Nischay

Schazain Babar

Ella Haid (Social Justice)

Aayush

Sina Afsharmehr (FIRE UP!)

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE) Sumit

Accepted

Indigenous Students’ Officer

Postgraduate Officer

Women’s Officer

International Students’ Officer

Taya Morante (FIRE UP!)

Aayush

Ciri Liu

Dhruv D Thakkar

George Tulloch (FIRE UP!)

Schazain Babar

Ciri Liu

Francesca Harrison (FIRE UP!)

Ciri Liu

Nischay

Dhruv D Thakkar

Sumit

Rose Saksena (FIRE UP!)

Yasmine Johnson (Social Justice)

Benjamin Grant-Skiba (Social Justice)

Jonathan Waters (Social Justice)

Andrew Brogden (Social Justice)

Adrian De Dona (Social Justice)

Brandon Price (Social Justice)

Euan Mendoza (Social Justice)

Hamish Bell (Social Justice)

Ash Satchell (Social Justice)

Jude Egerton-Warburton (Social Justice)

Nina Tolentino (Social Justice)

Liyara Flavel (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Eden Levit (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Jamie Hill (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Amelia Raptis (Left Action)

Prona Bahri (Left Action)

Huw Watson (Left Action)

Ginevra Aiello (Left Action)

Nischay

Schazain Babar

Sumit

Tanveer Dhillon

Omar El-Sobihy (FIRE UP!)

Eamonn Ryan (FIRE UP!)

Amelia Grace Wilson-Williams (FIRE UP!)

Grace Cole (FIRE UP!)

Isabella Taylor (FIRE UP!)

Lana Rumman (FIRE UP!)

Aaron Choy (FIRE UP!)

Tom Snow (FIRE UP!)

Oscar Favelle (FIRE UP!)

Harvey Kerrison (FIRE UP!)

William Healy (FIRE UP!)

Arlo Smithies (FIRE UP!)

Elected Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted

Olivia Lee (FIRE UP!)

Alisa Hamilton (FIRE UP!)

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE)

Rohen Snowball (ENGAGE)

Daewah Thein (ENGAGE)

Arden Rasras (ENGAGE)

Samiha Emran (ENGAGE)

El Potts (ENGAGE)

Bryanna Miles-Sexton (ENGAGE)

Jonathan Dellagiacoma (ENGAGE)

Thomas Jordan (ENGAGE)

Ibrahim Hadi (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Ayman Chami (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Ammar Mohammad (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Abdullah Yousaf (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Sumit

Neeve Ann Nagle (FIRE UP!)

Sina Afsharmehr (FIRE UP!)

Januka Suraweera (FIRE UP!)

Grace Cole (FIRE UP!)

Cam Perez (FIRE UP!)

Harvey Kerrison (FIRE UP!)

Huw Watson (FIRE UP!)

Eamonn Ryan (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Francesca Harrison (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Salma Elmubasher (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Alisa Hamilton (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

Rohen Snowball (QUEER ACTION)

El Potts (QUEER ACTION)

Arden Rasras (QUEER ACTION)

Isabella Taylor (Left Action)

Oscar Favelle (Left Action)

Tom Snow (Left Action)

William Healy (Left Action)

Ash Satchell (Social Justice)

Olivia Lee (Social Justice)

Ella Haid (Social Justice)

Liyara Flavel (Social Justice)

Yasmine Johnson (Social Justice)

Adrian De Dona (Social Justice)

Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted Accepted

7 NUS

Editor in Chief

Managing Editor

2 News Editors

Features Editor

Creative Editor

Social Media Director

Designer

Designer Designer

2 General Editors

Andrew Brogden (Social Justice)

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Daewah Thein (ENGAGE)

Laura Currie (ENGAGE)

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE)

Bryanna Miles-Sexton (ENGAGE)

Jonathan Dellagiacoma (ENGAGE)

Matthew Murray (ENGAGE)

Emanie Samria Darwiche (Eclipse/d)

Mayela Dayeh (MORE MORE MORE)

Rueben Agius (Vertex)

Kimia Nojoumian (MORE MORE MORE)

Simran Shoker (Vertex)

Rueben Agius (Vertex)

Asha Johnston (MORE MORE MORE)

Meg Craigen (MORE MORE MORE)

Mariam (Eclipse/d)

Katie Kelly (Vertex)

Mariam (Eclipse/d)

Teagan Nguyen (Vertex)

Mariam Yassine (MORE MORE MORE)

Jared Kimpton (Vertex)

Layal Alameddine (Eclipse/d)

Mannix Williams Thomson (MORE MORE MORE)

Terry Cai

Nuha Dole (Eclipse/d)

Surya Negi (All Eyes On Us)

Kayla (All Eyes On Us)

Muheba (Vertex)

Akon Angara (MORE MORE MORE)

Chloe (All Eyes On Us)

Shania Pires (Vertex)

Laurie Lim (MORE MORE MORE)

Surya Negi (All Eyes On Us)

Chloe (All Eyes On Us)

Ava Stathatos (Eclipse/d)

James Pham (Eclipse/d)

Dylan Chesher (MORE MORE MORE)

Daphne (All Eyes On Us)

Jordan (Vertex)

Surya Negi (All Eyes On Us)

Alyssa Damara (Vertex)

Terry Cai

Gwen Nguyen (MORE MORE MORE)

Riddhima Pandit Bhasin (Eclipse/d)

Kayla (All Eyes On Us)

List Statements

FIRE UP!

Who are we?

FIRE UP! YOUR SRC is a team of dedicated and pragmatic student leaders committed to making the UTSSA a strong, effective, and inclusive voice for all students – domestic and international, undergraduate and postgraduate, and across every faculty. Our team combines experienced representatives with fresh perspectives, united by a shared commitment to improving the student experience in meaningful and lasting ways.

What have we achieved through the UTSSA?

We don’t just make promises – we deliver. In the past year, FIRE UP! leaders have secured significant wins for students, including:

• Rolling out the changes we introduced last year like:

• Standardising 11:59pm submission times across faculties;

• Late penalties capped at 5% per day across faculties

• A 72-hour simple extension process across faculties with no documentation required

• Cutting the Memorandum of Understanding between UTS and the Israeli Institute of Technology (the Technion) through student organising and protest.

• Initiating a National Student Ombudsman investigation into UTS’s handling of gender-based violence

• ● Developing reforms to the Special Considerations process to make it fairer and more consistent.

• ● Lobbied UTS to change its systems for allocating the Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) – ensuring students get to set the priorities for SSAF funding, and are meaningfully consulted

• Continuously protesting, lobbying, and working with the NTEU to fight $100 million in cuts to courses and staff.

• Representing UTS students at both the State and Federal level at the NSW Antisemitism Inquiry and at the Senate Inquiry into the Quality of Governance at Australian High Education Providers

• Working alongside students to deliver the largest student meeting in years, where students overwhelmingly backed the referendum on Palestine.

• Forcing UTS management to change the way sexual assault and sexual harassment cases are reported, increasing transparency.

• Securing a permanent place for the UTSSA’s free food services so they can’t be shut down by management.

• Successfully introducing additional accountability measures for paid student representatives to ensure they fulfil the requirements of their roles

• Introducing free cooking classes and regular OzHarvest free lunches for students.

• Lobbying UTS to review Housing satisfaction and affordability.

• Successfully implementing reforms to Vertigo has made it one of the strongest years in recent memory.

• Expanding the International Students’ Collective to more than 1000 members;

• Continuing our work with student representatives across NSW to lobby the government for Opal Concessions for international and part-time students.

Why FIRE UP!?

The challenges facing UTS students are serious: cuts to education, a cost-of-living crisis, inaccessible housing, and inadequate student services. FIRE UP! has the track record and experience to tackle these challenges headon. We’ve already delivered results, and we’re ready to keep fighting for a university that puts students first. Here are our 5 key campaign policies:

Save Our Education

The $100 million in cuts represents an existential threat to quality education at UTS. We refuse to let students pay the price for university mismanagement. Education is a right, not a privilege, and we will fight to protect it. We will:

• Push back against cuts to courses, staff, and student services that directly impact student learning and wellbeing.

• Ensure UTS does not invest in or partner with companies or institutions complicit in human rights abuses.

• Implement mandatory feedback for final exams to enable students to learn from their performance.

• Protect quality education and ensure students don’t pay the price for university mismanagement through reduced course offerings, larger class sizes, or diminished support services.

• Continue to build a united student-staff campaign with the NTEU to fight back against the cuts.

• Standardise final exam weighting across courses to ensure fairness and consistency.

• Ensure subsidised textbooks for students and increase the number of free textbooks per student in each class.

Student Welfare First

We will continue expanding food security programs, push for affordable UTS Housing, and demand stronger tenant protections for students.

• Expand free food programs on campus, including regular free lunches and cooking classes, so no student goes hungry.

• Campaign for affordable essentials across all UTS services, from food outlets to printing.

• Fight for affordable, safe, and accessible student housing that doesn’t exploit students.

• Remove reapplication fees for UTS housing.

• Ensure apartments are cleaned and checked for defects before students move in.

• Ensure accountability for exterior events held outside student housing that may impact residents.

• Implement standardised visitor processes that balance security with students’ right to have guests.

• Push for fair rent, stronger tenant protections, and investment in UTS residences.

• Pressure UTS to regularly review and publish housing satisfaction data.

• Fix the UTS Health Service so students can access affordable, timely care.

• Increase counselling services to meet student demand and reduce wait times.

• Expand access to preventative health services on campus, including HIV self-testing.

Access for All

We will campaign for universal lecture recordings, fairer attendance policies, and consistent access to disability support and assistive technologies.

• Increase night class offerings so study is accessible for students with work and caring responsibilities.

• Guarantee universal lecture recordings with closed captions and transcripts.

• Enforce library access for UTS students only during peak times.

• Implement a digital student ID to improve access and streamline services.

• Keep campus buildings open after hours and safe, this means keeping the lights on, for flexible study.

3. 4.

International Student Support

We will fight for fairer visa and housing conditions, expand the International Students Collective, and continue to push for full Opal concessions.

• Campaign to reduce international student visa prices

• Fight for full Opal card concessions for international students

• Establish a committee between international students and UTS management to enable international students to advocate for their needs directly.

• Run a broad range of inclusive events through the UTSSA to foster international student inclusion and build connections across campus.

• Expand the International Students Collective as a strong, visible body to hold UTS accountable.

• Provide genuine support for newly arrived students from Gaza, instead of having allowed war criminals, members of the IDF, a group currently under investigation for genocide, onto campus.

5. Institutional Justice

We will demand accountability and transparency from UTS in cases of sexual harm, racism, and discrimination, ensuring students’ safety and well-being always come first.

• Push UTS to take real action to end gender-based violence on campus.

• Deliver improved reporting pathways, prevention programs, and survivor support.

• Overhaul UTS’s sexual assault and harassment (SASH) reporting so it is transparent, survivor-focused, and accountable.

• Deliver compulsory racism modules and training for staff and students

• Demand UTS cut ties with institutions complicit in apartheid, racism, or human rights abuses.

• Name the genocide in Palestine, stop censorship on campus, and act, not posture above the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.

• Enhanced transparency in student reporting processes, including trauma-informed response training for staff and

clear communication of the reporting system’s structure.

• Comprehensive reform of the student complaints system to ensure greater effectiveness, accessibility, and support for students.

Unity, Truth and Support for the Oppressed

UTS is not a neutral institution. It makes choices every day about whose side it is on and, right now, it is on the wrong side. The university has sacked hundreds of staff, slashed more than a hundred courses, and forced students and workers to pay for the so-called “Operational Sustainability Program.” At the same time, UTS management maintains ties with arms companies and Israeli institutions complicit in apartheid and genocide.

Students know this is unacceptable. We are told to accept cuts, silencing, racism, and complicity in war crimes as “business as usual.” But business as usual is destroying our university and our world.

We are running in this election to demand a different future: one where UTS belongs to its students, staff, and communities- not to corporate managers and war profiteers. This is the future we were promise when entering into academia and is the one we will continue to fight for.

1. Education for People, Not Profit

UTS has become a business. Staff are treated as disposable, courses are cut if they don’t turn a profit, and students are reduced to customers.

UTS is running at a deficit but instead of using reserves (which sits at $1.28 Billion as of 2023), fighting for more public funding (somehow there are hundreds of billions for AUKUS.), or cutting bloated executive pay ($7,915,314 for 14 Total Executive officers), management has chosen the easy road of austerity. They are making students and staff pay for their crisis with job cuts, course cuts, and attacks on our education. A deficit is not an excuse for destruction. There is always an alternative – if, and only if the university puts people before profit.

UTS management’s so-called “Operational Sustainability Program” shows they are willing to sacrifice education and students themselves just to bring forward a projected budget surplus — from 2029 to 2027.

WE BELIEVE EDUCATION IS A RIGHT, NOT A COMMODITY. THAT MEANS:

• Stopping all staff and course cuts.

• Expanding student services, not stripping them.

UTS’s own reports show a surplus was already projected by 2029. Our leaderships so-called ‘Operational Sustainability Program’ only exists to bring that forward to 2027 at the cost of jobs, courses, and students. This is not about saving the university; it is about cooking the books sooner.

2. Cut Ties with Genocide and Apartheid

The university’s own disclosure documents and staff research have shown UTS maintains or has had partnerships with institutions like Technion, Bar-Ilan, and weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, Rafael, and Thales

These companies are directly complicit in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, developing the drones, tanks, and missiles that have slaughtered tens of thousands.

UTS is helping legitimise and resource a regime of apartheid and war. Students have protested, occupied, and spoken out and management has tried to silence them.

Earlier this year, UTS allowed IDF soldiers to speak on campus despite warnings from student groups that it would retraumatise Palestinians and inflame tensions. This decision put occupation soldiers above the safety and dignity of UTS students and shows once again the university’s complicity with apartheid and genocide.

WE DEMAND UTS:

End all partnerships, funding, and research links with Israeli universities and arms corporations.

Publicly disclose every contract and grant involving the “defence” sector.

Stand with international law and human rights, not genocide.

UTS cannot claim to be a “progressive” institution while it collaborates with apartheid.

3. Defend Student Democracy and Free Speech

Students who stand for Palestine have faced surveillance, intimidation, and threats of disciplinary action. In March, the university attempted to impose new restrictions on protests, forcing organisers to seek permission and vet their events. Combined with surveillance and disciplinary threats, these changes risk creating a climate of fear rather than free expression.

UTS is proposing new restrictions on protest including vetting organisers, requiring prior approval, and banning indoor demonstrations. These limits don’t protect safety; they silence students and staff. Requiring prior approval reduces spontaneity and gives management greater control over when and how students can make their voices heard.

A university that claims to be committed to free speech must not erect bureaucratic and vague rules that create fear, uncertainty and ultimately force students into silence. Rules that favor comfortablity of the oppressor are not rules, they are acts of censorship.

We say: the right to protest is non-negotiable. Universities should be spaces of free thought and dissent, not conformity. If management can silence Palestine solidarity today, it can silence climate activists tomorrow, or students fighting fee hikes next.

WE PLEDGE TO:

• Defend the right to protest on campus.

• Oppose any censorship, surveillance, or intimidation of students.

• Build a student union that empowers activism, not stifles it.

4. Stand Against Racism and Islamophobia

Muslim students have been attacked physically and verbally. Indigenous and international students are also targets of structural racism and scapegoating.

WE BELIEVE A UNIVERSITY IS ONLY SAFE IF EVERY STUDENT IS SAFE. THAT MEANS:

Zero tolerance for Islamophobia, racism, and anti-Palestinian discrimination.

Independent reporting systems with real transparency.

An injury to one is an injury to all. UTS cannot be a place of learning while students are attacked for who they are.

5. Defend International Students

International students are being scapegoated for housing shortages and rising costs, but they are not the cause of these crises. They are part of our community, and we must stand with them against exploitation and blame.

WE STAND WITH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AGAINST SCAPEGOATING AND EXPLOITATION. WE DEMAND:

• No caps or discriminatory limits.

• Affordable housing and rent protections for all students.

• Equal access to services, welfare, and representation.

International students are not to blame for a crisis created by governments and profiteers. Their struggle is our struggle.

6. A University of Solidarity

OUR MANIFESTO IS NOT A LIST OF ISOLATED ISSUES. IT IS A VISION OF A UNIVERSITY BUILT ON SOLIDARITY. THAT MEANS:

• Linking the fight for Palestine to the fight against staff cuts.

• Linking the struggle of Muslim students against racism to the struggle of interna-

tional students against exploitation.

• Linking every individual battle into one collective movement.

• Students have the power to fight back but only if we organise.

We are running because UTS must change. Because silence is complicity. Because students deserve more than crumbs. We believe in truth, justice, and freedom. We believe in a university where education is free, students are safe, and oppression has no place. We believe in a union that fights — not one that bends to management.

This election is your chance to take a stand. To say: no more cuts, no more complicity, no more silence. Vote for a platform of justice, solidarity, and liberation. Together, we can transform UTS into a university worthy of its students.

CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES UTS

UTS is making two terrible mistakes at once. Management is attacking our education, slashing staff and hundreds of courses under the so-called “Operational Sustainability Initiative.” At the same time, the university maintains partnerships and funding ties with companies and institutions that human-rights investigators say are actively enabling the violence and occupation in Palestine. We will not allow our campus to be hollowed out while institutions with links to war profiteers and repressive partners remain unquestioned.

What’s happening on campus

• The UTSSA, the Palestinian Youth Society, and student campaigners successfully pressured UTS to sever its exchange with Technion, a victory for Palestine activists.

• ● UTS continues partnerships with defence contractors and defence research facilities (for example, a university-wide MoU with Thales and the new secure “UTS Vault” for defence/cyber research). These links matter because major arms and tech companies are named by investigators as central to supplying and sustaining the Israeli war machine.

The bigger picture - companies and states that enable the violence

• ● Amnesty International’s recent investigation explicitly names major global companies — including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and others — as playing enabling roles in Israel’s crimes (occupation, apartheid and conduct in Gaza). Amnesty calls out the global political-economic networks that facilitate these atrocities. Where universities partner with or accept funding from companies named in such reports, that creates a direct reputational

and ethical problem for our campus. (See Amnesty/coverage.)

• Thales - which has an MoU with UTS - has been reported supplying components used in Israeli drones and weapon systems. Independent investigations and NGO reporting have raised serious concerns about the end-use of that technology.

• Other major defence and tech firms named in human-rights reporting (Lockheed, Boeing, Elbit, Rafael, IAI, Palantir and others) are central to the military ecosystem that Amnesty and others say makes large-scale civilian harm possible. Universities that partner with or receive funding from these companies must not be neutral bystanders.

Why this matters for students

• Cutting courses and staff is not just administrative, it is a moral abdication when the same institution keeps cosy relationships with companies implicated by human-rights investigations. Students should not be lectured on ethics in a university that tolerates funding or partnerships with actors accused of enabling mass civilian suffering.

• When management prioritises consultancy fees, corporate partnerships, or defence contracts over teaching, mental-health supports, and student services, our degrees, wellbeing, and futures suffer - and the university loses moral authority to teach justice or human rights.

Our demands:

CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES

Stop all course and staff cuts. Protect jobs, preserve degree pathways, and reinvest in teaching and student support. Immediate transparency: Publish all current industry & defence partnerships, MoUs, research contracts, and the funders of institutes and centres (including ACRI funding sources). Students and staff must be able to 1. 2.

see who is funding what and for what purpose. Cut ties with entities named by credible human-rights investigations as materially enabling or profiting from the occupation and violence in Palestine.

3. 4.

No censorship of Palestinian speech. Repeal any disciplinary threats, revise campus safety policies used to suppress leafleting or protest, and guarantee the right to organise, speak and teach about Palestine without fear of punishment.

Redirect funding priorities. End executive vanity projects and defence-focused spend when they come at the cost of education, housing, food relief, counselling, and affordable study.

Why vote for CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES

This campaign centres on Palestine because independent human-rights organisations have shown how global corporations and state arms supplies materially enable the current crisis. Institutions that partner with or receive money from those actors, whether through research MoUs, secure defence facilities, or sponsored institutes, must answer for the consequences of those relationships. Naming complicity and demanding accountability is not “political theatre”, it is asking our university to live up to the ethical standards it teaches.

Our message

We are students who refuse to be complicit by silence. We defend education, but we demand a university that refuses to partner with and profit from actors who facilitate mass civilian harm. We stand for truth, integrity, and an education system that protects people, not profits.

Vote [1] CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES For Academic Freedom. For Ethical Partnerships. For Education that stands against violence.

Left Action

UTS STUDENT REVOLUTIONARY FRONT

SEIZE THE MEANS OF CAMPUS LIVING, LIBERATE THE PEOPLE… AND BUY OUR MERCH!

COMRADES, THE HOUR OF DECISIVE STRUGGLE HAS ARRIVED. THE BOURGEOIS ADMINISTRATION OF UTS HAS, FOR FAR TOO LONG, EXPLOITED OUR LABOUR, EXTRACTED SURPLUS VALUE FROM OUR GROUP ASSIGNMENTS, AND IMPRISONED OUR SPIRITS IN $12 SANDWICHES THAT TASTE LIKE THE VERY SOUL OF CAPITALISM ITSELF.

WE DECLARE: THE REVOLUTION WILL BE MILITANT, RADICAL, AND… COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.

WARNING: WHILE WE MOBILISE STUDENTS AGAINST EVERY INJUSTICE, CAFÉ SANDWICHES, LAWN WEEDS, LECTURE HEATERS, PARKING SPACES, AND THE VICE-CHANCELLOR’S MOST EXTRAVAGANT PEN COLLECTION, THE TRUE POWER OF THE REVOLUTION WILL BE RESERVED FOR OUR MERCH STALLS. FLAGS, BADGES, BOOKS, AND OVERPRICED NEWSPAPER WILL FUND THE PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE.

OUR POLICY PILLARS OF THE NEW UTS PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC ARE UNYIELDING:

1. ABOLISH MONEY ON CAMPUS

All transactions replaced with collective sharing… EXCEPT for revolutionary merchandise, subscription newspapers, and commemorative t-shirts. Pay for your “membership” or face the consequences (which are purely symbolic… mostly).

2. SEIZE THE MEANS OF CAMPUS PRODUCTION

Printers, copiers, and lecture slides now serve the people… after a small “donation” to the party fund. Noncompliance will be met with a

strongly worded email and, possibly, a mildly disappointed look from the leadership team.

3. COMMUNAL HOUSING FOR ALL COMRADES

Inner West, Northern Beaches and Eastern Suburbs Apartments, share houses, and common rooms transformed into fortified revolutionary barracks. Beanbags mandatory. Non-contributors must observe from a distance… or buy a $10 newspaper.

4. VIBES-BASED LEARNING ONLY

Participation marks abolished. Grades replaced with revolutionary zeal. Lecturers who object will be subjected to extended one-onone “ideological alignment” sessions and encouraged to purchase a copy of our manifesto for guidance.

5. FREE

RAMEN FOR ALL

Funded by expropriating the vice-chancellor’s leftover stationary and voluntary donations labelled “revolution tax.” Hunger guaranteed to inspire loyalty… and impulse purchases of t-shirts emblazoned with slogans like: “RISE, COMRADE, AND PAY.”

6. MILITANT PROTESTS AGAINST EVERYTHING

Students will wave flags and shout slogans NOTHING WILL CHANGE. NO POLICIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE WE WON’T TALK TO MANAGEMENT ABOUT THE GENUINE CONCERN THESE STUDENTS FEEL. BUT THEY WILL BUY OUR OVERPRICED NEWSPAPER.

7. SOCIALIST ENFORCEMENT OF LOYALTY

Those who hesitate will face the cold glare of the people’s leadership… followed by a polite request to buy a newspaper.

8. REVOLUTIONARY PUBLICITY

All rallies and assemblies will feature inspirational speeches, dramatic gesturing, and merch stalls at every corner. The louder the slogans, the more successful the sale of $20 book detailing our radical, actionable… nothing.

COMRADES, DO NOT BE FOOLED. THE BOURGEOISIE MAY THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS THREAT, BUT IT IS PURELY PERFORMANCE ART IN COMMUNIST CLOTHING. YET, THE PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IN THE FURY OF THE REVOLUTION… WHILE WE CASH IN ON BOOKS, TOTES, AND “EXCLUSIVE” NEWSPAPERS.

REMEMBER: THE REVOLUTION IS COMING… BUT ONLY BETWEEN 9AM AND 5PM ON WEEKDAYS, THANKS TO OUR LEADERS’ LACK OF EMPLOYMENT. ANY ACTUAL RISK OF DANGER IS STRICTLY HYPOTHETICAL AND DISTANT, BECAUSE SOME OF US LIVE IN THE NORTH SHORE AND UTS IS ACROSS THE BRIDGE.

VOTE FOR LEFT ACTION FOR THE UTS STUDENT REVOLUTIONARY FRONT - FOR RADICAL CHANGE, COMFORTABLE NORTH SHORE LIFESTYLE, AND MERCH YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS. RISE, COMRADE, PROTEST, WAVE FLAGS, SHOUT SLOGANS… AND THEN PAY FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP. THE FUTURE IS OURS (AND IT’S $10 FOR A NEWSPAPER).

ENGAGE

Throughout the last few years, the Student Association has achieved a lot. However this goodwill is at risk of being tarnished by prioritising political factionalism over student needs, and leaders with, at times, out of touch conservative opinions. That’s why we’re running ENGAGE. We want to ensure that the UTS Student’s Association is a genuinely welcoming, accessible, and supportive environment for your time at UTS, and a way for all students to really get their voices heard.

Our ticket represents ordinary students from a range of lived experiences; Full time and part time students, postgraduate teachers, students living in on campus housing, students who concurrently live in rural and regional areas and study in the city. These students and their needs are critically underrepresented in our student body. These are the voices that we’re bringing to our Students’ Association.

Students who work, students with disabilities, students who just don’t have a lot of spare time outside of work and uni, or who live in semi regional or rural areas, or have other extenuating circumstances have been effectively locked out of the UTSSA. ENGAGE is a ticket that knows this needs to change. We can no longer stand by whilst the student union is run by only the most privileged and careerist of the bunch, who are more willing to spend student money to plaster their faces on campus than funding student services.

The UTS Students’ Association must be a voice for ALL STUDENTS. It must be a driver of real change, both within the university, and outside of it.

We recognise that the Student’s Association has done a lot of good work this year, across the isle. But it has also operated from the top down, and often expected students to just reach out to them, instead of practically using their resources to reach out to you.

That’s why this election is not just a question of what policies are most appealing. But a question of who is more adequate to represent a cross section of student needs on a day to day basis.

Our policies can be summed up in a few areas that we know are most important to students. Cost of living, Academic Experience, Campus life and Social Change encapsulate some of the biggest issues that UTS students are passionate about.

Cost Of Living

The Cost of Living Crisis is the biggest issue facing students at the moment. Our governments and our institutions just simply aren’t doing enough. Students are skipping meals, students are having to chose work over study just to pay rent and students are facing some of the worst living conditions in recent memory. Students are struggling.

That’s why ENGAGE is determined to:

• Provide support for Students in Private Rentals and students in Student Housing

• Reopen the Students’ Association Secondhand Bookshop

• Fight for and Introduce a Transport Concession for Part Time and International Students

• Expand the UTSSA’s free food services eg. NightOwl Noodles, BlueBird Brekky and Pantry

Academic Experience

Academic experience is not just about coming to your lectures and tutorials. It’s about receiving the quality education that you pay exorbitant amounts of money for with your HECS-HELP and SSAF every semester. Students and staff deserve better. That’s why ENGAGE is determined to:

• Increase availability of resources through the UTS Library - Remove the digital textbooks borrowing cap

• Advocate for in person options for online workshops

• Mandate lecture recordings across all faculties

• Fight against staff and course cuts - because the Vice Chancellor doesn’t make a university, staff and students do!

Campus Life

We all know that campus life has been pretty terrible post-pandemic. Most of us come to uni, go to class, and go straight home. This is not the ‘uni life’ our parents and highschool teachers had always raved about, and it is definitely not feeling like ‘the best years of our lives’.

That’s why ENGAGE is determined to:

• Ban HSC Students from the library and introduce more Study Spaces on campus

• Expand Collective membership and ensure that autonomous collectives, such as the Womens, Disabilities, and Ethnocultural Collectives all have designated safe spaces on campus

Social Change

Social Change is what drives so many young people to get involved in politics at university. We know that social issues such as LGBTQIA+ rights, First Nations Justice, Feminism and anti-racism are incredibly important to our UTS community, and drives us to be a more equitable, progressive and left wing student union.

That’s why ENGAGE is determined to:

• Cut all ties from weapons companies and manufacturers - Fund Education, Not War!

• End deadnaming on campus - Simplifying the processes to change gender markers and names on the roll

• Continue working towards a trauma-informed response to gender based violence on campus

That is not to say however, that we have no credible experience on the Student Association. We aren’t some random “promise you the world and achieve nothing” group. Over the last year, our team has:

• Introduced the 72hr Simple Extension process with no documentation required

• Standardised 11:59pm submission times across all faculties

• Partnered UTS with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme

We recognise that at a time when students are facing the worst cost of living crisis in recent memory, cuts to their education, and lacklusture campus culture, we should pool our resources together to fight back, instead of furthering individual political careers and ideological playgrounds.

A vote for ENGAGE is a vote for a student union that is committed to fighting for a better UTS – by lobbying the university and coming to the negotiating table, but also by pushing for reform on the streets.

VOTE [1] Daewah Thein for PRESIDENT

VOTE [1] Amelia Ireland for ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY

VOTE [1] Caitlin McInnes for WELFARE OFFICER

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Vertex

Who are we?

A vertex has two definitions: the highest point, or the intersection of two or more lines. For us, it’s a direct reflection of our ethos and vision for Vertigo. At the highest point, Vertigo represents collective effort. It can only reach its full potential when every student has a say in it. It can’t be pushed to new heights by a small, familiar group. Vertigo has to be lifted by many hands, by students from every faculty, background, and discipline.

As the intersection of lines, a vertex is where different paths meet, where ideas, cultures, and identities converge. That’s what Vertigo should be: a meeting point. A collaborative space where marginalised communities are centered, not sidelined. A publication where students from all faculties, faiths, ethnicities, sexualities, and abilities can shape what it becomes.

Vertex is a group of passionate, understanding, and fresh faces who want to make Vertigo a magazine that all UTS students feel they can contribute to. With our plans, we are aiming to widen both Vertigo’s readership but also its levels of student and campus involvement to take Vertigo to new heights.

Many UTS students will go through their education at this university without attending Vertigo events, paying a visit to the website, submitting to Vertigo or even picking up a print edition to read. If Vertigo is truly the voice for students, it shouldn’t just be a place for Communications, Design or Law students but a celebrated and familiar part of every student’s UTS experience.

‘Cause THAT’S THE POINT of Vertigo. We’re not fighting just for a vague lofty goal, our team has concrete plans to achieve the vision of a Vertigo that every student will find a home in.

Vertex for Approachability

Submitting to Vertigo can be intimidating, especially for students outside the creative or writing-based faculties. But Vertigo is supposed to be for all UTS Students. Vertex aims to improve Vertigo’s approachability by:

• Making the bylaws which govern Vertigo easily accessible on the Vertigo website: Many students don’t realise that Vertigo operates under legally binding rules as part of the UTS Students’ Association. Making this information clearly visible will empower students to engage critically with the magazine. With an included summary so that students can understand the legally binding goals and constraints surrounding the magazine, we will explain the important clauses and include a short FAQ and infographic to explain what the by-laws mean for contributors and readers.

• We will work towards an open environment at Vertex where authors are given insight to publication requirements: This will directly impact the types of submissions we will receive, as writers will be more likely to submit with confidence and clarity once they understand the process, especially those from outside writing-centric faculties or new to publishing. Vertex will publish a clear Submission Guidelines Pack online that outlines editorial timelines, themes, tone, and expectations, as well as the editorial process that comes after the submission is received, and how it’s reviewed. Transparency will be essential, including the word limits and other restrictions that could affect submissions, especially as the Vertigo print editions have more limits compared to the online publications.

• Reaching out to faculties, clubs and societies which are underrepresented in Vertigo’s contributors and readership: We aim to facilitate greater involvement and bring many perspectives into Vertigo. Vertigo should reflect the full student experience at

UTS, not just a slice of it. This approach will expand readership and foster a publication where everyone can see themselves represented. We will do this by attending club meetings, faculty events and society fairs to speak directly with students and invite contributions. We will collaborate with societies on content, and run faculty-targeted contributor campaigns with examples of discipline specific writing, like research explainers, op-eds, or creative pieces from unusual angles.

• Allowing the option to use pseudonyms or be anonymous:

This can be used as satire, an artistic statement or desire to separate themselves from their work. Students deserve control over how they are publicly associated with their work. A flexible policy like this allows for safer, more authentic contributions, without compromising editorial standards.

Vertex for Student News

According to UTS bylaws, 25% of each Vertigo edition has to be Student News, yet it’s one of the categories with the least submissions. Our policies will reevaluate the way submissions are received through promoting a collaborative framework, allowing more frequent input. “Student News is about you, so it should be made by you.” Vertex is committed to fostering involvement in Student News by:

• Creating an anonymous tip system: This will allow students to give a heads up to our News Editors, without the possibly intimidating process of coming forward with a story. Students may want to report, but not feel safe or confident stepping forward. To aid with this, we will build a tip form on the Vertigo website that will include an optional field for context or contact info if the student wants to be followed up. Tips will also be moderated and reviewed internally with a strong commitment to confidentiality. We’ll treat every tip with care, fostering a safe and trusted space for sourc-

es. In addition, we will also publish regular callouts for tips, stories and student insights

• Encouraging students with a story to directly communicate and collaborate with our news editors:

Through social media, we will encourage students to directly work with our news editors, with the aim of working together to bring important stories to Vertigo straight from a student source. Many students have valuable stories, but may not necessarily know how to write a news piece. This approach will empower them to collaborate directly with our team to lead to more accurate coverage and more trust in the publication.

