A lovely weekend out on the airfield. There’s something about the crisp country air mixed with a touch of Avgas that really perks you up!
I’ve got an hour or so to kill now, so I thought I would write a little something. It’s merely a piece of writing that may or may not spark debate. If I wasn’t a life member of the Union already, I would probably actually care.
VSU – Is it really the end of student culture?
So many people, mainly students, have put forward the fact that student life will die as a result of the Commonwealth Government aboloshing the compulsory fees for student unions. Less money for societies means that societies will be forced to close down, and our sporting bodies will crumble from lack of support.
The change will not be so dramatic. We will see a rise of competitive, tailored unions that actually have to account for all of their expenses, and become a union that students would want to voluntarily join. As it stands, if I was offered the chance not to pay, I wouldn’t. For $500, I see very little of this money actually going towards services that I, or what I percieve to be the majority of students, actually need. The food “subsidies” are nothing short of woeful, and a quick trip to the Thai take-aways in Newtown will quickly demonstrate how a competitive market will compete for the student dollar. Services like child care, whilst important to those who need it, are not such an expense as to warrant such high union fees. With the exception of Rugby Union and rowing, most sports clubs do not take a lot of expense either. As secretary and treasurer of the Sydney University Rifle Club for 3 years, I dealt with a whopping annual grant from the Sports Union of $2,000, cut down to $1,500 whilst Sports Union fees rose. The SRC, in most student’s eyes, is a complete joke. Their most public activity is activism, which frankly, most students do not value putting their fees towards. If I really want to help the refugees, I will support them directly. I realise that only about 2% of our fees go towards this, but frankly that is too much.
The doomsayers say the food outlets will close, and that commercial outlets will try to bleed the students dry. This is nothing further than the truth… if food outlets actually had to compete against each other, needless to say competition will force a more efficient market.
They say we will lose free legal service. Why is it that most other unions, which are not compulsory, can provide it, and the USYD union can’t ?
They say we will lose counselling services. Maybe. An efficient union would be able to cut costs by using student volunteers, mentor programs, and other alternatives to help students.
They say we will lose our sportsmen. Yes, the rowing budget and the Rugby Union budget will have to be reduced, and we won’t be able to afford as many scholarships. What a shame I don’t have to spend my fees on building bigger grandstands. Overall, those who want play sports, will. We had to raise our own funds in the Rifle club, through donations and fundraiser events. I’m sure USYD Rowing could do the same if they really needed to.
They say we will lose our community spirit. I don’t think this will be the case. Student community spirit exists well in other countries throughout the world where compulsory unionism does not exist. Why is it that so many people say a VSU will destroy student life, it is has not done so in other societies so similar to our own? (read: American)
Student unions are the last bastion of compulsory unionism in Australia, and by abolishing the compulsory subscriptions, we uphold the ideal of the freedom to belong. Other unions, whilst losing much memberships, have managed to survive, and those who want their services have joined up, and they have benefitted from the services of that union.
So think about whether you really think the fees you pay are worth what benefits you can actually see. Union director wannabes have promised a better union every year, and in the tradition of politicans, it has never eventuated. Could perhaps their money, and indeed yours, be better spent? And more importantly… do you really think student life will die if you don’t join? Think about it.
Any comments, flaming or not, are welcome.