• Connecting with societies, clubs and faculties to provide timely event coverage and encourage submissions from a wider range of UTS students:

Vertex aims to create a recurring ‘Faculty Feature’ and ‘Club Spotlight’ in Vertigo to offer event coverage and build long–term relationships with UTS societies and faculties. To act as a bridge to amplify that work to the wider UTS community, whilst also diversifying our contributor base. Even everyday students at UTS are producing amazing works of art, design, research architecture, engineering and more. So from paintings to robotics, Vertex wants to also highlight these student achievements.

• Producing video content on social media including on-the-street interviews and event coverage to boost engagement with UTS student body:

We will boost Vertigo’s presence and engagement through video-first content that brings students’ voices and campus culture to life. We will launch a frequent series of shortform videos, such as ‘UTS on the Street’ and ‘Behind-the-Scenes at Vertigo’ to allow us to reach students who may not read a full print article. It also makes Vertigo feel more present and interactive on campus.

Vertex for Community

Despite being an established publication since 1973, Vertigo is still widely unfamiliar with the majority of UTS students. Vertigo is written BY students, FOR all students. Vertex is dedicated to strengthening the sense of community through:

• Holding a creative writing and an art competition:

To give more opportunities for students to showcase and be rewarded for their work, Vertex will launch a creative writing and art competition to spotlight and celebrate the wide-ranging creative talents of UTS students, regardless of their experience level. Each competition will follow a theme to inspire creativity and unify entries, and be promoted through UTS social media, and outreach to creative clubs and societies, as well as non-traditional contributors, to further foster collaboration. Winners and runners-up will be featured in a special print or online Showcase Issue. Prior to opening submissions, we’ll host free writing and art workshops and spaces to encourage less experienced students to participate and gain confidence in their creative journey.

• Hosting casual social events (outside of magazine launches):

This would allow students to develop personal connections with the publication team and other Vertigo readers. This can include coffee catch-ups, open mic nights, or creative hangouts held on campus or at accessible local venues. This would be an open invitation to all students, regardless of previous involvement, so that anyone interested in contributing to or reading Vertigo can meet the team and each other without any prerequisites. In doing so we aim to create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere where students feel valued and heard, helping to foster long-term relationships that strengthen Vertigo’s role as a vibrant hub for activism and storytelling.

• Designing articles to include the course names alongside the author’s name: This aims to promote submissions outside of

creative or writing-based faculties and highlight the diversity of our University. We will do this by updating Vertigo’s submission form to include an optional field for course information, and feature contributors’ academic backgrounds in both print and digital formats, showing that Vertigo welcomes submissions from all faculties.

• Including ‘Letters to the Editor’ or similar, to allow student feedback on print magazines:

To foster meaningful student engagement and accountability, Vertex will formally bring back the ‘Letters to the Editor’ section in each issue of Vertigo, offering students to reflect on and respond to published content. We will dedicate a full section in each print issue for student letters. In doing so, we will also establish editorial guidelines for respectful, constructive feedback to ensure it remains a safe space for discourse.

Vertex for Activism

Vertex is made up of a diversity of writers, editors and designers who come from a variety of faith and ethnic backgrounds. We believe that diversity is essential for any Vertigo editorial team, and will use this to amplify the voices of minority and marginalized communities left out from mainstream publications. We stand for a free Palestine and First Nations justice. Vertex will continue to foster the activist history of student journalism by:

• Reaching out to the many ethnocultural and faith-based societies on campus: Ensuring Vertigo is known as a place students can speak freely about their identity. We commit to ensuring that Vertigo’s editorial team is educated on and sensitive to diverse customs, histories, and perspectives of different communities. Our goal is to build long-term relationships where these communities see Vertigo as a consistent ally and platform, not just during cultural events or isolated issues.

• Promoting journalism that focuses on topical issues, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza:

Our reporting will show how these struggles are connected to UTS and the student body, including research collaborations and activism on campus. Our coverage will push back against mainstream media erasure, misinformation, and pro-settler colonial bias. We take a proud stand for Palestine, against war profiteering and the unjustified cuts at our university..

• Curate themed issues focused on socially marginalised groups:

This includes LGBT+ and BIPOC experiences, led by contributors from those communities. Authentic representation requires more than just inviting diverse voices; it demands that those voices guide the editorial vision. Vertex will facilitate collaborative storytelling spaces where contributors can workshop ideas, share feedback, and build solidarity. This aims to provide autonomy over story selection, issue design, and editorial direction, rather than outside oversight that risks diluting or misrepresenting the nuances of their experiences.

Why vote Vertex?

A vote for Vertex is a vote for a progressive, inclusive, and collaborative era of Vertigo, one where every student has a voice, and every voice has a place.

If you’d like more information, including seeing our work, follow us @Vertex4Vertigo on Instagram.

VOTE [1] RUEBEN AGIUS FOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

VOTE [1] SIMRAN SHOKER FOR MANAGING EDITOR

VOTE [1] TEAGAN NGUYEN FOR FEATURES EDITOR

VOTE [1] JARED KIMPTON

FOR CREATIVE EDITOR

VOTE [1] SHANIA PIRES FOR DESIGNER

VOTE [1] MUHEBA MOHAMED SHUKRI FOR SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

VOTE [1] OR [2] KATIE KELLY FOR NEWS EDITOR

VOTE [1] OR [2] RUEBEN AGIUS FOR NEWS EDITOR

VOTE [1] OR [2] ALYSSA DAMARA FOR GENERAL EDITOR

VOTE [1] OR [2] JORDAN CAPPELLO FOR GENERAL EDITOR

VOTE [1] VERTEX FOR VERTIGO

MORE MORE MORE

VOTE [1] MORE MORE MORE for Vertigo

2026

We are a team of fresh faces led by three returning editors who know Vertigo - its possibilities, its potential, and its power to reflect and shape student life. We’re running to give you MORE; more relevance, more community, and more representation.

We’re committed to a BIPOC Edition that centres students from across cultural backgrounds. A volume led by voices who have historically been left out, and one that reflects our team’s diverse identities: First Nations, Latin American, Middle Eastern, African diaspora, South Asian, East Asian, and European.

Vertigo is grounded in a legacy of queerness and bold editorial vision. As a team of minority students, we carry that legacy forward by championing stories that challenge power - from amplifying students challenging occupation, to reporting on the realities students face on and off campus.

We believe Vertigo should exist in more than just print and online. In 2026, we will expand Vertigo’s presence further into everyday student life - without compromising its editorial independence or artistic vision.

We know the systems, the stakes, and the standards. Let us skip the learning curve, and go straight into making MORE MORE MORE of the magazine you deserve.

Candidate Statements

Office Bearers

President

Dhruv D Thakkar

As a postgraduate student with three years of professional experience managing civil infrastructure projects spanning eight airports, I have come to understand leadership as empathy, accountability, and results. Running for president is motivated by my belief that UTSSA ought to be an inclusive, open, and proactive organization really reflecting the needs of its varied student body.

UTSSA’s role as a student-led voice advocating better services, more equitable laws, and substantial engagement is what I want to strengthen. I want to ensure that all students—domestic, foreign, undergraduate, or graduate—feel heard and supported. This involves supporting stronger housing and employment rights, simpler access to academic aid, and greater mental health resources.

I also want to improve UTSSA’s communications and activities. Students should know why decisions are being made for them. Frequent updates, public discussions, and clear documentation will help me to make council proceedings more transparent. Besides promoting, UTSSA should be a link between kids, society, possibilities, and

one another. I will support programs promoting collaboration among academic departments, clubs, and cultural groups and ensure student-led projects receive deserved credit and money.

Leadership means showing up, listening carefully, and acting. Throughout my career, I have kept myself to that standard; I will continue to do so at UTSSA.

Neeve Ann Nagle (FIRE UP!)

As a third-year law and communications student and current UTSSA Welfare Officer, my work has always been grounded in the realities students face every day: unaffordable rents, rising food insecurity, and a university that too often hides behind corporate priorities instead of listening to its students. I know these struggles firsthand, and I have consistently acted to make sure students aren’t ignored or silenced, but organised and supported.

This year, I led campaigns exposing the exploitation in UTS Housing, where rents have surged while management has sold off residences and neglected accountability to students. I have fought to hold UTS Housing to basic standards of affordability, safety, and transparency, because no student should be priced out of their own campus. Alongside this, I have defended our free food programs,

securing permanent spaces for Blue Bird Brekkie and Night Owl Noodles, so that students don’t go hungry during a cost-of-living crisis.

I have also been uncompromising in demanding accountability from UTS: from exposing unfair housing practices, to pushing for transparency in corporate partnerships, to challenging exclusionary policies that silence marginalised voices. My leadership has always been about more than just opposing bad decisions, it is about building student power strong enough to win change. If elected President, I will:

1. Continue the fight for fair housing at UTS

• Push for affordable rent and stronger tenant protections in UTS residences.

• End re-application fees that unfairly penalise students wanting to continue their housing.

• Demand that UTS invest in expanding safe, accessible, and affordable student accommodation instead of selling it off.

2. Expand food security and cost-ofliving support

• Protect and grow free food programs on campus, ensuring they are accessible, reliable, and permanent.

• Campaign for affordable essentials across UTS outlets, from printing to meals, recognising that students live on tight budgets.

3. Demand transparency and accountability

• In the midst of a $100 million cost cutting exercise students should know now more than ever exactly how UTS spends their money, from housing contracts to corporate partnerships.

• Hold both UTS and the UTSSA to democratic, fair, and transparent practices, with no tolerance for secrecy or inaction.

4. Continue to build solidarity across struggles

• Continue to support campaigns against racism, discrimination, and

exploitation in all forms.

• Ensure that the struggles for housing, food security, welfare, and justice are connected, because they all come back to the right of students to live, learn, and thrive with dignity.

I am running for President because I believe students deserve more than empty promises. We deserve a UTSSA that delivers real, material change: affordable housing, accessible food, and a union that confronts the university with courage and integrity. I have shown that I am not afraid to fight for these things, and as President, I will continue until every student is supported, respected, and empowered.

Daewah Thein

(ENGAGE)

Hey everyone, my name is Daewah Thein, I’m studying Communications (Social and Political Science) and I am running to be your SRC President for 2026.

I am running with ENGAGE because I don’t believe in gatekeeping, I believe in a union that fights for the interests of all students, one that is committed to fighting for a better UTS – by lobbying the university and coming to the negotiating table, but also by pushing for reform on the streets. I believe in a truly democratic, progressive and left-wing

student union, and I am running for President because I want to see this reflected in the UTS Students’ Association.

I know that the biggest issue faced by students at the moment is the cost of living crisis. Our governments and our institutions just simply aren’t doing enough. Students are skipping meals, having to chose work over study just to pay rent and students are facing some of the worst living conditions in recent memory. Students are struggling. That’s why as UTSSA President, I will fight to; provide support for students in private rentals and students in Student Housing, Reopen the Students’ Association Secondhand Bookshop, Introduce a Transport Concession for Part Time and International Students and to Expand the UTSSA’s free food services eg. NightOwl Noodles, BlueBird Brekky and Pantry.

I am proud that we ended the MOU with the Israeli Institute of Technology, and I promise to continue this work with kicking weapons manufacturers off campus, and campaigning against the ongoing genocide in gaza that our Governments and Institutions continue to fund.

I dont want to use this position to stroke my own ego, or further my own career. This is not just your regular student union election, this is an election between a student union that acts as a lynchpin for budding political bureaucrats or a student union commited to tearing down the status quo, and becoming a real force for student voices. When you receive your ballot paper, I want you to ask yourself these two questions.

Which of the presidential candidates do you see most on campus?

Who would you rather have representing you — a genuinely approachable person who you see everyday or a person who turns their back on regular students to be shut away in the office?

Vote [1] Daewah Thein for PRESIDENT

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

General Secretary

Schazain Babar

As a candidate for General Secretary of the UTSSA, I offer a unique combination of high-level administrative precision, strategic governance experience, and a proven record of managing complex operations. As a domestic Juris Doctor Student at UTS Law School. My policy is built on a platform of Executive Empowerment, Institutional Integrity, and Unwavering Accountability.

As a candidate for General Secretary, I will leverage my extensive professional experience to be a strategic, diligent, and impactful voice on the UTSSA Board. My career has been built on scrutiny and delivery—from conducting due diligence on multi-million dollar M&A deals at RIAA Barker Gillette to analysing complex market data at KPMG. I will apply this same analytical rigour to Board proposals, ensuring every decision in the interests of UTSSA.

title; I am running to be the operational backbone of the UTSSA, providing the stability and strategic oversight necessary to amplify our advocacy and enhance the student experience for every UTS student.

Furthermore, my role in managing the launch of a nationwide Binance x Macquarie University crypto course—which involved negotiating with Vice Chancellors and senior executives—demonstrates my capability to handle high-stakes liaison and complex project management. As General Secretary, I will be the central hub that empowers every Director. I will implement a structured onboarding process for new Board members, providing them with the resources, historical data, and administrative support they need to hit the ground running and effectively deliver on their campaign promises for the students they represent.

Transparency is the foundation of trust. I will champion a new era of open communication by creating a centralised, accessible digital repository for all Board meeting minutes, financial reports, and policy documents. Students have a right to know how their SSAF is being spent and what their representatives are achieving. By ensuring these processes are seamless and transparent, we strengthen our student democracy and build a more accountable, effective, and powerful student association.

My experience in constitutional and legislative drafting under the mentorship of an Attorney General has equipped me with the skills to negotiate effectively with university leadership. I will be a formidable advocate on university committees, fighting for tangible improvements: increasing the number and value of postgraduate scholarships, clarifying IP policies for research students, and ensuring timetabling for coursework masters students respects their professional commitments. For our generation, I strongly feel that socialising is the backbone of any society, and feel that Covid has taken away the true fabric of having fun and has made everything around

superficial. I will strive to introduce new kinds of social events which will be an inclusive and safe platform for every student at UTS to express themselves and showcase who they are while growing their network as much as they can.

Salma Elmubasher (FIRE UP!)

As a third-year Law and Business student, current Ethnocultural Officer, and President of the Palestinian Youth Society, I have consistently demonstrated that student representation must be both principled and uncompromising. My leadership has been defined by confronting systemic inequities, demanding accountability, and ensuring that marginalised students are not spoken for, but In my capacity as Ethnocultural Officer, I have advanced motions in our SRC, embedding the principle of “nothing about us without us”, challenged exclusionary complaint processes, and contributed to submissions addressing UTS’s complicity in human rights violations through its corporate partnerships. Within my current role, I have mobilised students in solidarity with Palestine, while resisting anti-Palestinian racism and the silencing of cultural resistance on campus. As both Ethnocultural Officer and President of the Palestinian Youth Society, I played a central role in cutting UTS’s ties with the Israeli Institute of Technology, lessening our university’s complicity in the genocide inflicted on Gaza. These efforts reflect a broad-

er vision: a university that is not insulated from justice, but held to the same standards of equity and integrity that it professes to uphold. As General Secretary, I will:

• Institutionalise equity and representation: Push for binding consultation requirements so that marginalised students are substantively included in governance, not tokenised.

• Ground advocacy in intellectual rigour: Apply my legal and policy studies to ensure that UTSSA campaigns are evidence-based, strategically framed, and resistant to co-option.

• Enforce accountability and transparency: Demand both the University and UTSSA model democratic, fair, and inclusive practices.

• Forge solidarities across struggles: Recognise that Palestine, climate justice, anti-racism, disability rights, and gender equity are interconnected, and mobilise students around a shared framework of liberation.

I stand for a UTSSA that is fearless in its advocacy, grounded in rigorous analysis, and unwavering in its commitment to justice. My vision is for a union that does not shy away from difficult truths but confronts them directly with integrity, courage, and solidarity.”

Dhruv D Thakkar

In my previous role as a Contracts & Procurement Manager, I handled documentation, compliance, and coordination for significant civil projects. That event taught me the value of precision, planning, and accountability, therefore I will use these abilities in my capacity as general secretary.

General Secretary drives the engine room of UTSSA’s governance. My goal is to guarantee that council proceedings are transparent, effective, and absolutely constitutional. I will focus on accurate record keeping, timely dispatch of meeting minutes, and clear communication of options to the student population.

Furthermore, I hope to simplify internal procedures such that office bearers may cooperate more effectively, disseminate updates, and preserve alignment. Students should have easy and quick access to UTSSA decisions and papers. I’ll attempt to simplify these processes and make them more understandable for students.

Encouraging UTSSA to have a professional and honest culture is my last objective. Good leadership benefits students both and helps advocacy be more successful.

Assistant General Secretary

Cam Perez (Fire Up)

My name is Camila Perez-Marin, and I am nominating for Assistant General Secretary of the UTS Student Association. As a student of Communications (Social and Political Sciences) (Media Business), Creative Intelligence and Innovation and a Diploma of Languages (Spanish), I have come to understand how systems shape our collective experience, and how transparency and collaboration can contribute to a more enriching learning environment for everyone.

I believe the role of Assistant General Secretary is not just about administration, but about strengthening our union’s accountability to students. Having been a student representative and Head of Events in TD Connect in 2025; I bring strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and a deep commitment to ensuring that governance processes are open, accessible, and meaningful. I know how important it is to communicate clearly, to listen actively, and to create spaces where all voices, are heard and valued.

My studies at UTS have reinforced the

importance of bridging ideas with practice. Through my work I have seen how collaboration, when structured effectively, can lead to tangible and lasting change. These lessons are directly relevant to union governance, where accountability, participation, and transparent systems ensure that the student voice is not only heard but acted upon.

If elected, I will fight for:

Transparency: making UTSSA & NUS decisions more visible by publishing clear and timely meeting outcomes, financial reports, and policy updates in student-friendly formats.

Accessibility: working to simplify UTSSA communications so that all students, regardless of background or workload, can engage with and benefit from our work.

Accountability: ensuring governance is not a barrier, but a tool for advancing student wellbeing, financial assistance, and fair representation.

At UTS, I have learned that systems can either exclude or empower; by embedding principles of accountability, accessibility, and equity into the governance of the student union, I will work to create a culture where all students feel represented, respected, and able to participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their university experience.

I envision a union that students can trust; one that is proactive in addressing issues, rigorous in upholding accountability, and inclusive in building community. With my background in leadership, administration, and systems thinking, I am FIRED UP to contribute to that vision and to serve as a reliable and approachable Assistant General Secretary. Together, we can make the UTSSA more connected to the students it exists to serve.

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Yaama maliyaa! Hello friends! My name is Amelia, I’m a second year Communications (Journalism & Social Political Sciences) student and I am running to be your Assistant General Secretary of the UTSSA. I am a proud Gomeroi woman, trade unionist and the current UTSSA Disabilities Officer.

I’m running with ENGAGE because I believe in a truly representative student union; one that is run as a member organisation and that will fight tirelessly for the rights of UTS students. As a student with a disability, who lives in the Hawkesbury region, I know just how hard it is to be a full time uni student, part time worker and someone who is involved with the student union. These are the kinds of voices that ENGAGE is bringing to the table, people with real life experiences with a genuine drive for change.

The UTSSA has done a lot of great work, like establishing the Bluebird Brekky and Night Owl Noodle free food programs, campaigning to end the MOU with the Israeli Institute of Technology, introducing the 72hr Simple Extension process with no documentation required and my goal as 2025 Disabilities Officer of partnering the university with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme. Unfortunately, this just isn’t enough, with students facing the worst cost of living crisis in recent memory, massive cuts to their education and an ever uncertain global political climate, the

UTS Students Association desperately needs to be working as hard as possible to stand up and fight back.

As Assistant General Secretary, I will commit to fighting and campaigning for; total divestment from weapons companies and manufacturers, simplifying the processes to change gender markers and names on the roll, establishing a trauma-informed response to gender based violence on campus, reopening the Students’ Association Secondhand Bookshop and fighting against course and staff cuts at every opportunity, and so much more.

I want to ensure that the UTS Student’s Association is a genuinely welcoming, accessible, and supportive environment for your time at UTS, and a way for all students to really get their voices heard.

Vote [1] Amelia Ireland for ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Dhruv D Thakkar

In the post of Assistant General Secretary, who has a vital supporting role in UTSSA activities, I feel at ease. Years spent in high-pressure environments managing paperwork and logistics have shown me the need of dependability, secrecy, and meticulous attention to detail.

In this capacity, I will make sure that council proceedings are well recorded and readily available by assisting in the production of agendas, minutes, and reports. Furthermore, I will help the General Secretary to maintain procedural consistency and governance standards.

Responsiveness—that is, making sure student questions are answered swiftly, internal correspondence is sent on schedule, and UTSSA’s protocols are followed—is my primary priority. show the professional standards pupils require. I back calm leadership, the kind that keeps things moving in the background without seeking recognition.

Nischay

As a third-year international undergraduate studying Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at UTS, I have a solid background in systems engineering. My job at Australia Post involves optimising parcel sorting workflows and providing excellent customer service, which makes me a great fit for the role of Assistant General Secretary. This position requires strong organisational skills, adherence to procedures, and effective stakeholder engagement—skills I have honed by managing complex logistics and addressing customer inquiries with calmness and efficiency. Being an international student, I recognise the importance of accessible governance in

diverse communities. I am applying for this position to assist the General Secretary in enhancing UTSSA’s administrative structure, ensuring it empowers all students through transparency and innovation. My nomination highlights my readiness to support UTSSA’s mission, combining technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills for smooth operations.

My main goal will be to promote digital transparency to make access more democratic. I plan to manage the creation of a centralised online portal that includes real-time dashboards for meeting minutes, agendas, and motion trackers, featuring multilingual options and audio transcripts to support international and non-traditional students. Drawing from my experience at Australia Post in efficient service delivery, I will introduce “”Governance Check-Ins””—bi-weekly feedback systems that prioritise submissions and offer actionable updates within 72 hours, building trust and encouraging participation.

Third, I want to focus on promoting inclusivity and fairness in our processes: As the Assistant, I will lead the Procedures Committee to improve our governance rules. I plan to test out hybrid e-voting for non-binding resolutions to encourage more participation from commuters and international students. We will also have outreach efforts that include special sessions for underrepresented groups, making sure that a variety of voices are heard in our decisions. At the same time, we will stick to our electoral timelines—like the upcoming deadline for nominations on 19 September.

I am committed to being precise, understanding, and proactive in my service, which makes me a great fit for UTSSA. I am ready to help modernise our administration while still upholding our core values. I encourage UTSSA to support my nomination, as I believe I can strengthen the Association’s operational excellence.

Schazain Babar

As a candidate for AGS of the UTSSA, I offer a unique combination of high-level administrative precision, strategic governance experience, and a proven record of managing complex operations. As a domestic Juris Doctor Student at UTS Law School. My policy is built on a platform of Executive Empowerment, Institutional Integrity, and Unwavering Accountability.

As a candidate for AGS, I will leverage my extensive professional experience to be a strategic, diligent, and impactful voice on the UTSSA Board. My career has been built on scrutiny and delivery—from conducting due diligence on multi-million dollar M&A deals at RIAA Barker Gillette to analysing complex market data at KPMG. I will apply this same analytical rigour to Board proposals, ensuring every decision in the interests of UTSSA.

My career has been defined by operating efficiently in high-pressure, high-stakes environments, from Tier 1 M&A firms to the office of an Attorney General. I understand the weight of fiduciary duty and the mechanics of effective administration. I am not running for a title; I am running to be the operational backbone of the UTSSA, providing the stability and strategic oversight necessary to amplify our advocacy and enhance the student experience for every UTS student.

Furthermore, my role in managing the launch of a nationwide Binance x Macquarie University crypto course—which involved negotiating with Vice Chancellors and senior executives—demonstrates my capability to handle high-stakes liaison and complex project management. As AGS, I will be the central hub that empowers every Director. I will implement a structured onboarding process for new Board members, providing them with the resources, historical data, and administrative support they need to hit the ground running and effectively deliver on their campaign promises for the students they represent.

For our generation, I strongly feel that socialising is the backbone of any society, and feel that Covid has taken away the true fabric of having fun and has made everything around superficial. I will strive to introduce new kinds of social events which will be an inclusive and safe platform for every student at UTS to express themselves and showcase who they are while growing their network as much as they can.

Education Officer

Ella Haid (Social Justice)

Hi! I’m Ella, a Diploma of Languages student and socialist activist running for the UTSSA’s Education Officer role.

I’ve spent the past year organising the Stop The Cuts UTS campaign in response to the immense attack that the “Operational Sustainability” plan poses to our education. Cutting $100M from the university’s budget will see at least 400 staff sacked and over 140 courses merged or cut. While our VC has had these plans in the works since late 2024, and while he’s found the time to pay consulting firms $44M to carry them out, students and staff have been expected to just quietly accept mass sackings and course cuts.

Our campaign has been a rallying cry against this corporate agenda. We’ve organised protests, forums and speakouts with students and staff because we believe in education that isn’t run for profit.

When I’m not publicising management’s latest course-cutting crimes, you’ll find me

handing out flyers for upcoming rallies like the Palestine Action Group’s regular protests in Hyde Park against the genocide in Gaza. Palestine is without a doubt our generation’s Vietnam. The systematic murder of over 600 000 people has rightly shaken a generation of people into fury at our own governments’ complicity.

In August I helped to organise the UTS wing of the National Student Referendum on Palestine. The Students for Palestine team couldn’t have been prouder to have organised our uni’s biggest ever event for Palestine - 300 UTS Students crowded the lawns to vote for our uni to cut ties with weapons companies and sanction the Australian Government for their complicity in the genocide.

I also co-organised the Speakout Against Sexism at UTS in semester one. We called this protest after management sent an email to a group of anti-sexist activists at UTS, directing them to take down a poster advertising their upcoming meeting. The reason? Management thought a meeting about the shocking rise of sexist and far-right politics risked “”””offending”””” teenage boys on campus!

Social Justice is a crew of left-wing, pro-Palestine, anti-capitalists activists who think student unions should play a role in fighting injustice on and off campus.

We’re for a UTSSA independent of the major parties, both of which have waged attacks on universities, enabled Gaza’s genocide, and continued to oversee the cost of living crisis that has put students and workers last while the profits of the 1% have come first.

Aayush

I will contest the post of Education Officer since I feel the core of my university life must be a quality education that is future oriented and that must equip the students to face the real challenges in life. I have a vision of ensuring that the voice of every student is heard, respected and reflected in the process of making decisions that determine our learning.

One of the priorities will be the modernisation of course structures and syllabi. There are too many subjects that use old content, which is no longer suitable to the industry practice. I will advocate frequent checks and balances, involving the students, to ensure that the courses are kept up to date as the graduates are competitive. Programs to reach or sustain professional accreditation will also be a cause that I will champion so that UTS degrees remain relevant in Australia and beyond.

I would like to enhance student power in curriculum making. Sometimes, the changes are introduced too frequently without appropriate consultation. I will strive to establish forums that are accessible, by use of surveys, open forums and better representation of students in academic boards hence these students can influence their learning environment by making decisions before they are finalised.

I will also work on assessing and workload equity. There are a lot of conflicting deadlines, lack of clarity in marking rubrics, and workload among students. I will support equitable scheduling, feedback or evaluation programs that are based on learning outcomes and not survival of the fittest.

It is also important to support the students academically. I will advocate increased availability of tutoring services, learning materials, and online tools, and quality lecture recording. To students who have to work, family, or care responsibilities I will advocate greater flexibility such as blended learning opportunities and fair extension policies.

As Education Officer, I feel like an intermediary- between the staff and the students, the problems, and the resolutions. I will present student interest to Students Representative Council and make them heard at the topmost level in the University. Through addressing the areas of modernising education, defending accreditation, safeguarding fairness, and giving voice to students, I will also seek to make UTS a place where all students can excel academically and graduate knowing the worth of their degree.

Welfare Officer

Sina Afsharmehr (FIRE UP!)

Hi I’m Sina, a third year Law and Business (Economics) student running for Welfare Officer!

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of serving on SRC as the Environment and Technology Officer. In this role, I have worked to make sure that students are taken seriously in university decisionmaking by fighting against university funding cuts and against AI exam proctoring by raising awareness about privacy issues and unfair flagging by ProctorU. I have also organised a range of volunteering opportunities on and off campus alongside UTS SOUL and societies like UTS Red Cross and The Big Lift. The experiences have strengthened my commitment to a more fair UTS where all students have access to the opportunities they deserve.

• Cost of Living

I believe for so many students, the cost of living is the most pressing issue they deal

with. As someone from Western Sydney, I see the daily realities of the cost of living crisis, including rising rents, food prices and the cost of transport for those who have to commute to university, placing further strain on students who have to juggle making ends meet with their studies. Over my time on council, I have seen the important role that the UTSSA already plans in addressing these issues through the Bluebird pantry and Nighowl Noodles. As your Officer, I will work to ensure that these programs are expanded, with more times when Nightowl Noodles is open and by expanding the offerings at the pantry to include more culturally diverse food so that all students, including those from diverse backgrounds and international students feel at home at UTS.

• Sustainable Student Services

Having a more sustainable campus does not have to come at the cost of supporting those in need. As your Welfare officer, some of the goals I will be working towards include setting up clothes bins and dishwashers in shared spaces so that we can reduce waste while still expanding ways that the UTSSA supports students.

• Accessibility

Accessibility is another priority for me. Too many students face barriers in their education because they have to work or because of their disability. If elected, I will fight for more flexible timetables, more night classes and more supports for students’ accessibility requirements so that no student is left behind because of their needs.

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE)

Hey everyone! My name is Caitlin, I am a Forensic Science (Digital Forensics) student.

I’m running with ENGAGE because I know that UTS deserves a welfare officer that values material support and empathy, not one who votes against free university and including textbooks on HECS. We know that welfare matters because it supports students in their university life, not because it can be used to pad out a resume. Student centred change cannot be achieved without regular students leading it - this is the guiding principle that shapes ENGAGE to its core. As your welfare officer, I pledge to achieve real change for matters that immediately concern you, such as fighting for a transport concession for ALL students and increasing the availability of frequently used library resources.

The SRC and student advocacy should be easily accessible to the average student without requiring you to already be involved in student politics. I know that it can feel impossible to understand how to get your voice heard and that’s why I, as well as everyone under ENGAGE, strive towards removing the bureaucratic barriers between you and the mechanisms of change. Contacting myself or the SRC will be made as easy as possible and will allow all student concerns to be discussed in full.

In my time at university I have found it frustrating that the smaller fees which add up are never included in the discussion around affordability and student welfare. The things you need to buy every so often that force you to forgo necessities or choose between food and enjoyment. This is why ENGAGE aims to open a second-hand store for university resources such as textbooks or lab coats, allowing you to buy what you need without breaking your budget. We additionally promise to further expand the UTSSA’s free food services, such as the Night Owl Noodles and the BlueBird Pantry, to give back to students both in need and not.

Vote [1] Caitlin McInnes for WELFARE OFFICER

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Sumit

University life in 2025 is marked by extraordinary upheaval. UTS has just announced the discontinuation of 167 courses and 1101 subjects (almost one-third of all UTS subjects). These cuts leave quite a number of students half-way facing their future and once of the most valuable services is access to welfare support. My mission as a Welfare Officer is to accomplish the following: not to leave a single student behind in this uncertainty climate. In case of election, I will struggle to provide emergency welfare grants and specific

help to students who have been affected in a worse way by the course closures. I will advocate for easy access to counselling, 24/7 online services and peer mentoring schemes because I wish to realise that the percentage of psychological distress among students in Australian universities has soared to high and very high 54% since the time of the pandemic. There is a slipping of the earlier students with disabilities and those faced by financial stress.

My view is that there should be personalised welfare support as opposed to generic welfare support. I will work with UTS to leverage data-driven outreach, taking action to proactively identify at-risk students and link them to emergency housing, food pantries, and mental health services when needed, but not after a crisis has already struck a student.I will champion open budgeting and dogged financing of student related welfare. My approach by ensuring that welfare includes academic, financial, and mental health needs.I will turn my safety net into something visible, accessible, and non-judgemental.”

Indigenous Students’ Officer

Taya Morante (Fire Up)

I’m Taya Morante, a proud Dunghutti woman in my third year of law school, nominating for the Indigenous Students’ Officer position.

Indigenous students are underrepresented in the professional and academic world. The role of universities should be to help bridge those gaps and uplift First Nations Australians, and yet, we’re often left out of decision-making. The university delivers policies and initiatives for our betterment, but forgets to ask us what we actually need and hence go unnoticed. As Indigenous Students’ Officer, I would push for transparency in how decisions are made and ensure your voices are genuinely heard and acted upon.

I currently serve as the Indigenous Student Representative on the Faculty’s Indigenous Strategy Committee, where I collaborate with executives to deliver initiatives supporting Indigenous students to access university, complete their degrees, and find professional

opportunities. On the Students’ Association Council, I would be part of a team dedicated to applying real pressure on UTS executives and keeping them accountable across all faculties.

I currently volunteer at TalkFest, a HELPS program that supports international students in English fluency. It has strengthened my skills in listening, understanding, and ensuring voices are heard. My experiences in debating, public speaking, and volunteering for charities, have given me the confidence and resilience to advocate even when it is difficult.

I’ve always been political; I don’t stay quiet when I see injustice, even when it’s scary or I feel uncomfortable. Applying for this role is both of those things, but you matter to me. I need to know that we, Indigenous students, and all students, are being heard and fought for.

I’m studying law because other Indigenous Australians paved the way; they proved that I could. Now, I feel it my duty to show future generations that we can create change and take up space too. Too often we are treated as statistics instead of people with thoughts on how we should be taught and supported. That needs to change.

If elected, I will push the university to be transparent and ensure Indigenous students are included in shaping policies, initiatives, and teaching. I will listen and work with you to find realistic solutions, and I will advocate strongly on your behalf. Together, we can thrive, and I am dedicated to doing my part to make that happen.

Postgraduate Officer

Aayush

I represent the position of Postgraduate Officer due to the fact that the postgraduate students should have more powerful representation, support and more meaningful academic experience. Postgraduate education at UTS must equip us not just with knowledge at the highest level, but with opportunities, networks and resources that will enable us to succeed even after graduation.

One of the problems is the quality of teaching at the postgraduate level. Online lectures are given with little interaction, and lecturers are not always pressurized to explain concepts in a clear manner. Online sessions may turn one-sided, and there is minimal involvement, and the students have to learn the same material in other places and waste time. I will also support more face-to-face teaching, interactive classes, and standards of teaching, thus ensuring that postgraduates are able to enjoy the full fruits of their education.

Financial pressure is another issue, espe-

cially to international students. Increased cost of living and transport costs are a big burden. I will also push to have more equitable concessions in public transport such as a 50 percent discount or a monthly subscription scheme among students in NSW. Through raising this issue in various forums and lobbying the concerned authorities, I will struggle to have policies that will reduce the financial strain on postgraduates.

I will also pay attention to academic and professional support. The coursework students require new syllabi that are relevant to the industry and career mentoring, and the research students require regular supervision and acknowledgment of their teaching and tutoring roles. To overcome isolation and establish community, I will advocate better postgraduate networks by creating workshops, collaboration spaces, and cross-faculty events.

I will serve as a representative of postgraduate students to the University as the Postgraduate Officer and make sure that our issues are always brought up in the Students Representative Council and at the higher decision-making levels.

I will strive to make sure that postgraduate students in UTS are not merely surviving their education but flourishing in all aspects by concentrating on the quality of teaching, alleviating financial burden, increasing academic support, and improving postgraduate networks.

Ciri Liu

As a postgraduate student at the UTS Faculty of Law, I understand the unique challenges that postgraduate students face. Postgraduate study is not only an academic journey but also one shaped by financial pressures, career ambitions, and the need to balance study with work and personal responsibilities.

If elected as Postgraduate Officer, I will focus on three priorities:

Academic Support – I will advocate for fair and transparent access to academic resources, including adequate study spaces, mentoring opportunities, and platforms for cross-faculty academic exchange. These are essential for helping postgraduate students achieve their academic goals.

Career Development – I will work to strengthen connections between UTS and industry partners, creating more internships and professional development opportunities. This will allow postgraduate students to gain practical experience, build networks, and enhance their career prospects in Australia and beyond.

Student Wellbeing – I will push for stronger support in mental health services, more flexible university policies, and inclusive community activities designed for postgraduates. These will help us manage heavy workloads alongside work and family commitments, while fostering a stronger sense of belonging.

With my background in legal study and practice, I bring responsibility, empathy, and

determination. I believe that postgraduate students are not only learners but also key contributors to the future of UTS.

By voting for me, you are choosing a representative who will turn the concerns of postgraduate students into real action, ensuring that our voices are heard and our needs addressed.

Dhruv D Thakkar

Striking a balance between professional development, personal life, and academic study is challenging, as I know from my present postgraduate student status. I want to change how postgraduates see the wider campus.

I’m running for Postgraduate Officer to advocate for more specialized support systems that satisfy our needs. This covers simpler access to research resources, expert development classes, and mental health services. I will also encourage greater inclusive campus involvement guaranteeing postgraduate inclusion in debates, events, and decision-making processes.

To help me define priorities and effectively present them in UTSSA and university settings, I will work closely with postgraduate student organizations. Apart from arranging housing, I wish to make sure that postgraduate students are actively supported and empowered.

George Tulloch (FIRE UP!)

As a Master of Engineering (Research) student in the Faculty of Engineering and IT, and Co-Founder and CTO of the deep-tech startup, I bring a unique blend of technical leadership, entrepreneurial experience, and advocacy to the UTSSA. My research focuses on AI-driven noise control, transforming how cities respond to environmental challenges and enabling healthier, more productive built environments.

Postgraduate students are integral to UTS’s intellectual and cultural fabric. Yet too often, our needs are overlooked. If elected, I will advocate for secure research conditions, fair representation, and greater integration between postgraduate life and the broader university community. My vision for UTS is grounded in three core principles:

1. Safety and Inclusion

Every student deserves a safe, respectful, and inclusive research environment. I will ensure UTS upholds best practices in campus safety, supports survivors of discrimination or

harassment, and champions inclusive policies that reflect the diversity of our student body.

2. Resilience in Research

As higher education faces global uncertainty, we must put people before profit. I will fight to protect academic mentorship, secure funding, and uphold research integrity, ensuring postgraduate students are supported, not sidelined.

3. Ambition for a Future Made in Australia

UTS has a pivotal role in shaping Australia’s innovation economy. I will push for more substantial support for postgraduate research, clearer pathways to commercialisation, and deeper collaboration with UTS Startups, faculties, and industry. As international enrolments are capped, we must act decisively to attract and retain domestic HDR candidates. Why vote for me?

Provide Technical Leadership: As CTO of a startup tackling urban noise through AI, I bring real-world insight into research and innovation.

• Advance Policy Advocacy:

I’ve collaborated with policymakers and industry on innovation policy and sovereign manufacturing strategy.

• Champion Community Values:

My candidacy in the 2019 NSW election with Keep Sydney Open reflects a long-standing commitment to community wellbeing and civic engagement.

I believe in a UTSSA that is fearless in defending student rights, progressive in its vision, and accountable in its actions.

Let’s build a bolder, fairer, and research-driven UTS together. Vote George Tulloch for Postgraduate Officer.”

Schazain Babar

As a candidate for PO of the UTSSA, I offer a unique combination of high-level administrative precision, strategic governance experience, and a proven record of managing complex operations. As a domestic Juris Doctor Student at UTS Law School. My policy is built on a platform of Executive Empowerment, Institutional Integrity, and Unwavering Accountability.

As a candidate for PO, I will leverage my extensive professional experience to be a strategic, diligent, and impactful voice on the UTSSA Board. My career has been built on scrutiny and delivery—from conducting due diligence on multi-million dollar M&A deals at RIAA Barker Gillette to analysing complex market data at KPMG. I will apply this same analytical rigour to Board proposals, ensuring every decision in the interests of UTSSA.

My career has been defined by operating efficiently in high-pressure, high-stakes environments, from Tier 1 M&A firms to the office of an Attorney General. I understand the

weight of fiduciary duty and the mechanics of effective administration. I am not running for a title; I am running to be the operational backbone of the UTSSA, providing the stability and strategic oversight necessary to amplify our advocacy and enhance the student experience for every UTS student. Furthermore, my role in managing the launch of a nationwide Binance x Macquarie University crypto course—which involved negotiating with Vice Chancellors and senior executives—demonstrates my capability to handle high-stakes liaison and complex project management. As PO , I will be the central hub that empowers every Director. I will implement a structured onboarding process for new Board members, providing them with the resources, historical data, and administrative support they need to hit the ground running and effectively deliver on their campaign promises for the students they represent.

Women’s Officer

Ciri Liu

As a woman studying at UTS, I believe that gender equality must remain at the heart of our university community. While UTS has made progress, many women students continue to face persistent challenges: limited opportunities in leadership, experiences of harassment or gender-based violence, difficulties in balancing study, work, and family responsibilities, and the reality that our voices are still not always fully heard.

If elected as Women’s Officer, I will work to create a safer, more inclusive, and more empowering environment for all women students. My priorities will be:

Safety and Respect – I will strengthen campaigns against harassment and gender-based violence, advocate for clearer reporting processes, and push for more acces-

sible support services, so that every woman at UTS can feel safe and respected.

Leadership and Empowerment – I will expand mentoring programs and professional development opportunities, helping women gain access to leadership roles, particularly in fields such as law, technology, and engineering where women remain underrepresented.

Practical Support – I will advocate for more flexible policies and services that meet the real needs of women students, including carers, mothers, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Representation and Inclusion – I believe the Women’s Officer must reflect the diversity of women at UTS. As a postgraduate woman with an international background, I will bring forward perspectives and concerns that are too often overlooked.

I commit to being a representative who not only listens but also takes action. With persistence, empathy, and integrity, I will ensure that women’s issues remain a central part of the UTSSA agenda.

Women at UTS are strong, ambitious, and resilient. With the right support, we can excel not only in our studies but also as leaders shaping the future. By voting for me, you are choosing a Women’s Officer who will fight for safety, equality, opportunity, and respect for all women students.

Francesca Harrison (FIRE UP!)

My name is Francesca Harrison. I am a thirdyear Communications (Social and Political Science) (Strategic Communications) and Creative Intelligence and Innovation student, nominating for Women’s Officer. This role is about listening, acting, and creating lasting change, and I believe I can bring the energy, accountability, and care that this position deserves. My key focus will be on access to support services, intersectional representation, and safety and support.

As the Transdisciplinary student representative on Academic Board and UTS Society of Communications Director of Social Justice for the last year, I have raised funds and worked to strengthen gender violence support and awareness, expand access to learning opportunities for marginalised students, improve accessibility support, and ensure students are fairly compensated for their engagement. I am running for the role of Women’s Officer because I am committed to advancing gender equity and ensuring that all women and misogyny-impacted individuals feel supported and represented.

I will fight for:

Access: I will work to expand access to essential resources, including free menstrual products, sexual health supplies, and inclusive wellbeing support. I’ll collaborate with local organisations and student services to ensure people know where and how to get help when needed, including improving support for survivors of gender-based violence and addressing barriers faced by women from marginalised backgrounds in accessing care.

Intersectional Representation: Women from all backgrounds should have a seat at the table. I will ensure the voices of women, especially LGBTQ+ women, disabled women, women of colour, carers, and international students, are heard and centred in decision-making. I’ll create regular open forums where people can raise issues, and I’ll hold the university accountable to commitments around gender equality.

Support and Safety: Gender-based violence cannot be addressed in isolation. I will work collaboratively with other networks and services to ensure that the university’s response is intersectional, recognising how race, disability, sexuality, and other identities shape the experience of violence and access to support. I will ensure accessible, trauma-informed reporting pathways, advocate for transparent investigations with survivor protections, and campaign for public reporting on compliance with the National Code - ensuring outcomes, disclosures, and survivor feedback drive real, accountable change across the university.

I will collaborate closely with fellow officers and student groups to develop united campaigns for gender justice, championing causes such as period equity and equal opportunities in education.

If elected, I will stay accessible, and always put our community first.

International Student’s Officer

Ciri Liu

As an international student at the UTS Faculty of Law, I understand the challenges we face while studying here. We deal with rising tuition fees, complex visa requirements, difficulties in finding housing and risks of rental scams, all while spending extra energy adapting to a new language and culture. At times, many of us also feel a lack of adequate support and security.

If elected as International Students’ Officer, I will work to turn these challenges into practical solutions. By choosing me, you will gain:

Support on Fees and Rights – I will push for greater transparency in tuition policies, advocate for reducing financial burdens, and provide clear information on visas, work rights, and employment conditions so that no one is disadvantaged by a lack of information.

More Job and Internship Opportunities – I will strengthen partnerships between UTS and industry to create more flexible part-time and internship opportunities for international students, helping us both earn income and gain valuable experience.

Housing and Safety Protections – I will advocate for more reliable housing information channels, provide guidance on tenants’ rights, and push for stronger safety mechanisms on and off campus to reduce risks of exploitation or harm.

Belonging and Inclusion – I will organise cross-cultural exchanges and community events to make it easier for international and domestic students to connect, reduce isolation, and ensure that international students are truly part of the UTS community.

A Representative Who Speaks Up – With a background in law, I have the skills to clearly raise issues and advocate effectively, ensuring that the real concerns of international students are addressed at the UTSSA table.

I believe that international students are not a silent group but an essential part of UTS’s growth, culture, and success. By voting for me, you are not only choosing a representative, but someone who will actively fight for fairer tuition, safer housing, better work opportunities, and stronger protections for all international students.

Nischay

Assistant General Secretary. This position requires strong organisational skills, adherence to procedures, and effective stakeholder engagement—skills I have honed by managing complex logistics and addressing customer inquiries with calmness and efficiency.

Being an international student, I recognise the importance of accessible governance in diverse communities. I am applying for this position to assist the General Secretary in enhancing UTSSA’s administrative structure, ensuring it empowers all students through transparency and innovation. My nomination highlights my readiness to support UTSSA’s mission, combining technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills for smooth operations.

Dhruv D Thakkar

Coming to UTS as an international student was simultaneously exciting and scary. From navigating visa and housing processes to finding a neighborhood, I have experienced everything; hence, I know how isolating it can be when the appropriate support is lacking.

Running for International Students’

Officer guarantees no student feels behind. I will strive for more fair rules about housing, employment, and academic support. To help foreign students feel more a part of campus life, I’ll also work to improve integration projects and orientation sessions. Representation matters. To find out their concerns and incorporate their ideas in UTSSA’s decision-making process, I will directly communicate with communities of international students. My goal is to develop a friendly, informed, and supportive environment where international students are valued for their variety as well as their contributions.”

Sumit

Being an international student at UTS, I can experience the overwhelming stress and uncertainty that accompanies getting used to the new country - dealing with the culture shock, a language problem, and worrying about both education and finance. This is also a year of course suspensions, face-to-face restrictions, and tightening visa controls, with students worrying about their future and economic health. That is why I would want to make support true and practical to our people. I want to relieve stress by increasing access to wellbeing workshops and group counselling, assist students coping with exam pressure and culture shock by managing their minds through mindfulness and peer support. My plea will be the provision of immediate relief resources and directives,

such as academic assistance on the dropin basis and an information guide on ways to navigate UTS. International students are especially affected by financial hardship, whether paying rent, facing tuition due dates, or simply paying those daily essentials. I will press more readily available emergency grants, rental relief and concessional loan pay plans, and make every global student aware of free hampers of food and secret economic guidance at UTS. After experiencing this kind of experience, I have made it my mission to help bring about a campus where everyone feels addressed, supported, and empowered to cope with stress and financially excel, even during uncertain times

Rose Saksena (Fire Up)

Heeey! I am Aditi “Rose” Saksena — some people know me as Rose, some as Aditi. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Marketing and have previously served as the Environment Collective Convenor. In that role, I had the privilege of working closely with students from diverse backgrounds, including many international students, and listening to

their stories, struggles, and successes.

Over time, I have realised that as students, all our journeys are unique however many of us as international students face similar barriers. From navigating cultural differences and making friends, to finding housing, securing internships, and managing uncertainty around ever-changing policies — these challenges can often feel overwhelming. Adding to this is the ongoing process of assimilation: figuring out how to balance our own identities while finding our place within UTS and in Australia more broadly.

As an international student myself, I understand these experiences firsthand. I know how daunting it can feel to step into a new country, start from scratch, and try to build both a community and a career. But I also know that with the right support, these challenges can become opportunities — to thrive, to grow, and to create a home away from home that we are proud of.

If elected as International Student Officer, my goal is to make sure every international student feels seen, heard, and supported. I want to build stronger networks for peer connection, advocate for clearer communication, and ensure international students’ concerns are represented in policy conversations at UTS. Most importantly, I want to help students integrate not just into the university, but into the wider community, so they can truly reach their full potential.

For me, this role is not just a title. It is a responsibility to reflect the real diversity that exists at UTS and to ensure that every international student feels genuinely seen, heard, and safe.

Thank you for considering me — I’d be honoured to represent you as International Student Officer.”

Council

General Members of Council

Yasmine Johnson (Social Justice)

I’m running with Social Justice again this year because our student union needs more progressive activists who are independent of the major political parties. I’ve spend the past year as a Social Justice councillor campaigning for a free Palestine and against the shocking cuts to education happening on our campus. I was one of the key organisers of the student referendum for Palestine which saw hundreds of students vote to end our uni’s complicity in genocide. Now, like thousands of other students, my degree is being cut. All of this indicates what universities are like in 2025 - corporate, neoliberal bodies which prioritise profit and weapons development over what’s good for society. We need a student union that fights for a vision of education that’s actually about making the world a better place!

Benjamin Grant-Skiba (Social Justice)

I’m running with Social Justice for the student elections, because we deserve a student union that will seriously fight for Palestine. UTS receives money from weapons companies like Lockheed Martin, which arms Israel with fighter jets and missiles. That’s why I helped organise and spoke at the National Student Referendum on Palestine at UTS. Universities should be places of learning, not supporting genocide.

That also means the student union must be independent from the major political parties complicit in this genocide. We need a union of the activists already fighting against the cuts, sexism, racism, and for a free Palestine!

Andrew Brogden (Social Justice)

I’m running with Social Justice for the student elections this year. I think that we need a student body that is active in fighting against the cuts to our education, for social justice, for student rights, and for a free Palestine.

In Gaza the genocide continues to escelate as the death and destruction continues unopposed by our government and universities. Still the Australian government refuses to sanction Israel and cut all weapons ties. UTS refuses to cut ties with weapons companies such as Thales which do research at our university and shape degrees to push students into this industry of death.

I have been an activist in Students For Palestine UTS, the National Days of Action for Palestine, the Student Referendum for Palestine at UTS and Stop The Cuts UTS. I want the UTS SRC to fight for these issues and more.

Adrian De Dona (Social Justice)

Im running in the UTSSA election because I’m angry that our University pushes for students to be involved in companies that destroy the planet and are profiting from the genocide in Palestine. I’ve spent my almost two years at UTS campaigning to end our ties to weapons companies like Thales and Lockheed Martin and pushing our government to sanction Israel. Having a activist student union means taking the fight to the university bosses. Our University doesn’t even care about our very own quality of education, let alone the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Our union should be activist, independent and left wing. Vote Social Justice this October!

Brandon Price (Social Justice)

Hey! I’m running with Social Justice in this year’s UTS Student Association because we need representatives to fight back against the government and university management, to campaign against the education cuts which are sacking staff, and gutting our degrees, while also opposing Israel’s genocide, which UTS is complicit in.

Social Justice has been at the forefront of this fight, organising activism like the recent Student referendum that voted in favour of Palestine. The Student Association should not be a stepping stone for politicians, it should be a fighting activist body that campaigns alongside students, for issues that actually matter.

Euan Mendoza (Social Justice)

I’m Euan, I’m running with social justice for the student union elections again this year! Social justice are a independent group of students and activists. I think the cost of living pressures, rising political tensions in the world mean that student representative bodies like the UTSSA have a responsibility to fight against systemic injustice. This means we support free education, gender equality, no weapons companies on campus and housing reforms.

I specifically as a post-grad student and staff have been heavily involved in organising in the staff union against the cuts at UTS.

I helped organise NTEU rallies and a student led rallies. I also have been outspoken on issues like pay and job cuts making arguments for industrial action for better pay.

Hamish Bell (Social Justice)

I’m running for the UTSSA SRC with SOCIAL JUSTICE — the left wing activists on campus. As a UTS student who balances work and study like so many of us, I understand how rising costs, cuts to courses, and a university management that acts indifferently, can wear students down. That’s why Social Justice believes students deserve representatives that will fight for the social good, and not concede to the University’s profit-motivated interests.

The University banks on student apathy and disorganisation— and this must be challenged! As the activists on campus, Social

Justice is driven to take up the fight. We want conditions that empower students to drive change and stand up for what is right, not ones that leave us nihilistic in the face of frequent injustices on campus and around the world.

Ash Satchell (Social Justice)

I’m running with Social Justice because I think the union needs to be putting more pressure on UTS to cut ties with weapons companies.

I was involved with organising the Student Referendum for Palenstine, which with over 300 people at UTS voted in, making it the largest pro-Palestine demonstration thats ever happened on UTS’ campus grounds.

In order to actually get UTS to cut their partnerships with weapons companies, we need an ongoing campaign for Palestine, and an SRC with engaged activists in it.

We need a student union that won’t allow UTS be complicit in a genocide.

Jude Egerton-Warburton (Social Justice)

Hey I’m Jude! I’m a nursing student running with Social Justice because I think we need an independent activist SRC that is committed to fighting for a free Palestine. I’ve been proud to help organise the National Student Referendum on Palestine this year at UTS and be a part of the ongoing fight against course and job cuts.

Nina Tolentino (Social Justice)

I’m a nursing student who is sick of seeing footage of Palestinian hospitals being bombed and a man-made famine on my phone. I’m running for student council because I believe we need a union that will stand up to a university whose only concern is making profit. Our education should not be based on what is

profitable. Our research should not be sold to weapons companies, to massacre innocent Gazans. Our university executives should acknowledge that students are the heart of the university and the student council should be amplifying the voices of every student who is against their complicity.

Liyara Flavel (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

See the CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES list statement.

Hill (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

See the CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES list statement.

Please see Left Action list statement.

As a third-year international undergraduate studying Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at UTS, I offer a strong mix of academic dedication, work experience, and a passion for community improvement in my bid for General Members of Council. Currently working at Australia Post, I excel in accurately sorting parcels—managing high-pressure logistics—and assisting a variety of customers at the front desk, which enhances my communication and problem-solving abilities. This combination of skills prepares me to effectively contribute to UTSSA, advocating for the interests of all students with an emphasis on inclusivity and operational efficiency. I am excited to use my background to bolster the Council’s decision-making. My main objective is to improve student welfare through practical solutions. Utilizing my engineering perspective, I will push for better campus facilities, like upgraded study areas equipped with engineering-specific tools, and support mental health initiatives designed for international and commuter students. At Australia Post, I’ve recognized the importance of efficient processes—skills I will use to enhance Council workflows, ensuring prompt responses to student issues such as fee structures and academic support.

I also value collaboration, suggesting regular meetings with faculty representatives to ensure Council policies meet student needs, especially for underrepresented groups. My customer service background will promote

Nischay

accessible communication methods, like multilingual feedback systems, creating a unified student voice. Dedicated to UTSSA’s Constitution and Election Regulations, I will maintain integrity while advocating for sustainable, student-focused results.

I respectfully request UTSSA’s support for my nomination, confident that my diverse skills and commitment make me a strong candidate to serve and uplift our community.

Schazain

Babar

As a candidate for General Member, I will apply my professional experience in high-stakes environments to ensure the UTSSA operates with maximum efficiency, accountability, and impact for every student.

My background has equipped me with a unique skill set for this role. At RIAA Barker Gillette, I managed due diligence for multi-million dollar M&A transactions, honing my analytical skills to scrutinise complex proposals and expenditures. At the Attorney General’s office, I contributed to drafting national legislation, giving me a profound respect for robust governance and procedure. I will use this expertise to ask the necessary, hard questions on the Board, ensuring every decision is fiscally responsible and transparently made in your best interest.

Furthermore, as the founder of a 40,000-person festival, I understand largescale logistics and the importance of creating events that truly resonate with a diverse com-

munity. I will be a strong advocate for initiatives that enhance campus life, from professional development workshops to inclusive social events.

My record proves I am a collaborative achiever who delivers results. I pledge to be a visible, accessible, and diligent representative who listens to the student body and fights for a more vibrant, supportive, and effective student union.

Moreover, Covid has taken from socialising from us and produced a generation that has suffered a detriment and is experiencing a gap. Hence if elected, I will introducing newer events to UTS to ensure active engagement on campus and a safe place for everyone to express themself under diversity and inclusion.

Sumit

My vision is to be a transformative, compassionate, and equitable General Member of Council. UTS is stuck in fast change, whether it is refinement of courses to support digital learning, or providing new systems, the students must be well represented in these changes. I will not only make myself available to the student body and hear the varied opinion and bring to your attention your concerns at meetings of the Council.

The policies that I will promote will deal with acute concerns: academic flexibility, better access to mental health and financial resources, strong anti-discrimination policies.

Based on the Student Partnership Agreement of the Student Partnership of UTS, I would prefer a real cooperation between the students and the staff to give smarter and more just solutions to all the parties involved. Council ought to be a place of positive change and not administrative discussion. I will focus on transparency and accountability - I will involve students in major decisions and make sure that our activities on the Council basis respond to our actual needs. Having a spirit of honesty and candor, I will strive to transform UTS into a university where every student will feel that he/she has a place and can succeed

The University banks on student apathy and disorganisation— and this must be challenged! As the activists on campus, Social Justice is driven to take up the fight. We want conditions that empower students to drive change and stand up for what is right, not ones that leave us nihilistic in the face of frequent injustices on campus and around the world.

Tanveer Dhillon

I am Tanveer Dhillon, an engineering student, and I seek to serve the UTS student community through elected representation in the Students’ Association. My candidacy is driven by the vision of “ Empowering Every Student.” This approach ensures that all student voices—from undergraduates to research scholars—are represented with integrity and analytical rigor.

Transparent governance underpins every initiative. I will institute regular town halls, implement digital platforms for open access to budgets and meeting minutes, and coordinate effectively across committees to ensure accountability. In the first 100 days, I will embark on a listening tour across all faculties to identify pressing concerns, deliver quick-win service improvements, upgrade communication systems, and conduct a baseline assessment of current offerings. My commitment extends to strategic leadership in university relations, operational

excellence in policy execution, and specialized advocacy for all student cohorts. Drawing on my systematic problem-solving skills, I will apply evidence-based decision-making to address challenges and drive innovation. Vote Tanveer Dhillon for comprehensive leadership that empowers every student and elevates the UTS experience.

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals. Omar El-Sobihy (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Amelia Grace WilsonWilliams (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Grace Cole (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Isabella Taylor (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Lana Rumman (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Aaron Choy (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Tom Snow (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Oscar Favelle (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Harvey Kerrison (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

William Healy (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Arlo Smithies (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Olivia Lee (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Alisa Hamilton (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Yaama maliyaa! Hello friends! My name is Amelia, I’m Gomeroi woman, proud trade unionist and a second year Communications (Journalism & Social Political Sciences) student and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council.

I am running with ENGAGE because I believe in a truly representative student union; one that is run as a member organisation and

that will fight tirelessly for the rights of UTS students. As a student with a disability, who lives in the Hawkesbury region, I know just how hard it is to be involved with the student union.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE)

Hey everyone! My name is Caitlin, I am a Forensic Science (Digital Forensics) student. I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council because I believe that the SRC and student advocacy should be easily accessible to the average student without requiring you to already be involved in student politics. I know that it can feel impossible to understand how to get your voice heard and that’s why I, as well as everyone under ENGAGE, strive towards removing the bureaucratic barriers between you and the mechanisms of change.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Rohen Snowball (ENGAGE)

Hiii! My name’s Rohen Snowball, and I’m a postgraduate research student in the School of Design; I’m a dedicated grassroots political organiser and queer community activist, and active in campaigns for queer rights on campus; I’ve been a proud member of the Retail and Fast Food Workers union, joining in industrial and strike action in 2023, and I’m a postgraduate student member of the UTS branch of the National Tertiary Education Union; and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council.

I am running with ENGAGE because I believe in a more democratic, fighting student union that distributes democratic power to UTSSA’s student community and activist collectives, and raises student union participation, fielding proactive, mass student-led movements against academic ties to weapons research and manufactoring, and champions student services that gives us a solid hand up from the poverty of student life, especially for queer students, First Nations students, student parents/carers, and welfare-recipent students.

With our education and services at UTS under threat of scathing job and course cuts. We need a university that divests from weapons and reinvests into jobs and courses on the chopping block, decreased class sizes, and more support services staff, meaning less waiting on essential support and better learn-

ing conditions. I believe in ENGAGE and in the importance of a strong, activist union to help us fight for these changes.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC.

VOTE [1] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS.

VOTE [2] ENGAGE FOR NUS.

Daewah Thein (ENGAGE)

Hey everyone, my name is Daewah Thein, I’m studying Communications (Social and Political Science) and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council.

I am running with ENGAGE because I don’t believe in gatekeeping, I believe in a union that fights for the interests of all students.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS.

Arden Rasras (ENGAGE)

Hello! My name is Arden Rasras and I’m a communications student, and I’m running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council, because we need a student union that’s uncompromising on better staffed services and resources for student welfare at UTS, not research ties to weapons! International students need greater protections from being materially threatened by university administrations, that police students or otherwise rescind their visas; we need more accessible and easier services that help us with student and everyday life, like helping students change their names and gender markers on our enrolment to end the misgendering and deadnaming at UTS; and we need a student union that fields mass student-led movements against student poverty, for a free Palestine and climate justice.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC.

VOTE [1] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS.

VOTE [2] ENGAGE FOR NUS.

Samiha Ehran (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Samiha Emran, I am the 2025 UTSSA Education Officer and I am a Fourth Year Communications/BCII student, and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council.

I am running with ENGAGE because I am passionate about improving the lives of UTS Students, particularly regarding academic experience. At a time where students face unprecedented cuts to their education, ENGAGE knows that academic experience is not just about coming to your lectures and tutorials. It’s about receiving the quality education that you pay exorbitant amounts of money for with your HECS-HELP and SSAF every semester. Students and staff deserve better.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

El Potts (ENGAGE)

Marhaba! My name is El Potts and I am undertaking a Bachelor of Animation Production, and I am incredibly excited to be running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council! I am a passionate writer and artist, and I continue to be inspired and educated by the writings of the activists who came before me and fought for my rights.

I am running with ENGAGE because I believe in taking action to fight back against oppressive systems, and working towards a more democratic student union. I know my voice matters, and I know that the voices of my peers do too.

I believe it is of the utmost importance to fight for a Free Palestine. Indigenous populations both on Palestinian soil and in so-called Australia have been decimated by colonial powers. As a member of the Lebanese diaspora, my personal connection further empowers me.

I strongly believe in Collective autonomy, Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS. VOTE [2] ENGAGE FOR NUS.

Bryanna Miles-Sexton (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Bryanna Miles-Sexton and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Jonathan Dellagiacoma (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Jonathan Dellagiacoma, I am an Engineering/BCII student and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Thomas Jordan (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Thomas Jordan and I am a 3rd year bachelor of science student majoring in physics, and I am running with ENGAGE for the Student’s Representative Council. I am running with ENGAGE because I believe that UTS deserves a student council run by real students rather than law students who see utssa as a stepping stone to a career in politics.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR SRC

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Ibrahim Hadi (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Silence is never neutral.

When one proffers they are apolitical, that in itself is a political view.

I learned this not in theory, but through experience. My time on exchange in Germany, I was confronted with the realities of the world and our role as the custodians of the future. It opened my eyes to the definition of politics, its very soul. On any scale, from the diplomacy of nations to social cues, it is the law that governs the dynamics of individuals. It is something that begins not with the ever so distant legislative chamber, but within our daily interactions, our homes, and our universities.

I have carried this lesson into my own advocacy, including my involvement in enterprise agreement negotiations where I fought for fairer study leave, giving me direct experience in advocating for students.

My name is Ibrahim Hadi; I am 24 and I am a UTS penultimate Bachelor of Law and Economics student.

UTS is at a crossroads. Our university cuts staff and courses while partnering with weapons companies complicit in genocide. It silences students who dare to speak out, while racism, Islamophobia, and discrimination fester on campus. We cannot and will not accept this.

I stand with Palestine. I stand with every student struggling under the weight of rent, debt, and chronic exclusion. I stand for the members of our staff fighting for secure employment and the ability to honestly participate in academia. Most of all I stand with our students who are fighting for their right to learn, express, and simply live with the dignity they deserve.

Ayman Chami (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Please see Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed list statement.

Ammar Mohammad (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Please see Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed list statement.

Abdullah Yousaf (Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed)

Please see Unity, Truth, and Support for the Oppressed list statement.

NUS

Sumit

As the Delegate of the National Union of Students, I will ensure that the students of UTS have their voices heard at the national level. Funding reductions, increasing expenses and threats to academic freedom threaten welfare of students across Australia. My line of argument is not national politics, but the true interests of the UTS students. The forums and feedbacks through the medium of the town halls will be arranged to ensure that all the students will have a chance to influence the national advocacy priorities. I will concentrate on student mental health, financial support and equal education policy. I also promise to raise motions at the conference that will capture the needs of UTS students in a manner that is very transparent and accountable in everything. I will also facilitate the attainment of proactive, effective change by ensuring that the views of UTS students are at the forefront of the similar national debate to simply ensure that our university and the student community in general benefits.

Neeve Ann Nagle (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Sina Afsharmehr (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Januka Suraweera (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Grace Cole (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Cam Perez (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Harvey Kerrison (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Huw Watson (FIRE UP!)

Please refer to the FIRE UP! list statement for my campaign goals.

Eamonn Ryan (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

See Stop the Cuts list statement.

Francesca Harrison (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

See Stop the Cuts list statement.

Salma Elmubasher (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

See Stop the Cuts list statement.

Alisa Hamilton (CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES)

See Stop the Cuts list statement.

Rohen Snowball (QUEER ACTION)

I am running with QUEER ACTION be-

cause I believe in a more democratic fighting national student unions body that works to raise student union participation, fielding proactive, mass student-led movements against academic ties to weapons research and manufactoring, and champions student services that gives us a solid hand up from the poverty of student life, especially for queer students, First Nations students, student parents/carers, and welfare-recipent students.

El Potts (QUEER ACTION)

Marhaba! My name is El Potts and I am undertaking a Bachelor of Animation Production, and I am incredibly excited to be running with QUEER ACTION for the National Union of Students! I am a passionate writer and artist, and I continue to be inspired and educated by the writings of the activists who came before me and fought for my rights.

I am running with QUEER ACTION because I believe in taking action to fight back against oppressive systems, and working towards a more democratic student union. I know my voice matters, and I know that the voices of my peers do too.

powers me. I strongly believe in Collective autonomy,

VOTE [1] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS. VOTE [2] ENGAGE FOR NUS.

Arden Rasras (QUEER ACTION)

Hello! My name is Arden Rasras and I’m a communications student at UTS, and I’m running with QUEER ACTION for NUS, because we need a national student union body that’s uncompromising on better staffed universities, better learning conditions, and better services for student welfare across Australia, not academic and research ties to weapons! International students need greater protections from being materially threatened by university administrations, that police students or otherwise rescind their visas; we need more accessible and easier services that help us with student and everyday life, like helping students change their names and gender markers on our enrollments to end the misgendering and deadnaming at universities; and we need a national body that fields mass student-led movements against student poverty, movements for a free Palestine and movements for climate justice.

VOTE [1] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS. VOTE [2] ENGAGE FOR NUS.

Isabella Taylor (Left Action)

Please see Left Action list statement.

Oscar Favelle (Left Action)

Please see Left Action list statement.

Tom Snow (Left Action)

Please see Left Action list statement.

William Healy (Left Action)

Please see Left Action list statement.

Ash Satchell (Social Justice)

I’m running with Social Justice because I think the union needs to be putting more pressure on UTS to cut ties with weapons companies.

In order to actually get UTS to cut their partnerships with weapons companies, we need an ongoing campaign for Palestine, and an SRC with engaged activists in it.

We need a student union that won’t allow UTS be complicit in a genocide.

Refer to list statement Olivia Lee (Social Justice)

Ella Haid (Social Justice)

I’m a diploma in languages student and socialist activist who thinks education shouldn’t be run for profit. I’ve spent the past year organising the Stop The Cuts UTS against management’s plan to cut $100M including 400 jobs and over 1000 courses. I was also part of organising the wonderful UTS wing of the National Student Referendum on Palestine that brought out 300 students to vote for UTS to cut ties with weapons companies.

Yasmine Johnson (Social Justice)

I’m running with Social Justice again this year because our student union needs more progressive activists who are independent of the major political parties. I’ve spend the past year as a Social Justice councillor campaigning for a free Palestine and against the shocking cuts to education happening on our campus. I was one of the organisers of the student referendum for Palestine which saw hundreds of students vote to end our uni’s complicity in genocide. Now, like thousands of other students, my degree is being cut. All of this indicates what universities are like in 2025 - corporate, neoliberal bodies which prioritise profit and weapons development over what’s good for society. We need a student union that fights for a vision of education that’s actually about making the world a better place!

Adrian De Dona (Social Justice)

I’m running in the UTSSA election because im angry that our University pushes for students to be involved in companies that destroy the planet and are profiting from the genocide in Palestine. I’ve spent my almost two years at UTS campaigning to end our ties to weapons companies like Thales and Lockheed Martin and pushing our government to sanction Israel. Having a activist student union means taking the fight to the University bosses and not seeing them as an ally who’s misinformed. Our University doesn’t even care about our very own quality of education let alone the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Our union should be activist, independent and left wing. Vote Social Justice this October!

Andrew Brogden (Social Justice)

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Yaama maliyaa! Hello friends! My name is Amelia, I’m a second year Communications (Journalism & Social Political Sciences) student and I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS). Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Daewah Thein (ENGAGE)

Hey everyone, my name is Daewah Thein, I’m studying Communications (Social and Political Science) and I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Laura Currie (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Laura Currie and I am in my third year of phD, and I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE)

Hey everyone! My name is Caitlin, I am a Forensic Science (Digital Forensics) student. I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS).

I believe that the SRC and student advocacy should be easily accessible to the average student without requiring you to already be involved in student politics. I know that it can feel impossible to understand how to

get your voice heard and that’s why I, as well as everyone under ENGAGE, strive towards removing the bureaucratic barriers between you and the mechanisms of change.

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Bryanna Miles-Sexton (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Bryanna Miles-Sexton and I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Jonathan Dellagiacoma (ENGAGE)

Hi there! My name is Jonathan Dellagiacoma, I am an Engineering/BCII student and I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Matthew Murray (ENGAGE)

Hello! My name is Matthew Murray, I am a massive fan of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and a third year Electrical Engineering student, and I am running with ENGAGE to be your delegate to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Our key goals and policies can be found in the ENGAGE ticket statement.

VOTE [1] ENGAGE FOR NUS

VOTE [2] QUEER ACTION FOR NUS

Vertigo

Editor in Chief

Emanie Samria Darwiche (Eclipse/d)

Hi, My name is Emanie Samira Darwiche.

I’m running for Editor in Chief because I love being part of Vertigo and I’m ready to take on a leadership role. This year, as Student News Editor, I’ve loved reporting, editing, and working with our amazing team. Being part of the newsroom has shown me how much impact Vertigo has on our student community, and I want to help guide it to even greater heights.

If elected, my priority will be making sure Vertigo runs smoothly, with clear communication, support for our editors and writers, and strong, consistent content across all sections. I want to ensure everyone involved feels confident in their roles and proud of what we produce. I’ll also focus on keeping our deadlines and processes organized, so the publication is reliable, professional, and enjoyable to work on.

I’m grateful for the chance to be part of Vertigo, and I want to give back by leading the team with dedication, fairness, and a focus on collaboration. With your support, I hope to make Vertigo an even stronger, more inclusive platform that students are proud to read and be part of.

Mayela Dayeh

(MORE MORE MORE)

Hello!

My name is Mayela, I’m entering my final year of Communications in Writing and Publishing and International Studies!

Over 2025, I served Vertigo as its Managing Editor, where my love and pride for the publication has only grown. Our team this year has truly pushed Vertigo to new heights, and I wish to keep growing Vertigo on campus for all UTS students in 2026!

This year has taught me so much about how to run the publication and ensure its quality, and I believe this experience will help me hit the ground running to bring more valuable, relevant, and timely publications to campus. As Managing Editor, I worked extremely closely with our Editor-In-Chief, sharing the administrative responsibilities of Vertigo. This familiarity with the necessary tasks and workload will be essential to ensuring a high quality publication that truly serves the student body.

I believe electing an Editor-In-Chief who’s had this experience with Vertigo would be an invaluable asset to the team for 2026.

My passion and aspirations for Vertigo know no bounds, I hope you’ll allow me, along with my incredibly qualified ticket, to continue putting this passion into the legacy of Vertigo.

Vote [1] MORE MORE MORE!

Rueben Agius (Vertex)

My name is Rueben Agius and I am running to be your Editor-in-Chief. I am a fifth year Law and International Studies student, majoring in Italian language.

My vision for Vertigo is built on the idea that our student magazine should be a voice representing our student body in its diversity. This means being a platform for students from all schools and faculties, not just Arts and Social Sciences. Equally important is ensuring representation of voices from across Sydney, from the Northern Beaches to the Shire. Our team, Vertex, represents UTS students from all corners of Sydney.

Having published essays, articles and creative work to Vertigo, including winning the creative writing award in last year’s Interlaced competition, I am confident in my ability to write and edit, and work with other editors executing Vertigo’s lead role.

I have a love of magazine journalism and firmly believe Vertigo’s print editions are just as important as the website. We will hold more writing competitions throughout the year and introduce a tip system, making it easier for students to share stories from across UTS. We will be more present on campus, with posters, flyers and social media content.

VOTE [1] VERTEX

Managing Editor

Kimia Nojoumian (MORE MORE MORE)

Hi! My name is Kimia, and I am running to be your Managing Editor for Vertigo 2026. You, however, may know me as the Social Media Director for the current Vertigo team. My incredibly talented team and I ran social media campaigns, saw our followers and platform grow, and increased our articles outflow by twofold. I am eager to utilise the foundation we have created to give you MORE MORE MORE.

My work beyond Vertigo extends to the sector of gender-based violence prevention. I am a passionate advocate against GBV and am currently part of the review panel for the national Respect Matters online training module. I view advocacy and creativity as kin and aim to make Vertigo a more inclusive and safer space for all identities.

Raised by immigrants who fled their homeland of Iran, I have always been encouraged to read broadly, watch widely and create dangerously. If given the opportunity to serve as your Managing Editor in 2026, I will continue to platform minority voices, continue calling out institutional corruption and continue to build on the community we have so lovingly created.

Vote [1] MORE MORE MORE

Simran Shoker (Vertex)

Hello!

My name is Simran Shoker. I’m a second year Communications student majoring in Media Business and Writing & Publishing, and I’m running to be your next Managing Editor of Vertigo.

I’ve been infatuated with Vertigo since day one and have been waiting for the opportunity to help it grow even more. As a writer published in Vertigo, The Comma, Central News, and other indie publishers like Aniko Press and Spiritus Mundi Review, I understand the full scope of publishing, from ideation to editing to hitting print.

Through my active work as a junior executive for UTSOC’s publications team, I’ve formed meaningful connections with students across the School of Communications and developed the skills to lead, collaborate, and stay grounded in what matters: your voice.

I believe Vertigo should be transparent, approachable, and reflective of all UTS students, not just Comms. That means making it fun, weird, and welcoming for anyone who has a story, an opinion, or even just a wild idea they want to throw out into the world. It would be my honour to serve as Managing Editor alongside a passionate team ready to bring creative chaos to life.

VOTE [1] VERTEX

News

Editor

Rueben Agius (Vertex)

My name is Rueben Agius and I am running to be your Editor-in-Chief. I am a fifth year Law and International Studies student, majoring in Italian language.

My vision for Vertigo is built on the idea that our student magazine should be a voice representing our student body in its diversity. This means being a platform for students rom all schools and faculties, not just Arts and Social Sciences. Equally important is ensuring representation of voices from across Sydney, from the Northern Beaches to the Shire. Our team, Vertex, represents UTS students from all corners of Sydney.

VOTE [1] VERTEX

Asha Johnston (MORE MORE MORE)

Hello!

My name is Asha Johnston and I am entering my final year of Communications [Writing and Publishing & Journalism].

Throughout the previous year, I was invited to be an advisor for Vertigo’s ‘Technicolor’ edition as well as a contributor for their ‘Egg’ edition. Thus, my experience with the editing and creating process of Vertigo is a familiar environment that I thrive in. I wish to bolster the incredible creativity that exists in the team and carry it onwards and upwards throughout 2026.

My involvement with the team as well as my current studies allow me to recognise and ensure quality work through meticulous attention to detail. In my degree, I have worked closely with diverse members of society that have allowed me to pursue high-quality publications that reflect community interests.

Thus, by working with Vertigo, I will guarantee a fresh, extensive and exciting perspective to student news by diversifying and bolstering the passion for the magazine.

Being familiar with the team puts me ahead of the game, as the deadlines and administrative duties are one of familiarity and comfort. I would love to be given the honour to continue the legacy of Vertigo.

Vote [1] for MORE MORE MORE

Meg Craigen (MORE MORE MORE)

Hi there!

My name is Meg, I’m a second year Communications student majoring in Journalism and Digital + Social Media!

Totally inspired by the beautiful team in 2025 and their reinvigoration of Vertigo, I’m ready to bring you MORE. Now that it’s back in the centre of student attention, I’d relish the opportunity to ride that wave and continue the passionate and creative legacy that has already been fostered so well.

As an author for Central News, I’ve interviewed Australian icons Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers in 2024, as well as covering topics like politics and protests, music and pop culture. In short, all things that actually matter to the students of UTS.

I would love the opportunity to bring that experience to the Vertigo team as one of our two News Editors, effectively capturing the voices of all of UTS students, with particular focus on marginalised voices. As a queer woman, I could not be more passionate about ensuring no-ones issues are overlooked.

If it’s strong-willed and justice-oriented news that you’re after, you can stop looking now. Let our team show you what we can do for Vertigo in 2026.

Vote [1] MORE MORE MORE!

Mariam (Eclipse/d)

To embrace unique ideas and enforce and create a platform that maintains transparency in news reporting between the writer and the audience.

Katie Kelly (Vertex)

Hi there! My name is Katie and I am excited to be running to become one of Vertigo’s News Editors. I am a 4th year Communications (Writing and Publishing) student, also completing a Master’s in Education and Diploma of Language. 5 years on from starting my degree - after surviving lockdown uni, completing 2 international exchanges in Italy and China, and taking a few cheeky semesters off for travel side quests - I am hoping to use my final year to dedicate myself to reporting on important student news stories. I would like to amplify diverse voices and make Vertigo an approachable and inclusive platform where people from all faculties can share their words.

Throughout the years, I have been published several times in Vertigo, alongside the 2025 UTS Writers’ Anthology. Student news makes up a significant portion of Vertigo content, yet often it is one of the categories with the fewest submissions. I believe the way to change this is for our team to be present and welcoming around campus, allowing students to ask questions and share their unique voices. It would be a privilege to bring you the latest student news alongside my creative team members!

VOTE [1] VERTEX

Features Editor

Mariam (Eclipse/d)

To amplify diverse voices and unique opinions in order for people to feel represented and can relate to. Having a sense of community or people to turn to is something very valuable and important to me which is what I hope to embrace as feature editor

Teagan Nguyen (Vertex)

My name is Teagan Nguyen and I am applying for the role of Features Editor. I’m a third year student completing a Bachelor of Communications, double majoring in Social and Political Sciences & Writing and Publishing.

I have always had a deep passion for learning more about society and culture, and have an endless love for writing and editing –whether it be journal entries, essays, creative nonfiction or poetry. With those skills I will devote myself to the role of Features Editor in Vertigo to platform compelling, real, dynamic, and underrepresented stories.

As an active student who has contributed to societies including UTSOC and, most recently, CRAP, I have been surrounded by many diverse voices which I intend to advocate for and showcase. I am dedicated to encouraging silenced, intimidated or inexperienced authors to submit their words because I believe in the stories of all students.

As a proud Vietnamese Australian, I want to broaden my responsibilities by representing complex stories in order to foster understanding and empathy within our community. When elected, I hope to collaborate with likeminded, passionate students who aim to inspire others and challenge the mainstream with their words.

VOTE [1] VERTEX

Mariam Yassine (MORE MORE MORE)

Hi y’all! My name is Mariam, and I am a penultimate Law and Communications student running to be your Features Editor in 2026. Over the past three years, I have had the joy of writing for many Vertigo issues. I have written about Chris Minns, pulled apart the world of the IVF industry, shared a diary entry from when I was eleven, and explained in no uncertain terms why parking sucks. Beyond Vertigo, I have written for law firms and in publishing houses, experiences that taught me to celebrate the unique voice in every story. I love the Features section because it allows us to dive deeper, to play with ideas, and to find connections between lived experience, politics, and culture. It is a space where writing can surprise, challenge, and comfort all at once. As Features Editor, I want every student to feel they can pitch a wild idea, share a personal story, or try a new form of writing, knowing they will be supported throughout. With your support, I would bring curiosity, care, and creativity to the Features section, and help Vertigo grow as a publication that reflects the heart of UTS.

Vote [1] MORE MORE MORE!

Creative Editor

Jared Kimpton (VERTEX)

I’m Jared and I’m a second year Communications student, majoring in Writing and Publishing. I’m running for the position of Creative Editor for Vertigo.

I have always expressed myself through the medium of creative writing, it is my field of study, favourite hobby and unending passion. This passion extends into constant consumption of literature. You can see this in my work that has previously been published in Vertigo, both in print and online.

As a Creative Editor I want to equally encourage all forms of writing, from traditional prose to work that breaks with form and convention. UTS has a strong community of writers and their creative storytelling should continue to be nurtured and advocated for.

I also aspire to hold a Vertigo writing competition, judged by our editors, to give writers at our University another chance to be rewarded for their work and connect with the student body.

My strong sense of social justice will commit me to maintaining Vertigo’s status as

a progressive voice for the issues important to, and affecting UTS Students. Vertigo’s long legacy of championing progress is one of the many reasons I believe Vertigo is valuable and special.

VOTE [1] VERTEX follow @vertex4vertigo

Layal Alameddine (Eclipse/d)

As Creative Editor of Vertigo, my core priority is fostering a space where diversity is just tokenistic, it’s celebrated. I am committed to building an inclusive editorial culture where contributors from all backgrounds feel seen, heard, and supported.

Creativity thrives when people feel safe to take risks. That’s why I actively encourage bold, boundary-pushing work, writing that experiments with form, challenges norms, and opens up new ways of seeing. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or submitting for the first time, you’ll be met with respect, curiosity, and open-minded feedback.

We don’t gatekeep literary expression. We champion it in all its forms: raw, poetic, messy, political, intimate. If your voice has been sidelined elsewhere, we want it here. If your work defies easy labels, we welcome it.

My role is not to enforce a single vision, but to hold space for many. As Creative Editor, I will push Vertigo to be a platform where radical imagination and authentic storytelling lead the way.

Mannix Williams

Thomson (MORE MORE MORE)

I want to keep working for Vertigo in 2026 because I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished this year and want to keep pushing further.

As Creative Editor, I want to work with writers to find a place for their work, online and in print. I want to dedicate time to seeking out voices of students who aren’t necessarily inclined to submit creative pieces. I want to experiment with new ways to get students involved - like writing workshops, extended callout periods, and commissions on topics that are important but that people don’t usually submit.

I’m a Wiradjuri man interested in writing about the colonisation in the present, how it inhabits the places we live. I work in photography and think this experience informs how I write, and has also proven useful for the magazine.

After a year as a general editor for Vertigo, I’m keen for more...

Terry Cai

I’ll build multimedia features where a tight 2–3 minute doc bumps elbows with a great long-read and a splash of interactive fun. One theme at a time, one cohesive package—so the story lands in your head and your heart, and yes, you will share it and probably subscribe (if you can).

Open doors, open brief: a simple call-for-submissions, fair rubrics, and light mentoring so fresh voices can jump in. We’ll sync with Features and Design via breezy story conferences and shared calendars— because good vibes make good design. We’ll peek at engagement trends to learn, not to stress.

We’ll review performance periodically to learn what resonates—looking at engagement patterns and reader feedback—while avoiding rigid numerical targets. My goal is to balance creative experimentation with Vertigo’s responsibility to inform students, so that our multimedia features expand reach, deepen trust and amplify student voices across print, web, podcasts and video.

Social Media Director

Terry Cai

I currently lead UTSCSSA’s Public Relations & Communications (PR&C) team, with endto-end video experience from storyboarding to publishing and analytics. As Social Media Director, I will translate Vertigo’s strongest stories into social-first programming that students actually watch. I will produce several short videos each month, as required, and coordinate timely coverage of key campus moments to connect print and online reporting with fast, accessible video touchpoints. Vertigo already spans print, web, podcasts and video—my goal is to make those channels feel unified and student-centred.

My approach is collaborative and process-driven: shared storyboard templates, consistent captions/subtitles and accessibility checks, and a clean handoff from writers and section editors to socials. We’ll review performance trends in regular editorial meetings to refine hooks, thumbnails and pacing—without locking the team into rigid KPIs. I’ll keep our work aligned with editorial standards and UTSSA governance, communicating transparently with the wider team so that every story lands where students are.

Nuha Dole (Eclipse/d)

I am so excited to run for the position of Social Media Director for Vertigo. As a Communication student, I am passionate about all forms of media. I am interested in social media and how it can be used in creative ways in conjunction with other media formats.

I am currently serving as Marketing Director for the UTS Society of Communication, through which I have gained two years of social media and marketing experience. I am keen to bring this experience to Vertigo and breathe new life into Vertigo’s social media presence.

I will bring a fresh perspective to Vertigo through my transdisciplinary background as a Creative Intelligence and Innovation student. This entails making sure that Vertigo’s social media presence reflects and appreciates the creativity and ingenuity that exists within UTS. Vertigo should be an accessible, inviting and relatable platform for all UTS students. I want to make sure that every student feels welcome to participate in Vertigo in a way that is meaningful to them. A publication that is funded by the people should be the voice of the people. I will work to ensure that Vertigo becomes a genuine reflection of the rich diversity of the UTS community.

Surya Negi (All Eyes On Us)

As the Social Media Director, I will manage the online presence of Vertigo, connecting with the community and generating additional content. Serving as a channel between the team and the public, I will have constant communication with others and ensure a smooth coordination of Vertigo’s social media. I understand the ways social media may serve to harm or polarise individuals, and will ensure that I prioritise facilitating a respectful and engaged online community.

Kayla (All Eyes On Us)

As social media director, I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as traditional custodians of the land. I understand this position would mean I would hold the responsibility of representing Vertigo’s public image and would need to do so ethically and responsibly across all their platforms including but not limited to X, TikTok, Instagram, etc. I would make sure to utilize all platforms effectively, bringing attention to the voices, talents and stories of the student body while maintaining positive interaction with the page’s followers. All content posted would be a clear representation of Vertigo while adhering to fair use, and other rules and regulations that apply. I would make sure that no content published will have any harmful, discriminatory, offensive/ob-

scene remarks in any way. The content will be authorized by the editorial team beforehand to ensure accuracy and alignment with the magazine’s standards.

Muheba (Vertex)

Hi! My name is Muheba Mohamed Shukri, I’m a 2nd year Visual Communications student and I’m running for the role of Social Media Director.

Growing up I was always drawn to art, writing and the power of creative expression. This led me to carve my deep passion for visual storytelling, whether that’s in the form of cinema or TikTok brainrot.

I strongly believe in the power of social media to platform marginalized and underrepresented voices. We all need a channel to be heard, and Vertigo is that driver. In the front seat I plan to foster an open summit that values the diverse UTS student body. To listen and uphold your voice and meet you at your point.

I’ve collaborated with cultural festivals such as Africultures to develop their online presence, promotional material and a cohesive suite of design assets. In my own personal practice, I’ve enjoyed creating various visual art and animation projects.

With my strong passion for storytelling and creative insight I aspire to join the progressive force behind Vertigo.

Vote [1] Vertex!

Akon Angara (MORE MORE MORE)

Chloe (All Eyes On Us)

As the Designer, I will consistently craft creative and design elements for a smooth development process of Vertigo issues and related content. I will take initiative in my role and ideations, bringing in different perspectives, and leading others in a collaborative environment. I will uphold myself and our team to maintain a respectful relationship with the stories we tell, the visuals we present and the people behind them. I will ensure that the media and elements I create will never seek to harm or incorrectly portray individuals and communities, by maintaining an active conversation with those I depict.

Designer

Hello!

Shania Pires (Vertex)

I’m Shania Pires (she/her), and I’m running for the position of Design Director for Vertigo.

As a former STEM major, I have always held on to a deep passion and appreciation for the arts, whether that be graphic design, fine arts, music, creative writing, etc.

Now, as a current second-year student of Design in Visual Communications, it would be an honour to contribute to Vertigo’s legacy of platforming student advocacy, voices, creative work, and personal expression.

If elected as Vertigo’s Designer, I aspire to bring considerate, collaborative layouts and typographic treatments to the magazine that are both accessible to and representative of its wonderful and diverse readership. From designers like myself to photographers, coders, activists, and poets, UTS is full of people doing some pretty incredible and thoughtful work, and I truly believe in Vertigo’s potential as a meeting point for all of us.

The magazine that aims to foster a strong community on campus, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and nurture the intrinsic creativity of students from all faculties. Hence, with the skills I’ve developed in Viscomm, alongside my wonderful team, I am confident in my ability to bring this vision to life.

VOTE [1] VERTEX!

Laurie Lim

(MORE MORE MORE)

Hi there! My name is Laurie, currently studying a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication, and running for Vertigo’s design director in 2026!

Words can’t describe how much I love the art that surrounds me. I am forever grateful to myself for listening to that feeling I had, gnawing at me to pursue my dream of working in the arts even after being in STEM for almost two years. Since then, I’ve only grown more obsessed with experimenting and making those creative leaps, even when I’m scared out of my boots.

In my three years at UTS, I’ve been immensely inspired by the love and attention given to how Vertigo’s stories have been visually expressed. I want to be able to give back that love in my own chaotic way, allowing creatives a colourful space to share their words. I feel a pressing need to pour all my passion into this publication, and to leave a mark on the place

that helped me grow as a creative. Voting for me as designer will guarantee someone who is dangerously passionate about publication design, and will try to give more of what we love about Vertigo.

Vote [1] MORE MORE MORE!

Surya Negi (All Eyes On Us)

Chloe (All Eyes On Us)

As a designer for the magazine, I strive to amplify student voices, address social issues that I’m passionate about, and inspire others to do the same. I acknowledge we are on Gadigal Country and pay my respects to the custodians of the land. As a designer, I aim to provide authenticity and be a vessel to highlight unique perspectives and talent across the student body and uphold my values of maintaining an ethical position in all my work. As a visual communications student, I absolutely thrive working collaboratively, and I strive to one day master any and all means of creative expression. What I hope to provide to the student magazine is not only a way to showcase my own means of expression but also to facilitate the expression of others’ unique creative visions and voices. I would love to be able to be part of Vertigo’s continued effort to produce the most visually striking and uplifting magazine found on a university campus.

Ava Stathatos (Eclipse/d)

Hi! I’m Ava, a second-year student studying a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication and BCII. I’m really excited to be running for Designer at Vertigo. For me, design is both a passion and a purpose. I enjoy making things visually beautiful and impactful, but even more, I value how design can connect people, tell stories, and share voices that inspire.

Creating visuals that feel inviting and authentic is something I’m passionate about, and I want to bring that energy into Vertigo. My background in layout design, typography, and visual storytelling has given me the tools to shape ideas in expressive and engaging ways. I love experimenting with new concepts while keeping designs clear, accessible, and easy for everyone to connect with. My goal is to represent the diversity of student experiences and highlight the creativity that makes our community so special.

Collaboration is at the heart of design, and I’m eager to work closely with writers, editors, and contributors to transform their ideas into visuals that feel vibrant and meaningful. Through thoughtful typography, captivating imagery, and creative experimentation, I aim to support Vertigo as it continues to be a space where students feel represented, uplifted, and inspired.

General Editor

James Pham (Eclipse/d)

As a General Editor, I aim to elevate the visual identity of Vertigo, ensuring that every issue is visually unique, yet still attractive and cohesive. Design plays a pivotal role in how stories are read, and I am committed to creating designs that complement the content, enhancing both the subject matter and reader engagement. I encourage new ideas, and will aim to push the boundaries of our design aesthetics for each and every article, by closely working with the rest of the team.

At the heart of every well-oiled machine, is a motivated and supportive team. I aim to foster a culture of transparency, open communication, and support. Ensuring authors, and contributors feel like their voices are heard, whilst helping to create content that feels relevant to our readership. My focus will be to help create a publication that is not only intellectually stimulating but also engaging and accessible to all students.

Dylan Chesher (MORE MORE MORE)

Hello, My name is Dylan Chesher (she/her) and I’m running for General Editor for 2026 Vertigo. I am a second year Communications student majoring in Writing and Publishing.

The current Vertigo provides a safe space for new and unique perspectives, I promise to give you MORE of this. Students must be seen and heard, I promise to be the platform for this. I will make sure that all perspectives, all voices, all ideas and all concepts are given as much attention as possible.

In my first year of university I started UTS Crafter-Noons society. This experience revealed a passion for student life and community for myself and for those around me. I wanted to create something that was beyond me and I would like to do the same with Vertigo 2026. My experience in leadership and collaboration, alongside my dedication to student life, makes me a strong candidate for this role. I want Vertigo 2026 to be even MORE inclusive, vibrant, and ambitious in showcasing the depth of students capabilities and perspectives.

I promise to give you MORE space to express yourself, MORE eye-catching creative projects and MORE engaging student-led initiatives.

Vote [1] MORE MORE MORE

Daphne (All Eyes On Us)

As a General Editor, I recognise that I’m on Gadigal Country. As I design and edit, I will do my best to represent the student body ethically through my work. I will comply with rules and regulations of the MEAA. I will not plagiarise and make sure to give credit where it is due. I will ensure that my work will not be used to create harmful narratives towards others.

Jordan (Vertex)

Hi! I’m Jordan, and I’m running to be one of your general editors. I am a second-year Communications student majoring in Media Arts and Production.

As a film student, I’ve had the chance to explore storytelling across different media forms, whether through camera work, ideation, creative writing or collaborating with others to bring a vision to life.

These experiences have taught me the importance of not only creating stories but shaping them - refining ideas, editing with care, and bringing out the strongest version of someone’s work.

As someone who’s grown up loving stories in all forms, I know how powerful it is when people feel safe enough to share their voice. That’s what we want to build: a community where students come out of their shells, feel confident to submit, and trust their work will be represented honestly.

It would be my honour to be one of your General Editors, working alongside an eager team to push Vertigo boundaries and create something really special!

VOTE [1] VERTEX

Surya Negi (All Eyes On Us)

As a General Editor, I will consistently support the Vertigo team and assist across all areas. I will ensure that I fulfil my duties to the team, enthusiastically participating and contributing wherever needed. I will uphold myself and our team to maintain a respectful relationship with the media we create and the people behind them, ensuring truthful depictions that will not work to attack or marginalise. I will ensure there is an active conversation with our team, with those we depict and with the community we serve.

Alyssa Damara (Vertex)

My name is Alyssa, and I am super excited to be a part of the next *Vertigo* editorial team. As a Communications student with a passion for arts, design, and storytelling, I want to bring fresh energy and creativity to help *Vertigo* flourish into what it should be: considerate, bold, fun, and welcoming.

To me, *Vertigo* is more than a magazine—it is a space for expression, connection, and community. I want to make it approachable and inclusive, encouraging students from every faculty to contribute, whether through writing, art, photography, or news tips that keep us informed about campus life. By prioritising transparency and collaboration, our team, Vertex, will ensure *Vertigo* is welcoming and more accessible for everyone, representing UTS students from all corners of Sydney I also believe in celebrating experimentation and play. From dynamic, unconventional designs to community-driven competitions and features, I want *Vertigo* to remain a hub where students feel inspired to create and share.

Acquiring experience in many creative mediums—from photography and video-making to editing, design, and physical art forms—I am eager to bring these skills into the role. With this experience, I will help shape *Vertigo* into a magazine that is fearless, down to earth, and unapologetically student-driven. Vote [1] VERTEX!

Terry Cai

I’m a versatile producer-editor who can strengthen Vertigo’s reliability and help incubate new formats. I’ll support across the line: keep copy consistent with our style guidance, run basic fact-checks, assist with layout near print deadlines, and ensure a smooth route from final edit to website and social release. I’ll also prototype approachable formats— explainers, motion-recap shorts, campus Q&A—and document simple SOPs so any editor can reproduce wins.

Rather than focus on strict KPIs, I’ll bring concise trend notes to editorial meetings to guide commissioning and packaging. I’ll uphold editorial independence and content balance requirements while we iterate, so experiments stay responsible and aligned with student interests.

My focus is collaboration and care: accessible typography and captions, tidy credits, clear ownership, and steady communication with the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor and section leads. With this foundation, we can publish on time, support monthly reporting rhythms, and keep Vertigo’s print, web, podcast and video outputs coherent, inclusive and genuinely student-centred.

Gwen Nguyen (MORE MORE MORE)

Hi! It’s Gwen!

I’m a second-year student in Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication), and I’m running as General Editor for UTS Vertigo 2025.

When I first knew about Vertigo publication, I was amazed by their influential content and strong design concepts. I see the potential for it to develop and reach a wider audience; moreover, it is a considerable opportunity to work with and learn from the creatives of UTS. I know for sure I want to be a part of that.

Design is, and will always be, the greatest passion of my life. I love every aspect of it, especially typography and publication, and that is why I would be thrilled to join the Vertigo team to be part of such a great foundation. I’m willing to learn, to explore and to challenge myself for the team. I want to bring out the most of my creativity to make Vertigo’s performance better and better, through my past experience with interactive magazines, creative typesetting, professional photography and more!

Thank you for considering me, check out my social with all my favourite works: IG: aarchiwen

Riddhima Pandit Bhasin (Eclipse/d)

Hi, I’m Riddhima, a second year student studying Law and Science at UTS. Throughout my time here, I’ve been continually inspired by the numerous opportunities and as a General Editor for Vertigo, I’m excited by the chance to contribute meaningfully. I love writing, and I bring experience in editing and design that will help our team. I believe in that journalism has the power to inform, challenge, and to connect. As a part of Vertigo I would be committed to my role helping to deliver newspapers that are not only visually appealing but reflect on a variety of issues. If elected, I will strive to help in every way I can!

Kayla (All Eyes On Us)

As General Editor, I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as traditional custodians of the land. I understand that I am accountable to the student body, representing it ethically and responsibly by overseeing all production.

I would make sure that all works published accurately represent the voice of students while adhering to the MEAA Journalist code of ethics and any rules or regulations that apply. I recognize that Vertigo is a student run publication where all editorial decisions will be devoid of any personal biases and conflict of interest will be avoided. I will ensure that all material published is accurate, fair, respectful, and is held with professional integrity I would encourage submissions from a range of students, ensuring diversity of voices, perspectives, and experiences while nurturing a welcoming, inclusive environment transparently.

2025 UTSSA Election Guide

Election Guide UTSSA 2025

Contents

Polling Locations and Times

2025 UTSSA Nominations

Position

Candidate Status

List Statements

List Statements

FIRE UP!

Who are we?

Why FIRE UP!?

Save Our Education

Student Welfare First

Access for All

International Student Support

5.

Institutional Justice

Unity, Truth and Support for the Oppressed

1. Education for People, Not Profit

2. Cut Ties with Genocide and Apartheid

CUT GENOCIDE NOT COURSES UTS

Left Action

1. ABOLISH MONEY ON CAMPUS

2. SEIZE THE MEANS OF CAMPUS PRODUCTION

3. COMMUNAL HOUSING FOR ALL COMRADES

4. VIBES-BASED LEARNING ONLY

RAMEN FOR ALL

6. MILITANT PROTESTS AGAINST EVERYTHING

7. SOCIALIST ENFORCEMENT OF LOYALTY

8. REVOLUTIONARY PUBLICITY

ENGAGE

Cost Of Living

Academic Experience

Campus Life

Social Change

Vertex

Who are we?

Vertex for Approachability

Vertex for Student News

Vertex for Community

Vertex for Activism

Why vote Vertex?

MORE MORE MORE

2026

Candidate Statements

Candidate Statements

Office Bearers

President

Dhruv D Thakkar

Neeve Ann Nagle (FIRE UP!)

Daewah Thein

(ENGAGE)

General Secretary

Schazain Babar

Salma Elmubasher (FIRE UP!)

Dhruv D Thakkar

Assistant General Secretary

Cam Perez (Fire Up)

Amelia Ireland (ENGAGE)

Dhruv D Thakkar

Nischay

Schazain Babar

Education Officer

Ella Haid (Social Justice)

Aayush

Welfare Officer

Sina Afsharmehr (FIRE UP!)

Caitlin McInnes (ENGAGE)

Sumit

Indigenous Students’ Officer

Taya Morante (Fire Up)

Postgraduate Officer

Aayush

Ciri Liu

George Tulloch (FIRE UP!)

Schazain Babar

Women’s Officer

Francesca Harrison (FIRE UP!)

International Student’s Officer